New Vegas: Blood Ties

(Giving the story a kick in the 'plot' direction again. No more cruising.)

Water had never felt so good. Yas had the hot cranked up as far as it’d go and it hit her in scolding jets. She just stood and soaked for a while before taking her knife and some of the soap they had their and shaving her legs and armpits carefully, once again wishing she had a straight razor for this exact purpose and again making a mental note to obtain one. With all the aches and pains lessened, no longer covered in dirt and dust, clean shaven and wearing a pair of shorts and a singlet she’d ‘borrowed’ from a woman she’d bumped into inside the cabin, Yasmin walked out with her dusty gear over her shoulder and feeling a lot better about the world. And it’d given her time to think about how she was going to handle the situation at hand. She’d tell the team the truth about what she had to do, then see if lying to any new recruits she could get would be a better option.

She walked back to Carib and Brad, looking over at Tom with an IV sticking out of him. “Oi, Tom. New mission. Come listen.” (not sure where David is or what he is doing, so let’s just assume he’s there too) She stopped and slumped down with the guys. “Ok, you guys should probably know what’s going to be happening if you come with me. I’m going to this Fiend super-base or whatever it is. And pathetic as it is, I’m doing it for a guy. The Brotherhood couldn’t protect him, so fuck it, I’m going to. There’s also a chance there will be BoS heading the same way, if they give a fuck about retrieving their soldiers. And if I see any, I’m shooting first and not even bothering to ask questions. Fuck ‘em. Now, I can’t guarantee that there’ll be any form of reward. Or that he’ll even be alive. Or that the Fiends aren’t using him as bait to lure more Brotherhood. Or that we’ll live.” She grinned and shrugged. “But, hey, what’s life without a little risk, ey?” A slow sigh escaped her. “See why I focused on the possibility of riches before? Nobody wants to do they ‘please save my ‘whatever’ quests’. Which is why I think if we have any hope of rebuilding, I should…massage the truth a little.”
 
"Tell me this my mechanical banker friend,Have you ever heard of something called Bio med gel?, I'm sure your knowledge doesn't only lie in money exchange rates"

Nevest chuckled, amused.

"A healing agent, pre-War. I would tell you more, although I suspect you may already know... that, and I do not want to encourage any listeners in scavenging the valuable gel."

Nevest was awaiting the next retort, but it never came. The apparent leader of the group, the woman, began speaking. She'd mentioned the Brotherhood, and not with a minor reference. She spoke of their physical well-being, and that she may encounter them.

"T-the Brotherhood of Steel perished at Helios One," he choked out.
 
Brad was starting to feel somewhat better.

"I'll be ready when I get my duffle bag from the Wrangler. Anyone coming with me? Don't want another ambush from Deri- um, the Khans."
 
(Nevest, was that towards her, or yourself?)

Yasmin nodded. ''If we wait till we're all ready then get it on the way it'll save time. Unless there's anything you need right now?''
 
((Towards Yasmin.))

"I wish to join your group," he said bluntly to the woman, "I have combat training and experience, and knowledge of medicine and technology. And I possess a laser pistol, which is far more superior to those greased-up, lead-projectors."

Nevest realized the subtly of his Brotherhood origins was beginning to wear thin as the intellectual arrogance of his tone returned, but if his brothers were still alive, that wouldn't matter -- they would embrace him, welcome him back into the Brotherhood and the continuity of its mission. If it meant risking his relative anonymity, or even his life, it was well worth it.
 
Yasmin raised her brows at the really weird man. "Why? As far as you are concerned the Brotherhood 'perished', right? So how can you be helpful against something you didn't know still existed?"
 
Tom got up and carried the IV away with him over to Yasmin and listened to her plan, wasn't much of a plan anyway, more of an explanation.

Tom looked up at David, "Hey, you think these steelers I like the ones on the east coast?", Tom couldn't hold it, he sniggered halfway through his sentence, the east coasters were a joke.
 
Carib looked at Nevest with new interest. True the NCR was still at a state of war with the BOS, but the Ex-Ranger didn't care. "I am sure when NCR took Helios, a lot of the Brotherhood personnel got separated in the fight to survive. From what reports I gleaned, it was a bad fight."

