Caravan

It had been well over a year since my decision to retire from the Valentine detective agency. I had spent almost 15 years with them and countless more on my own. On top of that I’ve been around the interdimensional bush a few more times than I’d like to admit. You’d think I’d wanna die at the end of a barrel, right from where I came from. But I chose to go to doing the only other thing I was good at, gunsmithing. At first, everyone was in denial that the great Nathan Crane could stand still. But after that died down, business had been good. I opened up to another day on the job, the morning on December 4th. It was at first like any other day.

“Alright, shops open!” I yelled out from the door.

A crowd of people had gathered around my shop. I stepped back in and walked behind the counter in my shop. I was located in a place called sanctuary hills up north of diamond city. I used to live in DC but I knew I wouldn’t get any peace there, so I hid in sanctuary. I’ve made it into a thriving community, for I’ve added not only my shop but several other establishments. But in my thinking, I noticed I had been ignoring a brotherhood of steel paladin. He smacked me upside the head. (sending me to the floor).

“Hey, dumbass. I need my capacitator fixed.” He impatiently said.

I stood up and looked at the asshole of a Paladin. I reached under the counter and pulled out my conveniently placed double barrel and readied it on the counter.

“It’ll do you well to not be a buffoon and keep yur trap shut.” I spat.

He looked down shamefully and then pulled out a bag.

“1,000 caps enough for the capacitor.”

“1,000 caps are. But I need 2,000 more for the damn brain injuries. Now get out of my shop.” I said.

Really whether he slapped me in the head or not didn’t matter. I would’ve stuck a barrel in his face, and told him to piss off. I hated the brotherhood for a number of reasons. Even if I did like them, I have major trade agreements with the railroad and NCR. Guess the Paladin was ill informed.

He angerly grabbed his gun off the counter and walked out. I smiled and flipped him off on his way out. As he opened the door, he yelled ad victoriam and then slammed it shut. It fell off.

“Ah gawd dammit.” I said picking up the door and re-screwing it back on its hinges. Then I went back to work on some of the day-old orders.

Business that day was pretty slow, the only thing that even made a slight difference in my pocket was an NCR order for 30 hunting rifles retrofitted with scopes. I had worked with them in the past as a mercenary. Occasionally they’d reach out to me when they had money to waste. That took up the rest of my time. I didn’t even finish before the day was ending, and I had begun packing things into the back. Then I heard the doorbell jingle.

“We’re closing.” I yelled.

“Got time for something, Crane.” I heard a familiar voice call out.

I walked to the front. Alicia, my daughter, was there. She had started working with the diamond city detective agency, so the sight wasn’t exactly the best I’d ever seen. If she was like everyone else (which she is), she wanted something.

“Depends. Are you here to visit or...”? I asked

“Or. Got a case that goes cold involving the Nuka World raiders. We need your expertise.”

Why did I even try to retire. I save the world... twice! I finally settle down and they send Junior Detective to grab some sixty-year-old gun crafter to chase some hooligans a crossed the wasteland. Hell, my back popped every time I moved. I would never...

“I guess I can help. Do you need directions or maybe some firearms?”

She took off her hat and sat it upon my head. a feeling of horror washed over me. Normally a sign of dishonor among detectives, it means the person at play cannot complete a case. Of course if her and Nick couldn’t do it, that means only I can.

“I’m letting you lead the charge, father.” She said.

I took off the hat and sat it on the counter “No, no. I can’t”

“I’ll have to find the big scary raiders all by myself.” she said, forcing a frown and looking down.

“Damn it, you always rope me into shit I regret Nick. You too.” I said, stomping out of my shop. We both stood outside as I locked up and walked back to my house.

“Stay here for the night. Tomorrow I’ll prepare to set off for Nuka World after breakfast.” I said opening the door to my home.

She nodded as we walked into my rather modest home. We ate a dinner of Rad-scorpion soup, and I offered her to sleep in my bed. She graciously accepted, so I was left to sleep on my uncomfortable couch. As I walked through and turned off all the lights, I made sure the house was locked and empty. Then laid down on the couch, regretted all my life’s decisions and then fell asleep.

