//------------------------------// // Booted Part 3 // Story: Queen Of The Wasteland // by Jest //------------------------------// Twilight was only partially aware of the conversation that she was a part of. The younger, more excitable male of the group had started pressing her with questions that barely interested the former pony. She would have liked to give him her full attention, but something about the rise next to the road up ahead drew her focus. Janey silently agreed, the courier keeping her hand on her revolver while they slowly got closer to that point. “Think we’ll run into trouble?” asked one of the more experienced caravan guards. Twilight snorted, and nodded her head, gesturing with a claw to the hill up ahead. “Aye, that would be the spot if ever there was one,” he agreed. “Should we go around?” someone asked. “No,” replied one of the traders. “We’ve lost enough time already and going any further west would attract the attention of raiders holding up near the pass. Or worse, deathclaws, ones who ain't quite so eloquent as Princess here.” Twilight rolled her eyes, too annoyed to correct the man at the moment. “Just keep alert, and most of our eyes up there. Myself and Jacob will keep an eye on our other side,” stated the caravaner. With that command ordered, the group moved out. Twilight initially wanted to remain in her position at the forefront, but quickly thought better of it. In the chaos of combat, she was likely to get shot by her own side and decided that she would be more effective as a flanker. She was basically cavalry at his point, said a tiny voice at the back of her mind that sounded almost like Shining Armor. Taking up a spot in the shade of the more heavily loaded brahmin, Twilight crouched low in the two-headed creature’s shadow. The beast was initially a bit skittish around the enormous lizard, but some pets and soft shushing did the trick. Twilight wished she had a treat for the beast, or Fluttershy’s talent for speaking to animals, but made do with what skills she did have. “Up there,” whispered a voice. Twilight peaked over the top of the brahmin, following the man’s finger to where a black splotch could be seen. Narrowing her vision, Twilight noticed that the black spot was actually the head of a legion soldier, if their red bandana and goggles were anything to go by. Upon being spotted, the scout fell back behind cover a second before a commotion could be heard in the distance. “Get ready, you know the drill,” shouted one of the traders. The caravan guards assembled in a staggered line, either taking cover as best as they could or kneeling down to become smaller targets. They just barely managed to get into position, and got their weapons raised when a distant battle cry was shouted. “For caesar, kill the profligates and seize their goods!” bellowed a powerful, masculine voice from upon the hill. Six wild-eyed men wielding machetes ran screaming down the hill while five more of their number leveled rifles at the caravan. As they ran, the six threw javelins, as well as curses, though most went wide due to the guards getting the first shot off. A volley of small arms fire killed one outright, and wounded two others, slowing them down considerably. The remaining three that had either avoided injury or had received only grazing hits and charged on, headless of danger. Twilight knew that it wasn't anything Janey and the guards couldn't handle, however, it was the five others that would be a problem. From their position on the hill they had full cover and could rain down fire on anyone with almost complete impunity. Seeing where she needed to go, Twilight slipped out around the side and hastily ran around the hill. Fast though she may have been, Twilight still needed time to reach her target, time Janey was intent on giving her. The moment she saw the deathclaw split off, and begin going around, Janey lit the fuse on a piece of dynamite. Tossing it directly into the path of the charging group, the legion soldiers were forced to either slow down, and go around, or die. One rather foolish, or oblivious legionnaire simply kept running and had his legs blown off when the dynamite blew. His four remaining allies were wounded or slowed, giving the defenders a chance to pick another of them off. The ranged legion soldiers had not sat idle while their allies had charged, however, and had managed to bring down two of the caravan guards. Whether dead or too injured to fight, Janey couldn't be certain, but the odds were rapidly swinging against them. The remaining guards were also beginning to lose morale and seemed ready to run before the machete wielders even reached them. So Janey decided to step up, tossing her revolver into her left hand and drawing a combat knife with her right. “Come on then, if