Returning back to the main level of the repcon facility, Twilight fell into a sort of trance. Janey would quietly move from corner to corner, picking out or picking off feral ghouls with Twilight providing the backup for once. The deathclaw felt emotionally withdrawn and distant, her mind still repeating the recent events that had played out.
Even the punches and attempted tackles of the feral ghouls barely even registered to the former pony. It wasn't hard to think of them as little more than animals after a while. No, Twilight thought to herself, they were easier to kill than animals as these were once people. Ending their suffering was the only kindness she could give them at this point, thus she gave it earnestly, ensuring their torment was as brief as possible.
Her claw descended with such force that rended the arms from the ghoul, while also cutting a deep gash in its chest. Its closest fellow wore some primitive armor but that didn't save him, as Twilight's fist caved in his chest and left him wheezing on the ground. A stomp ended the poor creature’s existence, the deathclaw seeking out another target.
It was only when there were no foes left to smite that she realized that they were in what looked like a factory. They had left the office area behind only an eyeblink earlier from her point of view, yet Twilight was aware that it had likely been longer than that. Combat that would have been exhilarating was more of a chore after fighting nightkin, the ghouls unable to put up much of a fight.
They threw themselves at Twilight with the fury of a creature truly lost to reason but the worst she received were a few new bruises. Even then what few real injuries she gained were washed away with the application of a stimpack. Janey herself was busy reloading, the courier standing near a metal workbench in the middle of the boxy, steel room.
Twilight looked out over the factory floor below, noting that it didn't look much like a place that made rockets. She didn't have much of a mental image of what such a facility would look like but she imagined it would be bigger somehow. Her gaze caught sight of a small heap of dead feral ghouls, souring her mood somewhat.
“How ya feeling?” Janey asked.
Twilight shrugged noncommittally.
“You looked kinda out of it for a bit there,” Janey pointed out.
Twilight sighed.
“Yeah it's grim work killing ferals, but we cleared out the offices and pretty much everywhere else,” Janey exclaimed. “All that's left is to get rid of this Bright guy. Who should be right through that door, if Harland’s directions were correct.”
Twilight took a step back and glanced down the short metal hallway. On the right was an intercom next to a normal blue door with a single lonely lightbulb illuminating both. It wasn't much to look at so Twilight glanced back to Janey, noting that she had emptied her backpack and was counting their haul.
“Quite the loot so far,” Janey remarked. “You want something to eat? I found some grilled mantis in that last fridge we raided.”
Twilight wanted to say no, but her growling stomach wouldn't allow it so she stepped over the table. A clawed hand grabbed the mantis legs and bit into them, quickly devouring them and the two shish kebabs of squirrel meat. She downed it all with a small plastic container of slightly dirty water before releasing a loud belch.
“Excuse me,” Twilight apologized.
Janey chuckled. “You with me now?”
Twilight nodded.
“Good cus I’m starting to get tired. Once we convince this Bright fella to leave let's head back to town and catch some zzz’s,” Janey declared.
Twilight nodded again, this time with much more enthusiasm.
“Alright, just gotta pack up this stuff and we can get going,” Janey remarked.
The courier did just that, somehow managing to fit more guns, bullets, explosives, and other random junk into a backpack than what should be possible. Twilight glanced at the regular-looking leather pack, her magically minded brain trying to figure out what manner of spell had been placed upon it.
“Hah, don't think about it too much,” Janey declared. “I’m just a pack rat.”
Twilight snorted irritably.
“Alright, stand back. Don't want them gettin twitchy,” Janey stated.
Twilight stepped back, allowing Janey to walk over to the intercom and press the button.
“Hey is this Chris? My friend and I met your buddy, Harland,” Janey called out.
There was a momentary pause before a gravely sounding-voice came from the mechanical box on the wall.
“Who are you and what happened to Harland?” Demanded the other person.
“The name’s Janey and my companion here is called Princess,” Janey replied. “Harland’s alright but he's about the only one in one piece, unfortunately.”
“Damn,” muttered the voice. “We feared as much, but to hear that no one else survived…”
“It's a cry of shame, now could you open up so we can chit-chat face to-face? I gotta bone to pick with your cult leader,” Janey retorted.
“How dare you! Jason Bright is a good man and a holy leader, not some demon-summoning cultist,” stated Chris.
“Yeah, I don't care what you call him. We got business that needs settlin and I intend on doing just that,” Janey exclaimed.
“I will not allow you to hurt our beloved leader,” Chris declared.
Janey sighed. “Look I don't intend on hurtin anyone. I just gotta get y'all out of here so the folks at Novac can go back to prospecting this place.”
