Fandom The Commonwealth Story

[Mr_DC]

Vaana laughed. "There's no way I'm ditching you. I need someone to get shot instead of me." She replied sarcastically. She could play it off as a joke if he questioned her about it. Probably. Wasn't an amazing smooth-talker but it was a believable lie. She joked when she definitely shouldn't have. It was a part of her legend, after all. "Slept well, kitten?" She smirked. "I bet you thoroughly enjoyed your mansion while I was stuck with sleeping on a dirty mattress. What a gentleman you are..." She joked.

"Oi." Charlie slid a package over to them on the bar, almost spilling Vaana's bottle of water. "'ere." He said and hovered over to server another patron.
"To Covenant then, I guess." Vaana took the small, brown package in her hands. It wasn't heavy and whatever was inside was too small for the box, judging by the movement of the weight inside. "I assume it's not fragile since we weren't specifically ordered to handle it with care." She examined the box. Taped over. She could open it without leaving a trace but she had no idea what was inside. Maybe there was a way to tell it was opened from inside? Maybe it contained a bomb? Probably not.

Vaana took the bottle in her hand and offered the package to Jackson. "Since you're the sniper and will bravely be out of the line of fire, why don't you take the responsibility of carrying it." She shrugged. "Know anything about the Covenant? I didn't cross paths with them often." She said as she took a few steps towards the stairs.
She actually felt uneasy when she was questioned by the guard. They were almost suspiciously friendly afterwards but it was more comfortable than other settlements.

"Served as a caravan guard once in my early days and passed through there. Wasn't too annoyed by their entry test. After all, I was paid by the day." She added with a big grin.
Caravan escorts might have seemed as easy jobs to anyone who hadn't ever done one but Vaana hated them. Constant vigilance and if you're ever attacked, you are in a disadvantage. You always walk into an ambush and you are never ready - unless the ambush was set up by particularly incapable raiders.

 

[AI10100]

"Sorry to burst your bubble, but I'm in the back line. Can't use my as a shield." Jackson said with a small smirk and a shrug. He really didn't care about being a meat shield because he was pretty sure he could kill faster than they could comprehend. Or maybe that was just his ego talking.

"I would have invited you in, but you just walked away." He placed a hand on his chest, sounding hurt though obviously faking it for the sake of a laugh. Well, he wouldn't really invite her in. Working with her was one thing, but letting her sleep in his sanctuary? He wasn't too sure if he was going to be comfortable with that.

He looked at the package that Charlie gave and then leaned off of the counter. When it was offered to him, he nodded and then took it in his hands. It was surprisingly light. What was it? Curiosity was useless currently, and he didn't want to open it lest he doesn't get his reward. He placed it inside his bag. "I'll try not to land on my backpack any time soon."

He shook his head. "Don't know any about Covenant. Always avoided it." It may have just been his leftover paranoia of the place from his time at the Railroad. They were always so suspicious and they wanted nothing to do with that place. "So I'm going in blind here."

 

[Mr_DC]

Vaana chuckled at his jokes and nodded. It felt nice to have someone with humor traveling alongside her. If she traveled with anyone, it was usually a VIP who hired her as a bodyguard and they lacked any humor. Perhaps it was just a mercenary thing - looking death in the eye and making jokes.

"It's a pretty cool place to stop and rest. I definitely feel more comfortable there than in most other settlements." Vaana shrugged, heading to the stairs. "They'll ask you some questions when you come up to the door but that's about it." Vaana wanted her partner to relax somewhat. She didn't want him being too suspicious about their next destination. While he seemed pretty relaxed thus far, Vaana didn't want to end up being wrong about him. A trigger-happy mercenary could ruin the whole job.

"Hey there, rust bucket." Vaana gave a nod to Liam as she spotted him up the stairs. "What's up?" She asked, kneeling down to pet the dog. She was still cautious around the animal but Jackson assured her he isn't aggressive.
"Good morning." Liam replied, feeling somewhat relived when he saw the other mercenary. As the sniper put it, she was the one responsible for taking him with them. "How are you?" He asked, the question coming out somewhat unnatural. This earned him a quizzical look from Vaana.

"Fine." She replied slowly. "How'd you three sleep? The night went well? Hope you didn't party it out without me." She smiled, heading out the door of the Third Rail.
She would have to keep an eye out for her pursuers. If she shot them before they fired at her, Vaana might avoid most of the questions from her team.

 

[AI10100]

Jackson shrugged. "if you say so. Considering you're telling me that it's fine, then I guess it is." He knew that Vaana was paranoid. Every mercenary was. So if she claimed that she's comfortable there, then that meant it was safe and no one would suddenly pop up and take him somewhere to torture him and to get him to spill about what he knows.

Sparky's tail wagged as Vaana petted him, showing the minor trust he had given Vaana. Considering Jackson was at ease towards her, the dog, of course, felt at ease with her as well. Just like with Liam despite being barked at when they first met.

Jackson then whistled and Sparky went over to him. As Liam and Vaana conversed, he took out a piece of meat that was wrapped in cloth and then handed it over to Sparky who devoured it quickly. He then looked over to Vaana when she questioned about their night. "Nightmares galore." He muttered, trying to make it sound like a joke - like a line that connected the two mercenaries as a sort of similarity.

He then shook his head. "How far is Covenant from here?" He questioned as he took out his map. They were still in Goodneighbor so it should be fine.

 

[Mr_DC]

"Yeah, you can trust my judgement." Vaana began sarcastically. "Just look at all these scars. Don't I look like someone who knows what they're doing?" She waved a hand over her face and grinned. If only the story behind those scars was as simple as that. While there were surgeons in the Commonwealth who could get rid of most of them, the scars were a part of her legend. It wasn't a thought she even entertained.

