Aradesh let the words hang for a moment while the two men in blue looked at each other nervously. He didn't necessarily like the decision he had already made. But life requires one to do things one doesn't like in order to survive, and this was one of those times.
Dwemer was thinking about the man who was shot in the forehead. "We're not raiders."
"We believe two raiders were outside our village tonight, shortly after you two show up. I suspect that one of the raiders, or perhaps a new gang, are appraising our defenses and plans a raid. I suspect that you are part of that party."
"Sheeit, brother. We ain't going to sack you're crib." Said Melvin.
Aradesh and Dwemer looked at the black man.
"What did he say?" Asked Aradesh
"I have no idea." Said Dwemer, "He comes from a strange clan within my community. But we are not raiders, rather we are on a quest and were just passing through. We came looking for help."
Indeed, these two looked like they needed help, thought Aradesh. Neither man would have survived much longer in the wasteland. The damage of the sun on their skin, their dehydration, all indicated that they might have gone a few more days until they would have collapsed. If they were raiders, they were poor ones.
"YOu on a quest? For what?" Asked Aradesh.
Melvin was about to say to repopulate the world with beautiful people of African stock, but Dwemer spoke first, trusting that honesty was the right course.
"A water chip."
"A waterchip? You mean the kind used in vaults?" Said Aradesh. He noticed that both Seth and Tandi had stepped in quietly to listen to the discussion.
"Yes. We need one. Our community needs to replace it's waterchip."
"But those are only used in vaults." Said Aradesh.
"We have vault tec technology that depends on the water chip. Do you have one?"
"No. But I know where you might be able to find one." Said Aradesh.
"You do? Will you help us?" Asked Dwemer.
A long smile came across Aradesh's face. This was the time to make the move. Despite what he said, he trusted these two. He was old enough to rememeber when Katrina and the other survivors of Vault 15 had come to Shady Sands and privately he suspected that 'Detroit' was really a vault and probably to the West. They were lieing about that, but because they were protecting their own community.
Aradesh could understand that. It was why he would do what he had to do know.
"Well you see. here we do things differently." Said Aradesh. "I think you are looking for Vault 15 which is to the East of here. But it is a long walk, you will need help and supplies. I could offer these to you, but unfortunately Shady Sands has problems of it's own."
Dwemer made the calculations quickly. "But perhaps if we can help each other..."
"Perhaps then we could both achieve our goals?" Said Aradesh.
"Yes." Said Dwemer.
"Just like the black and white cookie, black and white, in harmony." Said Melvin. When both Aradesh and Dwemer looked at Melvin with a lack of comprehension, Melvin added. "Just look to the cookie, brothers."
Aradesh smiled. "But you see, I still must trust you. As a man I could but I am also leader of this community, and so my trust must be earned."
"How can we earn your trust?" Asked Dwemer.
"We got rad scorpions!" Said Tandi, from the back.
Both Melvin and Dwemer looked back to see both Tandi and Seth sitting next to each other.
"Yo man, you didn't tell me there was a sista in the hood." Said Melvin.
"That's my daughter Tandi and Seth is the head of our guards." Said Aradesh. "Yes, well we have this problem of rad scorpions and then there are the raider gangs."
THe one black beauty is a daughter of the boss. If he weren't interested in settling down, becoming the new son-in-law to the big shot might be a good idea. Still, Melvin didn't want Aradesh catching him invading her holiest of holes with any position of the Kama Sutra.
"Rad scorpions? What the fuck is a rad scorpion?" Asked Melvin.
"It's a mutanted scorpion, bigger than a brahma bull, heavily armored, and capable of attacking with both claws and it's poisonous tail. The poison would probably not kill a man with one sting but multiple stings could be fatal. Still a few men with spears can kill a scorpion."
"I don't like bugs." Whispered Melvin to Dwemer. "Did I tell you I was bit by a really big spider once, and..."
"Shut up." Said Dwemer, "How many rad scorpions are we talking about?"
"Many. There is a hive of them between our town and Junktown, and they are taking over our grazing lands. Already they have killed a few of our brahma and there are few that we can afford to lose."
Indeed, the radscorpions had managed to cut off trade between Shady Sands and the towns to the south and were slowing destroying the herd. Inevitably, the radscorpions would be too many to stop.
"Many rad scorpions?" Asked Melvin to Aradesh.
"Many many." Said Aradesh. Smiling. If these two could kill some of the rad scorpions it would be a service.
"How about those raiders?" Asked Dwemer.
"There are a number of raider groups- the Rippers, the Khans, the Vipers and then there are the Widows. They have attacked us a few times, taking both our cattle, possessions and even our people."
To Melvin that was no better an option. "Did I say I was a lover and not a fighter?" Whispered Melvin to Dwemer.
"You'd want us to resolve both these problems for us." Said Dwemer.
"Yes. It would be a showing to the town that we could trust you and in gratitude we could offer you some of our people and supplies." Said Aradesh.
"Why don't you just take care of these problems yourself?" Asked Dwemer.
Seth spoke up. "We lack the men. To fight the rad scorpions with the weapons we have would leave Shady Sands undefended and open to raider attack. If we attack any one of the raiders, the others will attack us. THe raiders are well armed and armored compared to us. It is only our walls that keeps the raiders out."
Aradesh nodded. "Yes, we have lost too many people already. We cannot afford anymore. If we were to attack a raider gang not only would we be more vulnerable to the others, but we wouldn't have enough people to get rid of the rad scorpions."
Dwemer didn't answer for a moment and said. "Let us confer a moment."
Aradesh nodded.
Melvin whispered quietly to Dwemer, "They can't do this and they just want the two of us to do all the work. I say fuck this and let's hop over the wall and keep going to Vault 15. We can come back for the bitches later."
Dwemer nodded. "I am likely to agree. But I doubt we'd get very far. Also we might need allies and I believe these people are in a very delicate situation. If we could do this for them, they would be our friends."
"Yeah but it's just the two of us. We're going to get fucked. No offense brother, but sometimes when the gangbangers come gunnin', it's better to move to a new hood. My grandma told me once, when the Man is putting pressure on ya, time to disappear."
Dwemer nodded.
Turning to Aradesh he spoke with a louder voice."If we do this for you, can we expect any support?"
Aradesh thought about that and looked to Seth, motioned him to come up.
When Seth was near, Aradesh whispered. "Can we give them any help?"
Seth shook his head and whispered. "Our people are stretched out as is. If we lose any, our walls will be too weak to defend. But, there are a few newcomers that we could get rid of though that are causing some trouble. Like the one I brought in tonight, then there's inne and that dumb gunrunner who doesn't do much but cause fights."
Aradesh nodded, thinking about it, as Seth returned to his seat.
"I might be able to give you some help. There are a few people here who might led you their weapons skills." Said Aradesh. "But I will have to discuss this tomorrow at council. I will ask, however, that first you get rid of the rad scorpion nests betweeen here and Junktown."
"Where's Junktown?" Asked Dwemer.
"You are new here." Said Aradesh.
The men continued to speak about the radscorpions. Aradesh nodded to Seth, indicating that he should go recruit Inne and Rob for this.
Privately Aradesh was pleased. If the mission succeeded he would have made new allies, and perhaps done more to rid the problems of rad scorpions and raiders. If they failed, well, there was another problem he had gotten rid of for Shady Sands.