I woke up really early in the morning. My back was stiff and it was late December (No working plumbing in the wasteland, so I had to go outside to take a piss, as well as other things.). In my union suit, I walked outside to pee and relieve my bowels. The first 30 seconds was OK. As I finished up, I barely dodged the large claw that swung at my head. A deathclaw had started attacking me. I reached for my side, only to realize I forgot my gun. I ran frantically toward the door, ass flap to my underwear still open. I ran in and shut the door. Panting, I took a little break. The door burst open and the deathclaw once again tried to maim me. I moved and stumbled towards my only hope, my Gauss rifle that I had mounted on the wall (It symbolizes my alliance to the Railroad). I swept it off and charged it up to full capacity. I fired, knocking the deathclaw into one of my walls. Another one blew it’s head off. Alicia came running down the stairs, shocked and dazed from being abruptly woken by the sound of my rifle.

“What in the hell just happened!?” She asked.

“Went out to take a piss, a deathclaw attacked me. Chased me inside, so I shot it with my Gauss rifle.” I said.

She wiped her forehead, and we both stood there for a moment. Then she noticed my rather strange state.

“Close your ass flap.” She said.

I quickly buttoned it back up, slightly embarrassed. Then I sat my rifle back on the wall.

“Help me drag this damn thing outside.” I said, grabbing it. Alicia followed suite and we threw it over the hill. Then we went inside and sat down on my now broken couch.

“So, what now?” She asked as I popped a cigar into my mouth.

“It’s already about sunrise, and I doubt we’ll get much shut eye after that, so let’s get ready to set off.” I said, taking a long puff.She nodded in agreement and we both got up. I first took a minute to reattach the door. Then I poured cement around it and braced it with wood beams. Then I swiped all valuables in my home (guns, ammo, etc.) and threw them in a pile in my kitchen. Alicia walked down stairs in awe as I was doing all of this.

“Why in the hell are you stripping your house?” she asked.

“Even with ALL the security measures that I have in place, I have to assume everyone can be as crafty as I can. So, my best option is to take everything and throw it in my bunker. Hell, half of the shit that’s out in the open is for show or I forgot to put it up.” I said.

“Huh... I don’t understand.”I opened up the sink cabinet in my kitchen and hit a switch. Then I hit another switch behind my upper cabinets. A very small panel opened up in the floor. I punched in the key and the floor panel opened up.

“What in the goddamn...” Alicia mumbled.

“Never say that again. Heard that once before and I prayed It would never cross me a second time. Now, pick up some of this stuff and carry it down here.” I sighed.

We walked in to reveal my large collection of weapons, power armor, armor, and other misc. junk I had found all over the wasteland (enough for a small army). I threw all of my gear down and looked around.

“You’ve had this...”

“This whole time. Me and Nick tells all those stories, where do you think everything I’ve collected is.” I said, smiling.

“I just thought you were full of shit.” she said, straitening her tie.

I grimaced and glared at her. She looked down and then went about her business. I did as well and walked over to my power armor.

“No. This is going to be covert. That flashy blue hunk of junk will get in our way.”

I felt my eyes burn as I turned around to face her.

“Nuka. Cola. QUANTUM X-01 Mk. V is not junk. It is my prized possession.” I said, through my gritted teeth.

She rolled her eyes and walked out, mumbling about how I was sexually attracted to power armor. I yelled something not even I could comprehend and then grabbed my trail leathers and combat armor. Once I got suited up, I threw on my duster and hat, then strapped on my revolver (A Remington model 1875) and my rifle (An AK-47 rigged with sharpshooter sights and recoil comp). I also grabbed a couple of Nuka Grenades for good measure. Then I walked out and locked down the hatch, and got Alicia.

“Ready?” I asked.

“As I’ll ever be.” She said, cocking a shotgun.

“Wait, where’d you get that 1887?” I asked.

“I grabbed it out of your bunker.” She said slyly.

“Can’t trust my own damn daughter.” I yelled, slapping her in the back of the head.

“Let’s just go” she sighed

So, after we took the hidden exit out and locked up my gun shop, we began the walk to Nuka-World.