Vaana returned an unconvincing smile to his joke. Either he was joking about the nightmares - in which case she didn't find it amusing - or he was serious - in which case she understood perfectly what he meant. She hated the fact she was always a cliché. She was never just a mercenary. She was always the mercenary with a bad history. Using that bad history to excuse her actions. The fucking drama of life.

"Just east of Lexington." Vaana looked at the scrap wall keeping Goodneighbor safe. If a supermutant suicider got too close, Goodneighbor would be open to an attack. It wasn't enough security for her. A few more turrets, perhaps. "North of Wattz." She added. Lexington was full of ghouls, last time she checked. The safest path would be to paint a direct line towards the Covenant. "A short trip through downtown Boston, cross a bridge, and we're practically there." She looked back.

"I think I can give you the shortest route, if you'd like." Liam happily offered, wanting to feel like a part of the team. "I don't really know about the dangers along the way but my sensors can spot things further away and my navigation system can calculate the route if you give me the destination." He explained, pausing. "...If you want."
Vaana smirked at Jackson. Even if he might not be a fighter, the robot would still be helpful. "I'm cool with that. Shall we?"

 

[AI10100]

"Those scars prove your mistakes." Jackson pointed out. "I'm sure you learned a lot from them." He has his own collection of scars - gashes coming from fighting fire with fire, or rather guns with guns. Stray bullets finding their way to him, piercing his skin - marring him with scars. No mercenary is clean unless they paid surgeons to remove them. They become unassuming and certainly different. You wouldn't know what hit you. Assassins, the mercenaries of his ilk. They made use of those services far more than the ordinary wastelander. Jackson found it needless. His scars were his medals. He'd rather not remove them.

"Hm..." Jackson followed her route through his map. Certainly a trip that would cost them some bullets if they weren't careful or if they were just plain unlucky. Lexington was always a pain in the ass to cover so he'd rather avoid that place. He began to scartch on his scruffy beard which reminded him to actually shave it at some point. He felt like he needed it... a lot. But that was for later. Time to focus on the subject at hand.

However, Liam offered a solution. "Yeah. That sounds good." The robot was of more use to them than he thought. And here he was thinking that he'd just be a pack mule - someone who they can just up and leave at any point given in time. But it looks like he was a can worth keeping. He then folded his map and then placed it on the inside of his jacket. "So, we need to get to Covenant. Tell us the way Liam." He continued with a grin and a thumbs up.

He looked back at the gate that separated them from the dangers of the Commonwealth. He wasn't nervous or scared, apprehensive perhaps. If anything, it was beause of the job they were on. This was not as simply as he wanted to make it out to be. The Benefactor was too mysterious to put a definite on, and that... honestly, it scared him. He'd do the missions without question, but he usually knew something about his client. The Benefactor was a mystery of himself with only rumors of big rewards waiting at the end to boost him up.

 

[Mr_DC]

Liam was more than careful, leading them through Boston. He often took the longer route to avoid whatever he spotted in the distance. He took pride in his ability to keep the pair of mercenaries safe. To keep them out of trouble. He didn't have that pleasure with Jay who was, after all, a robobrain himself. He could finally be some sort of a hero. At least for a little while.

"Just across that bridge and all we have to worry about are critters." Vaana pointed at the bridge splitting Boston from the surrounding area. Those were usually covered with mines but Vaana saw nothing like that on this one.
"That would explain the amount of signals I'm picking up across the bridge." Liam confirmed.
"Most likely bloodbugs. Annoying things. There's plenty of them around the Covenant. Too close to water, I guess." Vaana shrugged and started walking towards the bridge. No traps.

"So, how come you became a mercenary?" Vaana turned around and walked backwards to watch Jackson. "You don't seem like the kind of a psycho who does this job for pleasure. Something must have fucked up in your past to get you where you are now." She grinned but quickly raised her hand. "I know people become mercenaries to run away from things. If you'd rather I didn't stick my dirty fingers in your open wounds, say so."

"The bridge seems safe." Liam added cautiously, rolling up closer to Vaana. "I'm not picking up any electronic signals. No high-tech traps." He explained. There were some living things in the forest across the bridge but they could probably sneak by without alerting anything.

 

[AI10100]

Jackson had to admit, having the robobrain around was more then helpful. Not only could he lead them to their destination, he also covered them from needless fighting with those sensors of his. Makes him wonder what else he missed by staying away from machines. He knew the obvious with the Sentry Bot - all intimidation and weapons given in spades with that machine. Even he wouldn't want to dance with one in a fair match up. It also made him wonder how dangerous the mercenary beside him was. She had an arsenal of these robots from what he could tell. He shuddered at the thought of having to fight her. May the gods not lead him down that path.

"I could shoot them off from this distance." If he could spot them. Though he made no move to secure his rifle to make the shots. No, that would be a waste of ammo. They could just sneak past just like they did with the supermutants. He kept his rifle steady on his shoulder. He was at ease, and his entire body showed it. With Liam, unless someone could snipe like he could, then there would be no worries about ambushes.

What a time to be alive.

He looked over at Vaana once more when she questioned his motives into becoming a mercenary. A question that was doomed to be put up during their trip. He gave her a plastic smile. "Oh you know, needed the caps, had nowhere else to go, and I have some sick sniping skills. So why not try my hand at becoming a mercenary you know." Lies. Or well, half of it was. True, the idea of becoming a mercenary came from his skills as a sniper. He was confident in them. Whether he was too confident in them was up for debate. But it was what led him to this end. What started it was far more complicated than he would care to share. Not to mention personal.

