Steve Cooper-Drinking with Betty

Betty went down to the basement and returned a few minutes late with two bottles of beer, opening them she pour herself and Steve a drink and drunk, only for the both of them to immediately spilt it out in disgust.

"That stuff tastes terrible." Steve replied as he grabbed one of the bottles to look at the label, Cleary post-war it simply said Beer wth brotherhood symbol next to it "of course it was made by the bloody tin cans."

"Although I suppose it's not the worst drink I've had though."Steve added on as he took another sip. probably clean alteast
"why do you hate the brotherhood?" Betty asked

"I don't hate the brotherhood, No back in DC when they were led by goodie two-shoes Lyons and they where mostly just an small nuisance getting in the way of a few jobs but they spent most of their time fighting mutants or each other...Worst problem I had was paladin Jenkins "disliking" that my squad had cleared out a gang of raiders before his squad could...

couple of bullets shut him up though.

Steve then took another slip "but then enclave came."

"I'm pretty sure that kid from Vault 101 actually defeated the enclave but the brotherhood took credit for it... They got big, took over DC and like most dictators became massive dicks especially when Maxson became elder and decided to go back the old ways of hoarding tech.

wastelander be too stupid to properly use laser rifle... Morons

That was when barney walked into the diner "Wanted to let you all know that tonight we'll have a town meeting. I think much needs to be discussed, considering todays events...I think the Inn is a good place, two hours from now."

"Good." Steve said as he turned back to Betty and took another slip of the brotherhood beer "Anyway where was I... ah Yes Maxson, brotherhood claimed to have to Boston to stop instuite synths getting out of hand but honesty I think he just didn't like fact that someone else had the advanced tech than him.

--
James Wilson and Susan Cooper- Outskirts of town..

"It appears we missed quite the party." James stated as he looked though his binoculars at the various corpses of super mutants and a few baby deathclaws by entrance of town know as Salem.

Looks like going country crossing to restock was good idea after all.

"Can't see any human bodies but they may have buried th- wait a sec." James continued as he spotted an living super mutant, wearing some sort of armour and attempting to repair one of town defence turrets with Gatling laser..

Sue asked what the problem was.

"There's an super mutant trying to fix an turret... People in town aren't coming to kill him so maybe he's an resident? he's also wearing some sort of armour... it's alot better made than other mutants we have seen."

Sue suggested he might be instuite agent (or more likely property) given the rumours about green supers mutants.

"Possibly but he could also despise the instuite, probably better if we find someone else to ask." James replied as he continued to look and spotted Mr Handy robot enter an large building by the entrance of town "Sandy coves" the building sign stated "A Mr handy robot, unlikely to lie or try to violent murder us."

Sue pointed out that James lost his eye to Mr handy

"That was an Mr gusty"

Heading town the hill and into the town of Salem James and sue entered the sandy cover building and approached the Mr Handy robot that was hovering behind the front desk of the sandy coves building... perhaps someone had re-opened the building as someone establishment.

"Howdy Mr Handy." James kindly said he approached the robot, "My name is James Wilson and this is Susan Cooper, would you Happen to know if anyone came into town from South Boston recently? perhaps wearing someone of lab coat or Vault gear."

ARCHIE - Sandy Coves Inn -- late afternoon

Celeste took the baseball bat and nearly dropped it, not at all prepared for its weight. "Well, that's silly," she giggled. "You're obviously just a machine, not a person -- even if the General was so smart to build you the way they did."

{INFLECTION CODE: AMUSEMENT. ANALYZE. RESULT: INAPPROPRIATE/PATRONIZING. RESPONSE: IRRITATION.} Archie summoned up the chain of code for his voice box to use an aggravated tone. "Shouldn't you be going?"

"Right! Yes! I need to go to the clinic. Can you take care of the inn for just a little longer?"

{INFLECTION CODE: REQUEST. ANALYZE. RESULT: REQUEST TO SHIRK DUTIES. RESPONSE: AFFIRMATIVE. ATTEMPT: THINLY-VEILED SARCASM.} "Of course, of course. The entire town will be here in a couple hours, I'll just keep busy making sure the dining hall can accommodate them."