“We will not leave until we have set out on the great journey,” Chris proclaimed.
“Great, then we’ll help ya with that. Now, let us in,” Janey demanded.
“All right, Smoothskin, I’m letting you in. You better watch yourself. I’ll sure as hell be watching you,” Chris replied.
The intercom clicked, the box going dead.
“Probably should have warned them about you. Oh well,” Janey muttered, the courier chuckling to herself.
Twilight rolled her eyes.
A moment later the door clicked.
“Well that's about as much of an invitation as we’re gonna get,” Janey remarked.
The courier stepped forward, a hand on the butt of her gun, while the other reached for the nob. With a quick twist, and pull the hallway beyond became visible, revealing a rather startled-looking human with a shiny bald head.
“Oh god! It's that deathclaw!” he shouted.
“She's tame, relax,” Janey retorted.
Twilight crossed her arms and snorted irritably.
“Wait, that response. Can… can it understand us?” Chris muttered.
“She, and yes she can understand us,” Janey replied.
Twilight nodded in emphasis.
“By god,” Chris half whispered. “This is amazing. How did you manage to tame a deathclaw?”
“I didn't. She a magical pony from another dimension,” Janey exclaimed, stepping past the still-stunned human. “Now where is this Bright guy?”
“Just up those stairs,” murmured the lab-coating-wearing man.
Janey brushed roughly past him, leaving Twilgith to awkwardly wave at him before just as awkwardly walking around him. Her bulk occupied nearly the entire office hallway, her horns scraping against a sagging bit of ceiling tile.
“So amazing,” Chris muttered to himself.
Twilight shuddered, quickly catching up to Janey just as she reached the bottom of a set of stairs. At the top, standing with arms raised was a ghoul, but not like any Twilight had seen so far at least not sane anyway. Though one of the glowing ones his eyes contained a burning intelligence, and a passion that was clearly evident in the milky orbs.
“And lo our salvation has arrived,” he called, his voice reverberating in a way that was strange even for a ghoul. “Please forgive us of our humble surroundings. Our true home awaits us in the Far Beyond.”
“Yeah that's great,” Janey interrupted. “What's it going to take for you guys to clear out of this place?”
“Once again the creator has sent a human, to help us across a seemingly insurmountable obstacle and they have come with powerful help,” Jason Bright exclaimed.
“Wait, you talk like you expected us,” Janey murmured.
“Ever since I heard of your adventures on the radio I knew you would come, I knew that you were sent by the creator and I knew that you would aid us,” Jason Bright explained. “Help has always come from strange places and there is no stranger place than in the company of a dead courier and a smart deathclaw.”
Twilight chuckled to herself.
“Yeah yeah, so what's this Great Journey and how do we help you along it? Do you need some rat poison, or are you more of a take turns shooting each other kind of cult,” Janey cruelly inquired.
“Neither. We wish to escape the barbarity of the wasteland, especially the violence and bigotry of its human inhabitants,” Jason Bright exclaimed, his voice rising as if he were launching into a sermon. “The creator has promised to my flock a new land: A place of safety and healing… A paradise in the Far Beyond.”
The glowing ghoul sighed dramatically. “Preparations for the Great Journey were nearly complete when the demons appeared. And though the means by which the Great Journey is to be accomplished are an article of faith and not to be discussed with outsiders, you are no mere outsider.”
“Yes yes we are the chosen ones or whatever, get on with it,” Janey complained.
Twilight glanced around, noticing that other robed ghouls had gathered a respectful distance away. They merely watched, looking on in stunned silence, seemingly enraptured by their leader’s impromptu speech.
“First you must defeat the demons that plague the basement, only then will-” Bright began.
“We’ve already convinced them to leave,” Janey interrupted. “They were just here looking for some stealth boys, but they weren't here.”
“A most fortuitous turn of events!” Jason Bright exclaimed. “Bless you, wanderer! The way is clear. I will now lead my flock through the basement to the sacred site. Praise the creator.”
“Praise the creator,” echoed the other ghouls.
Janey seemed ready to snap again, but Jason Bright was already in motion, moving down the stairs. He passed the courier by and headed back the way they had come, the rest of his flock falling dutifully in behind him. Some carried strange-looking suits with bubble-like helmets while others slugged large bags of tools or other needed supplies.
“Wow you guys were really ready,” Janey muttered.
Twilight looked on in amusement as the entire office was emptied of ghouls in short order. They numbered nearly three dozen in total, all wearing the same outfit and the same wide looks of wonder. None seemed to look on Twilight with fear, their natural terror replaced by religious fervor.
“Expedient,” Twilight tapped out on the floor.
“No kidding,” Janey murmured. “Well, best follow them.”