"Well then, let's get moving. I'm sure our reciever is waiting impatiently at Covenant." He said with a chuckle once Liam reported that the bridge was safe. He watched a bridge burn once. It was still in working condition but someone managed to trip a trap on it and a series of explosions followed. He did not want to experience that firsthand.

 

[Mr_DC]

"I'd definitely prefer if you killed anything before it gets too close." Vaana shoved her hands in her pockets as she continued to walk backwards across the bridge. "You're on this job either because of your sniping skills or your handsome appearance." She said sarcastically. "And I'm fairly certain that whatever creature we run into won't fall for that rough wastelander look."

She grinned further at his explanation. There had to be something more behind it. People who get into it just for money usually lacked something in their eyes. The dread. The regret. People who did the job for money usually didn't regret the actions they did for the money. Otherwise, they would go into farming. People who did the job out of some horror in their past usually searched for danger. Something to end that past.

Vaana turned to face forward, sucking in a breath to call him out on that and state her opinion but something interrupted her. Her breath was knocked out by a bullet hitting her abdomen and knocking her on her back.
"Fuck!" Vaana swore, tapping her stomach to check for blood but there was none. Her armor was god enough to stop that bullet. As much as that could have been a good thing, it made Vaana far more nervous than if she saw blood. She knew who sent that bullet.

Low caliber and the position where she was shot meant that the attacker wanted her alive or wasn't good with a gun. Either a raider or her pursuers. Something told her it wasn't a lone raider taking pot shots at travelers. It was the Gunners. In spite of the pain which would lead to a bruise later, Vaana rolled to her knees and dashed to stand behind one of the pillars of the bridge.

Her suspicion was confirmed when several more shots came from the hill across the bridge. Must have been a larger Gunner squad. Several riflemen waiting for her. Waiting for her. They were probably the ones Liam spotted in the city. Covered most exits. The bounty on her head must have gotten larger. Vaana withdrew her gun as Liam came by her pillar to provide some more protection and help if she was wounded.

"Keep them distracted, will you?" Vaana yelled over to Jackson as she pulled out a stealth boy from her coat. She really missed her sentry bot. The monster would have rained laser fire on that forest until nothing stood alive anymore. She would have to settle with flaking her attackers with a stealth boy. It was a good strategy they pulled: waited for them to be in the open with few options for cover and exit.

 

[AI10100]

"I don't want to waste bullets as much as you~" Jackson said with singsong voice. And it was true. Those bullets costs caps you know, if he didn't loot them off some poor raider, gunner or dead wastelander out there. He then winked at her. "Told you. Sniping skills." He didn't even refute the fact that she took a jab at his appearance. He would have, but he chose not to.

It was a switch - flipping between 'walking' and 'battle' in an instant. When Vaana was knocked back, his gun quickly found its way to his hands. He saw that Vaana had already recovered so he pushed forward and then sliding to get into cover, Sparky hot on his heels but unable to do anything. But they weren't aiming at him. His back was far too open thanks to his belief on Liam.

No, this was on Vaana.

More shots came. One after another. Countless riflemen. He took out his glasses and then hung it on his shirt collar. Jackson knew that this wasn't a good position to be in. Far too few cover for him and Vaana. Liam acted as another wall between them and Vaana.

Before Vaana even ordered him to cover, he was already looking out with his scope. He wouldn't be beat in his own turf. It was hard to find them, but their aim was off as a bullet found its way to the pillar. Bingo. He spotted the rifleman and shot. He wasn't sure what it hit, he just hoped it was the head.

He ducked down as the bullets rained down on him. "Uhh, I think I got their attention!" He risked looking over to the side and pulled back and another bullet made its way dangerously close to him. He needed another opening.

 

[Mr_DC]

"Good job." Vaana commended her partner. They would get through that alive. Well, she would no matter who won. Her team, on the other hand... Probably not. But what could the Gunners do against a pair of veteran mercenaries. Vaana took out enough Gunners on her own even though her sentry bot did most of the fighting. They were particularly clever with their tactics, though.

"Go cover Jackson. He needs someone to shoot over." Vaana ordered Liam as she activated her stealth boy. The fight should be over in minutes now. No matter how many times she used those things, Vaana couldn't get over the odd feeling of looking down and not seeing her body. Just shimmering light. It was unnatural, to say the least.

As Liam started rolling back to Jackson, Vaana began her sprint to the closest cover. Her sprint was cut short again as she found herself on the ground in the middle of the bridge. She didn't have to check for blood that time. She felt the bullet go through her. Her damned, rotten luck. They were probably aiming for Liam or keeping her suppressed when she started running.

Vaana let out a pained moan as she grabbed her chest. She had no idea where she got shot but her entire torso hurt. Med-X. She should have brought Med-X.
Hearing her moan, Liam turned. He couldn't see the mercenary but he could see a floating smudge of blood in the middle of the bridge. He got his chance to be a hero.

Rolling to Vaana, Liam carefully tapped around with his claws to figure out where exactly she was to pick her up.
The Gunners, seeing that they managed to incapacitate their target, focused their efforts on eliminating the sniper on the bridge.

 

[AI10100]

Jackson tapped his finger against his rifle. One. Two. Three. Three at the same time in short time. Three riflemen? No, probably more. They're keeping them suppressed. They're not going to run out of bullets and he knew that. He clicked his tongue before taking another gamble once more. One glint, gotcha.

Another man down. Not sure if dead or alive, but they wouldn't be shooting anytime soon. Hopefully.

A bullet grazed the side of his head and he slammed his body against his preciously small cover. He placed a hand on the side of his head and blood was oozing out. No time to worry about that. It was just a graze, it wouldn't kill him.

