Fallout: Blood and Sand

The merchant's already annoyed face shifted to scorn as he saw Jordan.

He started, "Jordan. I didn't expect you to hire thugs to try to rough me up. 250 caps you say? That's a third of the money you still owe me."

"Number one: I don't owe you any goddamn money, you just slapped on an extra 1000 caps out of nowhere.

Number two: Stop sending junkies to collect your non existent money!

Number three: I didn't hire these guys to rough you up, they are part of a caravan escort. I sent them here to get a room. I told them to watch out, that you're a real shark, and that if you priced too high, they should convince you to go lower.

Number four: The sheriff breathes more alcohol than fucking air. So I wouldn't be too reliant on him if I were you."

Sergei looks between Jordan and the Merchant. "Say, Jordan. How about we get this guy to drop your debts and to pay you some compensation? As well as a room."

Jordan smiles and says, "Sounds good to me. Don't kill him, I respect the value of human life. Mostly."

The merchant frowned. "1000 caps arbitrarily added? No. Remember that rifle I gave you? I never said you could keep it. I took the convenience of adding that to your tab. And those junkies all owe me something. The least they could do is remind you what you owe."

The merchant looked again to Tyra and Cherchekov. "And what fine negotiators these are!" He said sarcastically. "They come in, try to place me under arrest, and then try to rob me! You're lucky I don't tell Mr. Terry what his new escorts are doing on their spare time."

"But, just pay off your debt, and we'll let this whole thing slip away quietly."

edited 7th Jun '11 11:00:53 AM by Poptard

"How about this. I give you all of my caps, which adds up to 512. And you let this slip away quietly, you give us a room, and all of us will be gone in the morning, like a bad dream. Except you'll have 512 caps. That, I think, is a most generous offer, If you refuse it, well, just remember you're in no position to make demands right now."

The merchant smiled. "That's not what you should be paying me, but I'd rather be done with your friends here. That will be enough. Two rooms for all of you."

He reached under the counter and put two keys on the top. "Now, let's see you honor you part."

"Done. Here's your dirty money. Let him go guys. Oh, and if you try anything tricky while we're asleep, I'll put you in world of pain."

Jordan gives the merchant the contents of his wallet, takes the keys and walks upstairs.

Sergei walks up to the counter with a smile, gets the set of keys remaining. "Now, who shares with who?" He winks at Tyra.

edited 7th Jun '11 11:24:07 AM by RevolverZen

Doctor Keegan went upstairs as well.

The merchant snorted when Cherchekov asked him that. "What do I care?" He narrowed his eyes. Strange bunch. But they shouldn't start more trouble. His train of though was interrupted when the dorr opened, and metal man walked in.

The metal man walked over to Tyra. "Initiate, do we have a place to stay?" Wait, he knew her? The merchant stared in disbelief. He dodged a bullet there, both literal and metaphorical.

"We do have a room... But I can't say I'm satisfied with the pricing.", she said, grinning.

Then she looked at the merchant, enjoying his fear.

edited 7th Jun '11 5:57:40 PM by SavageHeathen

Jordan was in a very bad mood. He waited upstairs for the rest of the gang, because he really didn't feel like seeing that merchant again. He heard some heavy footsteps and a voice. "Oh, Bacon's here. Would've been better if he had dealt with this mess." His mind drifted back to his Brotherhood days, when his squad leader told him he didn't have any leadership potential. "And its true." He thought. "I just make horrible decisions based on instinct. I don't THINK!" He kicked a table and continued to grovel.

Then Tyra smirked: "The minigun is prohibited technology. We're confiscating it, and we'll check your armory later.", she said.

The Paladin's presence gave the Scribe much more leverage. "As for Jordan's debt, it'll be repaid... In NCR scrip, at an 1-1 exchange rate. We want those caps back.", she ordered.

The merchant sighed. "This again?"

Bacon tilted his head. What does he mean "this again"? He sighed also, though he managed to keep it quiet. Things like this were why Brothers were usually expulsed from larger settlements.