Celeste nodded and left nearly as quickly as she'd entered. Archie scrolled through several lines of coded flowcharts as he searched his logic banks for an explanation for her behaviour. Ultimately, the algorithms could only suggest he required additional information for a more confident response, but so far, most suggestions pointed to a simple lack of intelligence.

"Too bad," he muttered to himself. "Seems the standards for the manager job simply fell lower and lower as time has passed." Archie idly tidied the desk and was about to turn and enter the dining hall, when the main doors opened once more and two figures walked in.

"Ah! Guests! Welcome to the Sandy Coves Inn," Archie greeted them cheerfully.

"Howdy Mr Handy," the man began kindly as he approached the robot, "My name is James Wilson and this is Susan Cooper, would you Happen to know if anyone came into town from South Boston recently? perhaps wearing someone of lab coat or Vault gear."

"How wonderfully polite! But please, call me 'Archie.'" The robot paused momentarily as it processed the man's request. "A lab coat, or Vault gear, you ask? Hmm. I can't say that I have, unfortunately! Do you have a name, or description?" Archie spun his lower body in mid air, though his three glass optical orbs remained fixed on James and Susan.

"Oh!" the robot suddenly exclaimed, after the algorithm prompted he begin tidying for the meeting. "The entire town will be assembling here, in this very inn, within the next little while. A meeting, of some sort. Certainly if the person you are looking for is in town, they will turn up at the meeting. So! Shall I prepare you a room? I assure you all our linens are clean and pest-free -- I have laundered them myself, you know. It'd be a comfortable place to rest and freshen up from your travels before meeting the townsfolk. What do you say?"

Ace Makovich – Clinic – Afternoon

Ace stood by Brandy’s side. She had again drifted off to sleep. She must have been exhausted, having to outrun a deathclaw and only getting away with very few wounds. Ace was a bit unsure as to what he should do at the moment, whether to remain by her side or return to the diner and assess the damage caused by the creatures.

“Help me. Where is Lorelei?” A man uttered as he crashed through the doors and onto the floor. It had startled Ace as he was deep in thought. *Did he say Lorelei?* Before he could respond or move, Frieda helped the man and place him on a cot. She seemed almost lost in her own world. She soon looked at Ace and pointed at some blankets and requested them.

Ace walked back towards the table with the blankets and took some. He handed them to Frieda, and as he was handing them, Celeste appeared looking for the doctor, however, as soon as she saw the man she seemed to recognize him. On a closer look, Ace recognized him as well. He had served him at the diner a few days back.

Ace decided it was perhaps better to leave clinic. After all, Brandy was asleep and now they had new patient. As he was walking out, the doctor arrived right on time and proceeded to treat the man. Ace made his way to the diner, but rather than enter through the front door, he decided to use the cellar door and enter unannounced.

As he made his way down Barney left the diner. It seemed Betty and Steve were still inside. Ace closed the cellar door and made his way to his bed and collapsed on it for a bit. He was exhausted, but would need to get ready for the town meeting.

FRIEDA RICHTER - Salem clinic, playing nurse -- late afternoon?

Frieda's forehead felt damp as she began to undress Adam, as Celeste had identified him. It was out of nerves more than conservativeness -- growing up in a bunker packed with people, one tends to become desensitized to bodies and their parts. In the past two days, she'd treated more people than she ever had in her life, and she wasn't sure yet how to feel about it.

Hearing the voice of the doc from the door brought her instant relief. "Frieda are you back?"

Before she even opened her mouth, the doc was at her side. "What's happened?" He asked calmly, looking between the two women for answers.

"He passed out in the doorway before I could even ask. For some reason, he was soaking wet. I figured getting him out of his clothes was a good start," Frieda replied.

"Good lord this man looks like he's been through hell and back..." Arthur began carefully inspecting Adam. Frieda merely stood back and let the doc do his job. Celeste shifted her weight from foot to food, wringing her hands.

"Second, possible third degree burns along the right side of his face, neck and torso...lacerations across his..." Arthur stopped for moment. Frieda couldn't help but lean over the doc's shoulder to try and follow his gaze. "He was attacked by ghouls?" Arthur pondered aloud.