Liam was heading over to him. "Thanks buddy." He muttered as he used Liam's body to give him more space to move for a moment. The shots rang once more but he saw where it came from with nothing hitting him. Every one of his bullets counted because he certainly can't keep this up.

Sniper battles usually took hours. He did not have the leisure of time when he also heard Vaana groan in pain.

He went back to his cover and then shoved a Med-X and a Stimpak over to Liam. "Go, fucking go!"

It would be way too dangerous to move with Liam. He's going to end up like Vaana especially because he had no Stealth Boy to help him. There was a pause as they watched Liam move. Jackson took this opportunity to shoot again, but he wasn't sure if he hit true this time.

Of course, just their luck. They knew Vaana was down. Next was him and they put in more pressure to him. And he couldn't risk his neck. He's sure to get shot in an instant. He has to bide his time for now, but how much did he have?

 

[Mr_DC]

Liam injected Vaana with Med-X first and was relieved when he heard Vaana sigh. Most of the pain was gone with that. It was as if she has a metal rod pushed through her torso but at least it didn't hurt as much.
The Stimpak was next. That would keep her alive through the fight. Vaana clenched her teeth as Liam cautiously picked her up and began taking her back to the start of the bridge.

What hurt her the most wasn't the gunshot wound. It was her pride. Jackson thought of her as the legendary merc she claimed she was. The legendary merc who got cut down by a stay bullet. Fucking Gunners, ruining her reputation. What would he think of her now? What if he tells someone about it?

Gritting her teeth, Vaana rolled out of Liam's arms and fell on all fours. "Go cover Jackson." She hissed. "I've got this." She took a deep breath. The stealth boy should hold for long enough. With a couple quick steps and a jump, Vaana hopped over the railing of the bridge and disappeared in the water. She would hate herself for it once the Med-X wore off but it would certainly help them.

Now that he didn't have Vaana anymore, bullets flew at Liam again. The low caliber meant they weren't much of a danger but they were a danger nonetheless. Covering his dome with his hands the best he could, Liam stopped by Jackson's cover and hoped Jackson would end them before they got through to his squishy parts.

 

[AI10100]

Jackson patiently waited in his cover. Thinking how best to tackle all this. He still wasn't sure how many of them were there and he wondered if Liam could sense how many of them were. Maybe even pinpoint where they were. That would be a godsend.

Liam was going back to him. Don't know why, but it looked like Vaana wasn't with him. Then he heard the splash. Oh. Oh. She was gone now. Alright. Okay. His mind was still too busy trying to form a strategy to get angry at Vaana going away.

He'll talk to her later about that.

"Liam, can you tell me how many are there? I want to know." I need to know. He bit his lip. He didn't know if Liam could. But he looked up nonetheless, letting bullets whiz past him and his heart was still pumping against his chest.

He pulled the trigger once more. He then moved over to the next target but was forced to duck for cover when another bullet almost got him.

 

[Mr_DC]

Liam focused on his sensors. "I'm not sure..." Liam tried to read the data he received. "They're not moving. I can't tell how many there are for sure." Several more bullets hit him. He couldn't take much more. "Four... At least..." A bullet went through his armor, as tough as it was, resulting in a bzzt from within. A self-diagnostics was in order if he doesn't blow up right next to the person he was trying to keep safe. "We should retreat." Liam suggested anxiously.

He couldn't remember when was the last time he was shot at this much. Jay usually kept him out of harm's way and when Jay wasn't there, Liam had the liberty of running away. He wanted to be a hero but neither of them would survive for much longer. A shot hit his arm which protected the reinforced glass dome keeping his brain safe. "I don't think we can do this." He whimpered.

The ground and stone at the other side of the bridge got wet and a shimmer headed towards the hill. "I'm picking something up. Closer to us." Liam noticed and quickly realized what it was. It had to be Vaana. "I think she's on the other side, going for them." He pointed across the bridge. If she got spotted then, all would most likely be lost. They were ambushed and outnumbered. "We need to go back." Liam slowly started rolling back away from the bridge.

 

[AI10100]

Four at least? That was manageable. He had raiders flock him before. But these were more organized. None of them charged forward foolishly. But he was dropping them and they still haven't gotten him. Though, the grazes on his face thanks to their bullets were very close calls.

"I know." He growled under his breath. He knew that they should retreat. They were going to be slaughtered here. "But I'm not as formidable as you." He pointed out. If he took cover behind Liam, Liam would be shredded. He then gestured for Liam to move. "You go. Back. Go." He repeated. He would be fine. He thought.

When Liam said that he got another reading on the other side, he felt his heart drop. He doubted Vaana and yet there she was, charging to ambush. He'll apologize later. Or well, not at all. What she didn't know won't kill her. Or at least this knowledge wouldn't kill her.

"I'll catch their attention. They won't notice her if they're too busy trying to kill me." He gave Liam a thumbs up, but low enough so none of the riflemen could see him. He didn't want them to know that they have a plan. Or well, something like a plan. He then went up again with his rifle and shot and was met with another barrage of bullets.

He then gestured towards the other side where Vaana hid earlier. But it wasn't at Liam. Sparky suddenly bolted forward, towards there. And yet, he didn't get shot. Good. Jackson went up again and then shot at one of the riflemen. He hoped it dropped whoever they were.

 

[Mr_DC]

Vaana held her breath as much as she cold, in spite of her rapidly beating heart. She must be bleeding profusely but the Gunners were too focused on the bridge. They wouldn't notice a floating source of blood near them.
They were definitely there for her. Wearing combat armor and carrying heavily modified weapons but chambered for smaller calibers to avoid killing her, the three remaining Gunners fired off carefully aimed shots at the bridge.