Carib cleared his .45 pistol and put in a fresh magazine. He finally got the action he was looking for in the weapon before holstering it.
 
Nevest nodded.

"I always knew there was a chance that some of my brothers could have escaped the fate others faced at Helios One, but I never imagined so many could have survived... So many lives were lost, time and resources wasted... I had... simply given up."

He buried his face in shame.

"I must to return to my duty, to my brothers. Allow me to journey with you, please."
 
Yasmin nodded. "Ok, you might be useful. But I need to make this clear. Evan may be your brother by the faction you follow, but he is mine by blood. This is about saving him and keeping him safe. And I intend to kill anything that gets in my way, including the Brotherhood of Steel. If you have a problem with that, let me know now. But nothing is keeping me from him. Got it?" Her voice was filled with a harsh honesty. There would be no reconsidering. If the Brotherhood wanted Evan back after this, they were going to have to get through her first. And that was not going to happen. Nevest would have to watch his brothers die before he could rejoin their ranks if he followed her.
 
Brad walked over to Carib.

"Hey, I need to go get my duffle bag from the Wrangler in Freeside. Can you come with me? I don't want another Khan attack."
 
There was a subordinate sigh from Nevest.

"Very well, outsider. I agree to those terms, I promise you that. But know this: Any unwarranted aggression towards my brothers will not be tolerated, nor should you expect my assistance in the event that they choose to attack. Are we clear?"

Yasmin was obviously the dominant aggressor in their conversation, but that didn't stop Nevest from firing back. He held true to his beliefs, to the Codex, even when those very ideals could directly lead to his demise.
 
Yasmin's eyebrows knitted together. ''They not only took my brother, but then managed to lose him. If they are going after him too, I will drop them. Try to stop me and you'll just be more dead Steel.'' Her anger made her slip into using the raider term for the Brotherhood of Steel. ''Those are my terms. Don't like it, you can sit here in the caravan. But this is your way back to them.'' Yasmin had multiple reasons to hate the Brotherhood, but had never seen fit to attack them on sight. Until they fucked up the one thing of hers in there care. Now they were walking targets, and she wouldn't stop for an ex Brother who only just found out they were still going.
 
David replied to Tom,"No, the Brotherhood on the east coast were a outcast group. On both coasts the Steelers are self righteous pricks. The difference is that The east coast help people as much as they can, as naive as they are."
David then turns to Brad,"I'll go with you. I plan on leaving soon, so I might as well make myself useful."
 
"Sure Brad," He stood up and strecthed, "I'll be your body guard in Freeside." The Ex-Ranger was itching for a fight and perhaps beating a proud Khan within an inch of his life would do the trick. Carib had fought Khans before, they had no shortage of guts.

"Ready when you are."
 
Yasmin looked up at Carib as he stood up and took his hand. "Be careful, alright? I don't want you winding up dead on me so soon." She pulled his hand down a bit and kissed his knuckles. Though this thing with him was new and she didn't plan on settling down and building a ranch with him, she found herself feeling all tender towards him. And it'd be just her luck for him to get killed the day after things go heated between them.
 
''They not only took my brother, but then managed to lose him. If they are going after him too, I will drop them. Try to stop me and you'll just be more dead Steel.'' Her anger made her slip into using the raider term for the Brotherhood of Steel. ''Those are my terms. Don't like it, you can sit here in the caravan. But this is your way back to them.''

"The New California Republic took dozens of my brothers from me. Permanently."

Nevest turned his attention to David. In an aggravated tone, he remarked, "The detachment sent to the East abandoned their mission. They are not Brotherhood, they are traitors. As for being self-righteous pricks, I suggest you watch out for yourself; you will not receive aid from me."
 
"Alright, let's go."

Upon walking out of the facility, Brad found his combat knife on the ground, picked it up, and pocketed it.

The trip through freeside was mostly uneventful. There was the the arbitrary thug attacks, but Carib and David made quick work of them. They then entered the Atomic Wrangler.

"Alright, you guys just wait here. Have a drink or something. I'll go get my bag."
 
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