you think you’ve got big enough balls!” Janey shouted, stepping forward. Only one of the legion soldiers was willing to meet Janey’s challenge and veered off to meet the courier head-on. The wild-eyed man weaved from left to right rapidly, throwing off Janey’s aim just enough for her shots to go wide. His confidence surged when the woman’s gun clicked empty and there were mere feet between them. He died with confidence still burning hot in his breast, Janey having ditched her main weapon for a pistol from her boot. The low caliber rounds weren't especially powerful but they didn't need to be in order to punch through football padding. Two to the stomach and one to the neck dropped the legionnaire, and a fourth put him out of his misery. Janey then turned to aid the caravaners but found that they didn't need it as much help as she assumed they did. The legion soldiers had injured one of the traders but had died before accomplishing more than that. A moment later, another of the guards went down from a shot on the ridge just as Janey took a stray round to the shoulder. Though her armor took the brunt of the blow, a second bullet tore through her bicep a moment later. “Fuck, where is-” Janey’s curse was cut off by a sudden shout. Twilight appeared as if from nowhere, and stomped the first legion soldier flat, crushing every organ not in the man’s head. His ally didn't fare much better, as the deathclaw sliced through his spine with a powerful slash. It was only the third soldier that managed to turn his weapon on the lizard though he only managed a single shot. The sight of blood spraying from the man’s stump of an arm excited some primal part of Twilight's brain. That rage and thirst for violence was held on a tight leash, however, with Twilight remaining in full control. The beast, at least for now, was satisfied allowing the more analytical Twilight to take the reigns and do the killing. Though not thrilled by the fact that she was once more slicing through thinking, and feeling people, Twilight didn't feel overly bad. Even as she stomped the man’s head flat beneath her foot, her sense of guilt was barely more than an afterthought. “Kill it kill it, kill it!” screamed one of the two remaining legion soldiers. Twilight ignored the cry, and raked her claws across his chest in an X, slicing deep into his flesh. As he fell over, blood gushing from his lips, the last soldier ran, tossing aside his rifle in the process. Though not so enraged that she wanted to kill the man, Twilight was curious as to where he was going. Remaining only a few feet behind him in order to drive the male forward, Twilight was about to give up when she suddenly saw red. Coming around a rocky outcropping, she took note of the distinct crimson of Caesar's legion in the tents and battle standards erected nearby. The camp itself was a small two-level affair built around a single roaring fire in the middle. Higher up there was a larger boxy brown tent that likely contained supplies while a further six red tents served as cover for the soldiers. Who came running the moment they heard the scream of the soldier Twilight had been halfheartedly chasing. Numbering only four, they didn't seem to be at all ready for a fight, with only one carrying a ranged weapon. As she no longer needed the first man, Twilight leaped forward and swiped her claws across his legs. Cutting the limbs out from under him, he fell to the ground in a groaning heap and was forgotten about almost immediately. Twilight was already charging the next soldier, who barely managed to raise his machete before the deathclaw was upon him. A backhand knocked aside the metal weapon before a punch cracked ribs, and sent him winded, sprawling to the ground. Twilight briefly considered killing him, but didn't bother doing so as he couldn't even breathe, nevermind fight. So she charged forward into a javelin, the projectile catching her in the shoulder and simply sliding right off. Her thick hide deflected a second one before Twilight reached the thrower and snap-kicked him square in the chest. In an instant the legion soldier’s momentum was negated and reversed, the man flying backward into one of the tents. This inadvertently gave the rifle-wielding legion soldier a clear shot, which he used to relatively middling success. Two bullets thudded into the deathclaw and simply hit the ground, unable to pierce her flesh. A third skimmed the side of Twilight's face, but by the time the fourth was shot, the deathclaw was in motion. Pain enraged her, but she focused that anger squarely on the rifleman that was so intent on killing her. “For caesar!” shouted the sole remaining machete wielder. Twilight didn't even look at him, merely backhanding the unfortunate male and knocking him onto his ass. The rifleman saw