They were probably expecting for her to come with her sentry bot. Vaana dreaded to think what would have happened if they got off a shot at its combat inhibitor. She always took great care with protecting it but it needed to be accessible and, thus, undefended.
There was another handful of dead ones scattered around. Vaana gripped a tree for stability and aimed her gun at the closest Gunner.

Liam, getting the order, rolled back to the start of the bridge where the Gunners weren't interested in shooting. They had a more important focus on the target that was actively shooting back and killing them off.
They were focused enough that they didn't even notice Vaana kill one of them. She trained her sights on the second Gunner. He died as anticlimactically as the first.

Just as she fired that shot, her stealth boy ran out. In a panic, the final Gunner aimed his rifle at Vaana and fired too high, missing her and earning a bullet to the skull.
They survived the fight. It was just a matter of surviving the consequences. "Hey!" Vaana yelled towards the bridge and allowed the strength from her legs to fade, sliding to the dirt against the tree.

 

[AI10100]

Jackson kept on looking up and then shooting to just get their attention. They didn't notice that his aim was off, or that he wasn't even spending time to properly aim at any of them. They were smarter than the raiders, but it looked like they were also pissed that he was dropping their group.

They wanted him dead.

But then the shots gradually began to die down. He took one last peek through his scope and saw that there was this guy looking at... Vaana. But she managed to kill him before he killed her.

Jackson let out a sigh and then slung his rifle on his shoulder again after reloading it. "Liam, come on!" He called out to the robot. He didn't really blame Liam for thinking that they couldn't win. Jackson didn't know if they would actually win. But he refused to go down running away. No, he'll stay and shoot and die with a rifle in his hands.

He then jogged over to where Vaana was. "Fuck man, you don't look so good." He said, looking at her wound with creased eyebrows. Jackson would try to help her if he knew how. Sure, apply Med-X or Stimpaks but that wasn't enough. "We need to get to Covenant and hand you over to a doctor. I have enough caps to pay for that." He muttered.

He then called over to Liam again. "Liam, come on. Carry her. We need to get to Covenant as fast as possible." He then looked back at Vaana and then to the Gunners. It was obvious that he wanted to ask, but he didn't voice it.

However, he did head over to get their ammo and anything they might have. No one's gonna use them anyway so might as well take them. He was tempted to get their armor but knew he wouldn't use them. Not when he had armor of his own right now.

 

[Mr_DC]

Vaana took the chance to examine herself until the pair arrived. Her coat got another bullet hole but that happened so often Vaana could get a job as a tailor if she wanted to settle down. The bullet entered on the right side of her torso and came out through her chest. It didn't do much damage to her lung as she could still breathe relatively normally. It could just be the Stimpak or the Med-X, though. At least the shot didn't go through her heart. Incapable morons, can't do any job right. Even when they have to get someone alive, they almost kill their target. What would they do if they managed to get rid of Jackson? Wish upon a star she got better? If only she knew who wanted her. She would have already cut the head off the snake. Did she cross anyone powerful? There weren't many wealthy people in the Commonwealth. Maybe just the Institute and the Benefactor but it couldn't be any of them. The Institute would send a courser and the Benefactor could have already lured her into a trap.

"Thanks, Mr. Handsome." Vaana said sarcastically as Jackson came over. She used her words to hide her relief when she was they were all alive and her worry when she saw the wound on Jackson's head. Her words might have done half the job but her eyes betrayed her. "I save your ass and you tell me I don't look good. How rude." She laughed, showing him her bloody teeth. "I'd like to see how well you'd look if you got an extra asshole and then cleaned it in a radioactive river." Vaana's sarcastic rant came to a halt as she felt a stab of pain. "Ugh, just put me out of my misery, will you?" She moaned and raised a finger at Jackson. "That's a joke. Bust your ass trying to save me, alright?" She said seriously, feeling her eyes unfocusing. She lost too much blood to stay conscious. "Fuck..." She sighed as she fell to her side, completely blacking out.

"Oh, God..." Liam panicked when he finally got up the hill. "Is she dead?" He asked, coming closer but calming down when he saw her breathing. They were all still alive. They survived. Glancing at Jackson, Liam felt ashamed. He wanted to run. He started running. He almost left his companions to die because he was too scared. Too scared of a few bullets. They weren't scared. One was dying in front of him and another was bleeding from a head wound. Even the dog ran towards bullets. What would Jay say if he saw him act so cowardly? Nothing... Jay never berated him for his behavior.
"It's just down that road." Liam explained as he picked Vaana up. "Please run ahead, make sure they don't shoot us." He suggested. People usually shot solitary robots on sight. Those partnered up with humans only fared slightly better. The Rust Devils and their robots made everyone paranoid. "I've got her, don't worry." Liam said as he started towards the location of the Covenant. He would be a hero again... Hopefully.



Vaana was reading a dusty, leather-bound book in the Boston Public Library and munching on mongrel skewer she kept warm over the campfire in the middle of the library floor. She was interested in that Joan of Arc person she found in an old book she found the other day. After hunting her meal, Vaana decided to settle down by the warmth of the wood-fueled fire in the safety of her library and learn more about this historical figure. The meat tasted awful but her wide-eyed interest in the book in her hand completely distracted her from it. The books distracted her from her hunger and thirst most days. It didn't distract her from the comforting crackling of the fire and the noise of the wind outside. The thunder of another radstorm made her feel even safer. Most threats would have retreated indoors and Vaana could enjoy the books in peace.