Twilight nodded, and together they were off, descending back into the bowels of the facility. Only a few minutes later and they had wound their way deeper than before, entering wider hallways made of concrete. After passing through several large metal doors big enough to drive a cart through, they came to a stop in what looked like the operation room of a launch facility.
Stacks of towering computers, rows of blinking lights, and whirring machines were everywhere. The room had only a single occupant, a triumphant-looking Jason Bright standing before the lone window. Through it were several rockets primed on launch pads, the wide open area they were waiting in marred by numerous barrels of glowing radioactive waste.
“I waited to speak with you one last time before I descended to the launch pad, wanderer,” Jason Bright commented. “I want you to know that we will remember for all eternity how you delivered us to the threshold of the Great Journey.”
“Yeah yeah eternal gratitude doesn't fill my belly with food or my gun with bullets,” Janey retorted.
“You will have far greater rewards when we depart, but for now you must be content with our undying appreciation,” Jason Bright declared.
“Okay, so what’s next?” Janey pressed.
“Our preparations are nearly complete, but the rockets that will carry us to salvation are yet missing vital components,” Jason Bright continued. “You must speak to Chris, he can tell you what is missing.”
Twilight held up a hand just as Jason Bright moved to leave. The deathclaw then leaned down and tapped out a response.
“Wait, you must tell Chris that he is not one of you,” Twilight emplored.
“He will be told when the time is right,” Jason Bright replied.
“He thinks he is going with you. If you leave and only tell him right before he will be left with no one,” Twilight pressed.
Jason Bright paused, his bravado faltering briefly. “His aid is paramount to the Great Journey, we cannot endanger his potential departure before the preparations are complete.”
“You are making him labor under false pretenses. Are you sure the creator would want you to dirty the Great Journey with lies and deceit?” Twilight stated.
“I…” Jason Bright frowned, his shoulders slagging. “Truly the creator speaks through the mouths of the least assuming. Very well, I will speak to Chris shortly. First I must consider my words. Farewell wanderer, and you, queen of the wasteland.”
Jason departed, walking past a smiling Twilight and a frowning Janey.
“You’re the queen of the wasteland and I am just a wanderer. Lame,” Janey muttered.
Twilight chuckled dryly.
A moment later and a concerned-looking Chris appeared in the doorway, a dour look on his face.
“I don't know what you have said to Jason to make him appear so shaken, but I don't appreciate it,” Chris remarked.
“Just tell us what we need to do next,” Janey replied dryly.
“I was close to completing the work on the rockets before we were driven into hiding on the top floor,” Chris began. “We are only missing two components: A quantity of Isotope-239 igniting agent and a set of thrust control modules.”
“Great, two unique pieces that likely only a single copy exists of,” Janey muttered bitterly.
“The igniting agent is highly radioactive and decays quickly. That's why we can't use the drums that leaked down on the launch pad,” Chris continued, ignoring Janey’s outburst. “It's no longer potent enough. I need you to find an intact, shielded container of the igniting agent.”
“How long does it last outside of its container?” Twilight inquired.
“Fifteen, twenty minutes tops,” Chris replied. “Let us hope it doesn't come to that, as it will release an immense burst of radiation. No doubt enough to kill your smooth skin friend here.”
“Augh, you're a human too idiot,” Janey shot.
“Your pranks won't work on me smooth skin and they won't work on Jason either,” Chris retorted.
“Whatever,” Janey muttered.
Twilight motioned for the man to continue.
“As for the thrust control modules, they were custom-built for these rockets. They won't even launch without them,” Chris explained.
“Great,” Janey whispered.
“We’ll do it. But just one question. Do you have any leads on where these items may be?” Twilight inquired.
“You may wish to check with the traders in the nearby smooth skin settlement of Novac,” Chris explained. “They likely don't understand that the random scrap they purchased is worth far more than whatever meager monetary amount they’ve paid for it.”
“Excellent,” Twilight proclaimed.
“Fantastic, now let's get outta hear. I’m beat,” Janey exclaimed.
“Take the ladder to the left. It will lead directly outside,” Chris added.
“Thanks, ya ghoul-loving weirdo,” Janey replied, walking off.
Twilight shrugged apologetically before following her friend.
“I’ll take the long way. Meet you out front of the facility?” Twilight inquired.
“Right, you can't exactly climb this. Sure, but don't take too long. I wanna get back before the sun rises,” Janey remarked.
Twilight rolled her eyes and tromped away.
I wonder if we’ll be able to help these people or are they are as doomed as the last person we tried to save. Twilight thought to herself, only to shake her head. No, I can't think that way. We will succeed, we will help Novac, and we will help Bright’s followers.