this and immediately began panicking, shooting wildly while backpedaling towards the fire. His shots went predictably wide and did absolutely nothing to slow Twilight down in the slightest. A clawed hand ripped the weapon from his hands while also pulling him forward into a surprisingly strong head butt. The iron-hard skull of the deathclaw was more than enough to knock the man out cold. He tumbled to the ground like a sack of potatoes, eyes having already rolled back into his head. The sound of clinking, and whispered cursing alerted Twilight to a pair of chained-up powder gangers attempting to escape. The two men were hastily attempting to crawl away while their hands and legs were bound together. They had barely managed to get a few feet before Twilight stepped in front of them and knelt down to their level. “Fuck fuck fuck, what do we do,” one of the men whispered. “I don't know man, play dead?” replied the other. Twilight chuckled. “Is it… laughing at us?” the first man muttered. Twilight nodded. There was a moment of silence before the men exchanged a glance. “Uh, is it just me or is that thing responding to us?” the second man asked. “I think so,” answered his ally. Twilight stood back up, grabbing the men’s manacles in the process and hefting them to their feet. Once they both seemed to realize that they weren't about to die horribly and then get eaten, they relaxed slightly. Communication was about to be attempted when Twilight heard a shout from the distance. “Princess! Princess where are you?” shouted Janey. Twilight cupped her hands around her lips and shouted “here,” as loud as she dared. One man winced, while the other stained his pants. “She's over here,” Janey exclaimed. Twilight smiled and waited a few seconds for Janey to appear around the corner alongside one of the guards. “Holy shit,” Janey muttered. “You wiped them all out.” Twilight twisted her hand from side to side, indicating that such an assessment wasn't wholly true. “Get them tied up,” Janey commanded, pointing from the young caravan guard to the groaning legionnaires. “I’ll get the slaves free, and the camp looted.” “What about the others, they need medical attention,” he replied. “And they’ll get it. Noone’s about to die anytime soon,” Janey replied, approaching the two quaking powder gangers. “Alright then, here's the deal. You two are free, sorta. We’ll be dumping you and the legionnaires off at ranger station charlie just up the road.” “I ain't going back to prison,” muttered one of them. “Well right now your options are going back to the legion, or becoming princesses’ lunch,” Janey stated, pointing to Twilight. Who sighed and rolled her eyes. Despite Twilight's irritation, the attempt at intimidation was successful and the pair nodded. “Great, now just hang here while I find the keys,” Janey stated. Two hours later, and after handing off the powder gangers and legionnaires to a confused but appreciative group of rangers, the caravan neared Novac. Approaching from the south, the settlement wasn't very large, but it sure was noticeable, even at a significant distance. The large greenish-brown dinosaur was the most obvious landmark, though the hotel nearby was a close second. Across from that was an abandoned gas station that sat next to a couple of tents on the other side of the road. Outside these semi-permanent structures were a few brahmin tied to posts, signaling that it was an area designated for merchants. Further to the left, and north were a scattering of houses, some of whom were even mostly intact. “Uh you could probably let me down now,” muttered a voice. Twilight glanced out of the corner of her eye at the man she had currently slung over her left shoulder. She turned to the other human on her right and with a look, asked if she wanted to join her companion. “Yeah. That would be nice, we are both pretty banged up but we can walk the rest of the way. Just focus on Jim,” she offered. Twilight knelt down, allowing the two wounded and limping guards to clamber off of her. She then rose slowly, careful to not jostle the semi-conscious trader she was carrying cradled in her claws. Once the humans were away, she joined the main group as they limped, hopped, or otherwise ambled their way into town. By the time they neared Novac proper, a surprisingly large crowd had gathered to watch them approach. It looked like a good number of the town’s population was there, most notable of which was an aged ranger standing at the forefront. Though armored, he had no visible weapon on him, the dark-skinned older man simply staring in what looked like complete bafflement. “Haven't you ever seen an eight-foot-tall sapient deathclaw before!” barked Janey. “Now get out of my way. We have wounded.” That seemed to shatter the shocked stupor that had fallen