Vaana almost dropped her book in the fire when she heard her tin cans by the main door, followed by a hushed Crap. Did someone break in? Why? Why would anyone try to break into the library?
With her pipe pistol in her hand, Vaana aimed at the doorway, waiting for whoever it was to pass in front of it. Her hands were shaking and she couldn't aim straight. If she hit anything, it would be a stroke of luck. Even her eyes teared up and her heavy breathing shook her body. As soon as she saw a shadow, she fired. Too soon. A gun poked out from the doorway and a few bullets headed Vaana's way. Whoever shot at her did not aim at all and shot everywhere except close to her but she still threw herself on the ground. Vaana, though, did not fare much better and fired the all of her rounds into the wall. Most of her ammo was spent on the mongrel and she had nothing to barter with in Diamond City for more.

Even though Vaana desperately ran to hide behind a bookshelf, no more bullets came her way. She was frozen in place, taking rapid, short breaths but keeping an eye out on the doorway. One of her hands was pressed tight against her own mouth to silence her breathing as much as possible while her other hand was gripping her gun as if it still had any use at that distance. She wasn't sure how long that went on. Maybe seconds, maybe minutes. Time flew by as her body was flooded with adrenaline.
"I'm out of bullets!" A cautious yell came from the doorway. It was the voice of a woman. A girl. Vaana took a breath to yell something back but nothing came out of her mouth, her jaw trembling. She blinked quickly a few times and sucked in another breath. "Me too!" Vaana stupidly yelled back and waited to see who her guest was.

A girl poked her head out. She was in her mid-teens, just like Vaana. Her golden hair was tied in a tail which dangled under her frightened face. Her curious blue eyes searched the room and landed on Vaana. Neither of them made another move and simply stared at each other, only their heads poked out from cover.
Vaana decided to be the brave one. It was her home, after all. She came out from behind the shelf and walked over to the fire. She tossed her garbage gun aside, sat down, and grabbed her dinner without ever breaking eye-contact with the girl at the doorway.

The girl stepped into the room. While Vaana was dressed in leathers, the girl wore what was probably worn pre-war clothing: A red shirt and blue jeans. Vaana's eyes fell on the girl's 10mm handgun. She felt uncomfortable around people, let alone armed people, but there was still courage in her. "Hungry?" Vaana asked and the girl came closer, laying her gun on a turned over bookshelf. When the girl was close enough, Vaana offered her the meat on a stick which the girly quickly took but hesitated from taking a bite. "I have some more left, don't worry." Those mad animals didn't have much meat on them but they were both small enough to share. "Vaana." Vaana said, finally flashing a smile on her dirty face.
Taking a bite of the meat and instinctively frowning at the taste, the girl replied. "Mary." She said and looked at Vaana's book. "What are you reading?" She asked and sat by Vaana.

Vaana did not quite know how to reply to that. She shrugged and turned the open book to the girl - Mary. "History." She said. Taking another bite of meat, getting more used to the taste, Mary scooted to Vaana's side and read the book along with her new roommate.

 

[AI10100]

Jackson rolled his eyes at Vaana's comments - the tempting feeling of kicking her appeared in him to make her shut up. Not because he didn't want to hear any of it but because she was talking through the pain and straining herself. "I'd put a bullet between your eyes if we didn't have a job to finish." He stuck his tongue out at her as a form of joke.

When she stopped speaking, his head practically snapped to her. "Oi." He called out and his lips formed a straight line. She passed out. That's not good right? When Liam came over and gasped, asking if she's dead, he growled. "No. That shot doesn't kill." It was painful and might kill her, but not instantly. Not yet. He knew how to keep people alive but incapacitated. Their shot was sloppy. She won't die.

She better not.

"See you there." He mumbled before moving forward first with Sparky on his heels. Jackson wanted a bigger reward but... He didn't want her to die. Considering he was thinking the wrong way back then, he at least felt the need to pay back the thought so that he could feel at ease being with her again and not being hounded on by his conscience talking. He was jogging by this point, bogged down by his equipment.

He reached Covenant faster than expected, the compound growing larger before him. As he got to the gates, he waved. "Hey, this here Covenant?"

The man walked up to him, looked less like a guard and more of just a person hanging around there really. "Yeah. If you want to go in, you have to take the SAFE Test." He pointed out.

"I got an injured person being carried by a robot. I need to get inside." Jackson said, not even sure why this guy wasn't intimidated by a sniper rifle slung on his shoulder.

"This will only take a few minutes and then we can let you, your injured friend and robot inside to get them checked up on." He reasoned, smiling politely at him.

Jackson sighed. "Fine." He sat down in front of the guy and then began to answer his questions. They were... odd questions to say the least. But he answered them all confidently and he passed. Whatever the hell that means. But Jackson was content with that as Swanson opened the doors to Covenant. He then looked back to see if Liam would roll in, 'cause they did say it was fine.

 

[Mr_DC]

Liam appeared near the Covenant shortly after Jackson arrived. He slowed down at the sight of the turrets arranged on the wall but quickly returned to his regular speed. Vaana needed help and it was up to him to get her there. He just hoped Jackson successfully warned them the pair would come.

Relief washed over Liam when he saw the sniper standing at the entrance. Even more so when the turrets simply ignored Liam approaching the settlement. He looked down at the body he was carrying. She seemed dead. Her scarred face was expressionless and pale with a few smudges of blood around her mouth. If not for her shallow, irregular breathing, Liam would start panicking.

"Bring her there." The guard at the gates pointed at a house. The houses were amazingly well preserved. It was almost as that wall around them protected them from the harshness of the wasteland. The area looked beautiful. Liam, however, did not have much time to admire the beauty and rushed to the house which was pointed out to him.
Inside he was greeted by a dark-haired woman in a lab coat. "Please, she's been shot." Liam quickly said.

"I see that." The doctor said. "Put her on the table and get out. This requires surgery." She explained.
Leaving Vaana in the hands of the doctor, Liam felt a weight off him. Vaana's life was no longer in his hands. He did his job right. He brought her as fast as he could. "We will talk about payment later." The doctor said, escorting Liam out and closing the door.