The merchant leaned in. He said, cooly, "I don't know if you get the message, Scribe, but the Brotherhood don't have any authority here. This isn't 150 years ago; you can't just go taking away stuff because it's too shiny. If you can't control your hard-on for anything past Industrial Revolution tech, someone's going to do it for you."

The merchant shifted his gaze to Bacon. "Hey Knight, control your friend over here. I'm sure Terry would love to hear how the new escortee would kill him if he found a Laser Pistol."

The Paladin didn't like the merchant's attitude, but he had a point. The minigun seemed like it would fall apart if he held down the trigger for too long, and it definitely wasn't worth getting himself of Tyra kicked out of the Caravan. "It's not worth it, Tyra. He's not worth it," Bacon stated to the woman.

edited 10th Jun '11 12:21:31 PM by Poptard

She sighed. "Fine, have it your way.", she said.

Tyra looked very angry. She went to drink with the Russian: Her goal was to down half a bottle of vodka in a short while, perhaps do some chems.

Sergei had purchased a large bottle of vodka, and has retreated to one of the two hotel rooms, he mumbled something about it taking him back to his home town.

Tyra got inside the Russian's room. She was tired and on a very bad mood. She brought some actually quite tasty gecko kebab as dinner.

"Don't you ever get the sensation that you're surrounded by fucking retards?", she asked. Then she gulped down some vodka.

After a short pause, she looked at Dmitri again: "Someday you'll have to tell me: How does a Russian get into the American Wasteland? And why?", she asked. "Are they still commies back West?"

edited 10th Jun '11 5:06:27 PM by SavageHeathen

Cherchekov grinned, he's obvioulsy a bit drunk "Alla time. But you're all okay."

At the mention of Russia and comunism he leans forward, and says quietly "I left because of the 'Merican dream... For my fortune and shit. I came across the oceans, big fucking boat, biggest boat I ever saw. And yeah, some folk are still commies, worship Stalin and shit like there god."

Tyra chuckled, raising a shot glass of vodka. "For good ol'America, land of the free!", she said. "Definition: freedom is punching a fist-sized hole on the head of any asshole who treads on you.", she kept smiling.

edited 10th Jun '11 5:22:01 PM by SavageHeathen

Cherchekov laughed, hoarse and loud cackle and raised his glass "To America and Freedom."

"I am free because I know that I alone am morally responsible for everything I do," Bacon spoke up. He had somehow managed to walk up the stairs in his heavy armor without being heard. "Someone said that. I forget where. But you should listen to that someone."

Bacon stepped though the open doorway, then regarded Tyra. "Initiate, I know the Codex says we have to secure technology. The Codex says we are entitled to it. The Codex says we are the only ones who should use it. But know that the Codex hasn't aged well. We're not as invicnible as we were a century ago."

"Thinking like you own everything will get you killed. It got us killed, my entire chapter. And I don't want to get any more of us killed. Tyra, you're part of a team now. We lean on eachother. And if you piss off an entire town, you'll pull us down with you."

He stood up. "So Initiate, I need you to control yourself. I don't want to see any other Brothers killed due their own egotism. Can I count on you for that?"

edited 11th Jun '11 12:12:18 PM by Poptard

Tyra chuckled. "Don't worry: I know we've never been invincible. Digging better and faster only works for so long." She made a pause. "The Brotherhood is essentially done. Couldn't happen any other way: Wouldn't adapt", she stated.

She looked at Dmitri, then at Bacon.

"There is still hope, Paladin. Up north. Wait and see...", she said, cryptic. She had plans, that was obvious.

edited 11th Jun '11 5:15:14 PM by SavageHeathen

Satisfied, Bacon nodded. He spoke softly, "I'm glad you understand. Well, I'm hitting the sack, and I expect you to as well. We're going to be avoiding Legion territory by cutting north, but it's a lot more... chaotic up there. So, I don't want you nodding of just before an ambush." With that, the Paladin turned, left, and entered the adjacent room.

Bacon set his minigun down on desk, and placed out another, cleaner power helmet on one end. The man started stripping, cleaning, and polishing his weapon, the visage of the empty helmet the only witness.

Sergei mouths something silently. "So, we're headed North to meet with some of your... Uh Tov- Comrades?"