over the crowd, causing them to quickly disperse. A few remained, like the ranger, a man in a red beret and a mustache, as well as a rather wild-eyed male with white hair and a white beard. Twilight paid them all no mind, however, as her companions had already moved on without her. Following after them, she came to where a pair of wasteland doctors had set up shop in the tent close to the town’s entrance. “Right, divide the wounded. I’ll take the worst of them,” declared a stout, older woman with broad shoulders. “Everyone not about to bleed out or suffering from a headwound can head over to nurse Straus.” “I’m not a nurse, I’m a doctor. It's doctor Straus,” retorted a straw-hatted woman in a blood-stained tank top. “Whatever,” replied the older woman. Straus stuck out her tongue at the other doctor before quickly turning to Janey and smiling. “How can I help you today?” she inquired. “I got a gunshot wound, and a few other bumps and bruises,” Janey replied. Twilight quietly deposited her human burden by the other doctor, who gave the deathclaw a strained smile. Rejoining Janey a second later, Twilight looked this Straus individual up and down, inspecting her a little closer. Pale, and young, she certainly didn't seem like a doctor, though she did seem intent on people referring to her as such. “Oh yeah, I can handle all that. Will your pet deathclaw need a check-up too?” offered the young female doctor. “You’re not wanting to breed her by chance because I have a jar of-” Twilight gagged and hastily waved off the conversation before it could get any weirder. “That uh,” Janey chuckled. “Won't be necessary. I just need you to heal our wounds.” “Of course. I’m more than happy to help now that a CERTAIN SOMEONE ISN'T STEALING ALL MY BUSINESS,” shouted the woman. The other doctor didn't bat an eye, merely raising her hand and extending her middle finger in Straus’ direction. “Right that will be fifty caps for you, and thirty caps for your absolutely gorgeous friend here,” Ada Straus declared. Twilight blinked. “Are you talking to Princess?” Janey asked. “Duh. There isn't anyone else here, silly,” Ada exclaimed. “Uh okay then,” Janey muttered. Twilight stuck her tongue out at the courier. “Oh wow she's really smart,” Ada declared. “Alright go ahead and lay down over there. I’ll get to you after.” Janey mumbled under her breath and laid down on the bed, clutching her shoulder all the while. Twilight meanwhile, crouched down as best as she could, allowing the doctor to begin inspecting her wounds. “Couple lacerations, a bullet hole or two. Nothing I can't fix though,” Ada muttered. “You just stay right here while I get my tools.” Twilight nodded and continued to crouch while the human walked away. She was almost immediately replaced by the wild-eyed middle-aged man Twilight had seen not long ago. “It's you, it’s the horse girl!” he declared. “They thought ‘ol No Bark was talking nonsense when I told them that you were coming, but I knew better. I knew that pretty lady in my dreams wasn't lying to me.” Twilight blinked, and went to grab the plate hanging from her neck in order to tap out a response but the man just kept talking. “Now that you’re here I can finally complete my mission and help you on your journey,” No Bark continued. “I ain't much of a fighter though, but I do keep my sticking knife real sharp.” “How did you know I was coming?” Twilight tapped out, the man pausing just long enough to hear the translated response come through Jainy’s pip-boy. “Oh you can talk, but not real talk, not like humans, geckos and chupacabras can talk,” No Bark exclaimed. “I got it. That's how I’ll help ya.” Twilight had so many questions in mind that she couldn't even utter a single one of them as they were creating a bottleneck in her mind. “What you have to do is go down to one of those giant metal coffins where they keep all the cyclopses,” No Bark declared. “I think it's called vault eleven. Anyway, there's plenty of ghosts down there, I’m sure one of ‘em wouldn't mind lending you their voice.” Twilight turned to Janey expectedly. “We can check out the lunatic’s recommendation after we’ve had a chance to rest up and look around a bit,” Janey exclaimed. “That's good, that's good. Because the dream lady was real insistent that I help you,” No Bark replied. Twilight was about to ask for a description of the supposed woman before No Bark unexpectedly turned around. “But that's all I can say here. They might be listening to us, even now,” he stated before walking hurriedly away. “Uhh, huh,” Twilight muttered. “Right,” declared Doctor Straus. “Let's get some anesthetic in ya.” Twilight wanted to tell her to stop, to wait until she had a chance to question the strange man, but reluctantly let it go. She would get a chance later, she was sure of it.