Liam finally lowered his bloody claws and looked around, letting out a audible sigh. If she died then... Could the sniper let him follow along? Would Liam even want to leave? The Covenant seemed peaceful and safe. Could he just settle there? Help the people. Be useful.

"Do you think she will live?" Liam drove up to Jackson while still looking at the preserved houses. "She looked pretty bad... Do you think the doctor can save her?" Liam persisted, hoping to get a reassuring answer. He needed to hear something positive. He wanted to hear he wouldn't lose his new friends.

 

[AI10100]

Jackson didn't follow Liam inside the doctor's area. He spent his time outside, looking at the robot named Deezer who yappered on about his lemonade. Seeing no harm in the lemonade, he decided to take his free sample. And honestly, it was as refreshing as the robot claimed it to be, but maybe that's just because he was being shot at minutes earlier.

He was drinking some of Deezer's Lemonade as Liam rolled up to him. "Yeah, she'll live." Jackson said without missing a beat - as if he was so sure about it. "This place looks pretty good. Don't doubt their doctor's good at what she does." He continued.

"Vaana was right. This is a good place to rest up in." Jackson couldn't help but say. He had his doubts. This place didn't look too bad. In fact, this looked like the best settlement there was in the entire Commonwealth. Goodneighbor's rickety at best. Diamond City was eh. Quincy looked pretty nice but Gunners raided the area a few weeks back.

"Now, while Vaana's out of commission, I wonder who I need to pass that to." Jackson mused, pertaining to the package. "We give this over, get back to Vaana and see what happens." He then went silent. But maybe he should wait for Vaana? She was better in the ways of talking to others. Hm, this was quite a problematic turn of events. Who knew that she'd get shot and he imagined it would take some time for her to recover.

"What do you think Liam? Should we head over and find who we came here to find or wait for Vaana to awaken?"

 

[Mr_DC]

Liam felt relieved at Jackson's reply. It was logical she would survive. It only made sense. This place was well maintained which meant everyone had to be very skilled. The doctor should be as well. And Vaana was pretty tough from what Liam saw. She couldn't be killed by one bullet. "Yeah... She'll live." Liam repeated.
Liam then paused when Jackson asked for his opinion. "What should we do?" Liam asked himself. Was he truly giving his input on their 'mission'. Was it truly their mission? He was a part of the team now. They have bled together and they have been attacked together. He was a part of the team.

"I'm not sure." He might have been a part of the group but he still didn't want to push his opinions on them. After all, they knew better. And what if they got into trouble? He would be blamed. "Is it urgent? If it is, then we should deliver it. But what if the delivery is meant to be secret? We can't really go asking around if anyone is expecting a delivery." Liam turned to look at the doctor's house. "Vaana said she has been here before so she might know who to talk to. Do we wait for her? Do we wait for the doctor to stabilize her and ask the doctor how long it will take for her to wake up?" Liam offered his thoughts, probably raising more questions than providing answers.



Vaana peaked from behind a shelf. There she was. The golden haired girl was sitting at one of the desks in the library, her nose buried in another book.
Vaana grinned. She loved sneaking up on Mary and scaring the poor girl. The rattling of the two turrets at the entrance should be enough of a sound cover that Vaana could sneak up without ever being heard.
Quieter than the wind and twice as fast, Vaana took a few long steps before she was close behind her target. Getting into a half-crouch, Vaana closed the distance until she was standing an inch behind Mary. The lantern on the desk threw Vaana's shadow behind her so there was nothing to give her away. She even learned how to control her breathing. To keep it slow enough that it wouldn't make a sound.
Vaana first took a look at her hands. No weapon nearby with which she might accidentally hurt her. Just the book in her hands. Grinning wide, Vaana slowly took in a deep breath through her nose.

"Whatcha..." She stopped as the dusty book hit the side of her face, reigniting the pain in the fresh wound on her right cheek. Mary's angry, little eyes quickly softened when she was blood starting to run down her roommate's cheek.
"Oh my god, I'm so sorry." She quickly yelped, putting the book aside.
"Readin'." Vaana moaned, keeping her eyes closed until the reflexive tears went away.
"Stop scaring me!" Mary poked Vaana's chest but then quickly grabbed the wounded girl's face and turned it to take a better look at her cheek. "That's gonna leave a nasty scar. What happened?"
Vaana couldn't help but smile at the worry in the pretty eyes in front of her. It felt nice to have someone worry about her. Felt so nice that she purposefully sought out danger.
"A mirelurk caught me unprepared." Vaana shrugged, moving away from the cautious hands of the inquisitive girl. "Good news: We have lunch for a few days. At least, what I've got before its friends showed up." She answered and motioned her head at the book. "What are you reading today? Found something else that's interesting?" The pair loved reading books about heroic figures before the war.

"About Rome. Politics in those times." Mary placed a hand on the book on the desk. There was a certain spark in her eyes when she spoke about things she was actively interested in. A spark which tended to turn into wild flames.
"Working on another CPG?" Vaana snorted, wiping the blood off her cheek. The girl might have been young but Vaana couldn't help but admire her ambition. She believed she could change the future.
"Actually, yeah. Something like that." Mary began. "The Commonwealth needs to be united. Together. If we want to survive, we need to unite." There was that fire in her eyes. It was something Vaana loved. She might not have agreed with her in everything but the strength of her words could move the most cynical hearts.
"What they need is someone to gather behind." Vaana shrugged. "A figure." She offered her own view on things. "Just look at every big group. There is one figure on top who everyone can look up to and see a better future."
"Exactly." Mary smirked. That mischievous smile made Vaana's chest flutter. "Remember all those heroes we've been reading about?" Mary pointed behind her back at a bookshelf without taking her eyes off Vaana. "We could make up a hero. Someone... Someone who the raiders will fear and who will help settlers get some rest."
Vaana rolled her eyes at the idea. "And what are you gonna call your hero?" She cocked an eyebrow. "The Merc?" Vaana asked sarcastically.

 

[AI10100]

Jackson scratched his beard. So Liam wasn't sure of what to do either. He really didn't want to head in alone. Not when there is danger involved. Both of them were hired for this, and he assumed that they need to both be there. Or at least, the runner won't show up unless she's there.

"Yeah, you're right. It'd be dangerous to ask around." He said with a nod of agreement. "I'll talk to the doctor about it once they're done." He continued. The closed door to the doctors told him as much of what is happening inside. She'll need to be stabilized for now and then wait for her to wake up. "Told us we should get here ASAP though. But I don't see anyone who doesn't remotely look out of place besides you, me and my dog."

He then walked over to a nearby bench and sat down. "Keep your eyes open for anyone who looks suspicious. We need to find our guy too." He told Liam before leaning back. He would go explore later, after he's rested for a while. After being shot at, he wanted to let the adrenaline completely wear off and refill through some well earned down time.

Everything here was so peppy though. Too safe. Too happy. As if nothing's wrong at all. Makes him wonder why the Railroad was too afraid of this place. But his mind couldn't process it anymore. He just wanted to rest. And that's what he'll do.

 

[Mr_DC]

The surgery on the mercenary was finished hours later. She would recover her full capabilities, given enough time. The doctor's work was not done, however. Doctor Patricia worked on combining the medication she had on hand to achieve her desired effect. They needed to know who they were taking into the Covenant. They needed to do their work.
Injecting her concoction of drugs into the mercenary, the doctor went to get her clipboard with the SAFE test. The patient would be uncomfortable at best for waking up so early after sedation.

Vaana slowly opened her eyes and an image of a darkened, blurry ceiling appeared. She felt like a poorly put together giddyup buttercup. Each of her heartbeats caused immeasurable pain in her skull. It felt like her brain was bulging and threatening to crack open her skull of the inside. She parted her dry lips and noticed her ears were buzzing only when it disappeared. What kind of a hell did she wake up in and how much did she drink to get where she was? Closing her eyes and frowning, Vaana tried to focus her scattered thoughts. Where was she, actually?

"Question one. You are approached by a frenzied scientist, who yells, I'm going to put my quantum harmonizer in your photonic resonation chamber! What's your response?" The doctor asked.
That dumb question made Vaana start rolling her eyes but she quickly stopped as her eyes felt like rusty cogs in a machine. She knew exactly where she was. "Oh fuck off..." She moaned, keeping her eyes closed. "I answered these questions two years ago and passed."
"Answer the question." The doctor repeated coldly.
"I wouldn't worry... If he did that it'd cause a parabolic destabilization of the fission singularity." Vaana always was a smartass and she couldn't help throw it around.

"Question two. While working as an intern in the Clinic, a patient with a strange infection on his foot stumbles through the door. The infection is spreading at an alarming rate, but the doctor has stepped out for a while. What do you do?" The doctor proceeded.
"Screw you. Put me back to sleep." Vaana tried to drift away into the darkness but she was quickly brought back to a much clearer reality by a press on her wound. Everything turned sharper. She could see the doctor leaning on her wound, she could feel the wound crystal clear, she could even hear the fan spinning on the nearby desk. The clearest of all was her scream of pain. "What the fuck!?"
"Answer the question." The doctor took a step back.
Breathing through her teeth, Vaana spat out. "Amputate the foot." She closed her eyes as they welled up.

The next question happened in a blur and she already found herself on the fourth question. "Question four. Congratulations! You made it onto a baseball team! Which position do you prefer?"
Vaana's teeth felt numb from the pain and she found herself drifting in an out consciousness. "C-catcher." She shuddered. Even more questions passed by in a blur.
"Question seven. Oh, no! You've been exposed to radiation, and a mutated hand has grown out of your stomach! What's the best course of treatment?" The distant voice asked.
"I'd get a gun and shoot myself." Vaana answered spitefully before darkness finally overwhelmed her.


Outside, Liam nodded. "If we were meant to come here in a rush, whoever we are meeting should also seem in a rush." He concluded. "But everyone here seems pretty calm. This is a very mysterious mission..." He sighed. Was that what mercenaries usually did? They would practically be detectives if that were the case. "This kind of a life definitely isn't for everyone. I don't know how you can take all this tension." He chuckled. Jay normally took care of such things for Liam. Ever since they escaped the facility, Jay handled the worrying.

In the hours they waited, Liam spoke extensively with Deezer, only stopping when he heard a yell from inside the doctor's house which put him on edge until Deezer started up a conversation again. He was fascinated by the robot until, finally, he spotted the doctor exit her house, locking the door behind her. "Hey, there's the doctor." Liam nudged Jackson and headed to the doctor. Stopping right in front of her, blocking her path, Liam quickly questioned the doctor. "How did the surgery go? How is she? Is she alive? How long until she recovers?" Liam let out a barrage of questions but the expressionless doctor simply raised her hand.

"Your friend survived the surgery but is critical." The doctor began. "She requires a super-stimpak to finally stabilize her. We have one with our patrol which went to the north." She cleared her throat and looked to the side. "If we wait for the patrol to return, your friend will be dead." She looked back at Liam and Jackson. "If you want, you can try finding our patrol but you would have to rush." Clasping her hands behind her back, the doctor nodded. "There is also a matter of costs for the surgery. I stabilized your friend but the costs so far need to be covered."