Oh shit oh fuck oh dear god no. Frieda immediately clapped both hands to her mouth and turned away, fearing she was really going to be sick. Surface dweller mutant mauled by other mutants and I touched him, I fucking touched him!!

"Thank you for helping him Frieda," Arthur said, as he touched her on the shoulder, breaking her from her inner freak out, "I don't know what I'd do without you. I'll take it from here. Now Ms...Celeste...is it? I understand you are concerned for your friend but I'll need you to please step back. You can stay in the Clinic if you like, but I want you to stay calm and sit down in one of the pews over there. Don't worry, I'll do everything I can to help him. I don't usually like to toot my own horn so to speak...but I daresay there's no better clinic in the wasteland for him to be in."

Arthur gave Frieda a knowing look. She hoped her face wasn't as green as she felt. Arthur turned back to Adam and looked him over once more, gathering his bearings. "Now then...lets begin. I'll start by wrapping those nasty burns and giving him some strong antibiotics to prevent infection. Perhaps some Rad-Away as well..."

"I'll get those!" Frieda burst out, watching Celeste startle from where she had settled herself nearby. She scrambled to the back cabinet, collecting the items and bringing them back to the cot. She placed the meds on the nearby, repurposed night stand and felt her gut sink as she watched Arthur pull on a pair of gloves.

"I should have been more careful," she muttered, leaning close towards Arthur's ear. "I didn't think about putting on gloves or anything, and I..well, I touched him, with my bare hands. What do I do? Am I going to get sick?"

Her thoughts and feelings were starting to run away with her imagination as her panic started to set in. Either the Study Buddy was wearing off, or her mind was beginning to act out after so many hours of being kept awake, but whatever it was, images of pre-war movies they used to watch about zombies and getting bitten and doomed was making her feel her own immediate mortality.

Dr. Arthur West - Salem Clinic

“Help me. Where is Lorelei?”

"Shush, don't strain yourself," Arthur said gently, the man was obviously still suffering from the potent mix of shock, dehydration, and radiation sickness, "I'm not quite sure who this Lorelei woman is...but I assume you must care for her greatly, I can only hope the feeling is mutual..." Arthur joked, trying to inject a little humor into an otherwise bleak situation. He did however, turn to the rest of those in the clinic and added in a lower voice, "Does anyone know someone by that name? I daresay it sounds familiar...but I can't place my finger on it. Is it someone in town? We should notify them if so..."

As he then stated his intent to treat the man with various medications, Frieda jumped at the chance to assist,

"I'll get those!" Frieda burst out, and quickly fetched what he'd asked for. After bringing him the needful items, Frieda leaned in close, and Arthur could hear the anxiety in her voice,

"I should have been more careful," she muttered, leaning close towards Arthur's ear. "I didn't think about putting on gloves or anything, and I..well, I touched him, with my bare hands. What do I do? Am I going to get sick?"

"Its quite alright Frieda," Arthur whispered back, as he tried to calm her, "You needn't worry. Any radioactive particles he might have picked up from the ghouls wouldn't be enough to harm you. The condition of Ghoul-dom, thankfully, isn't contagious in and of itself either, and would instead require a tremendous amount of sustained radiation exposure to turn someone into one of those....unfortunate husks of humanity."

Arthur looked more closely at Frieda's eyes, as if studying her, and he couldn't help but make a diagnosis,

"You look tired Frieda, perhaps my..aid..might be wearing off? I could give you another...but I think its best if you get some hard earned rest when you get the chance. If you wish to remain here at the clinic I understand, however, you're welcome to use my quarters upstairs if you would like to rest without interruption. Once I get our friend here stabilized, and barring another Deathclaw attack, I think we'll be able to finally breathe a bit."

FRIEDA RICHTER - Salem Clinic -- it's still late afternoon

"Its quite alright Frieda," Arthur whispered back, "You needn't worry. Any radioactive particles he might have picked up from the ghouls wouldn't be enough to harm you. The condition of Ghoul-dom, thankfully, isn't contagious in and of itself either, and would instead require a tremendous amount of sustained radiation exposure to turn someone into one of those....unfortunate husks of humanity."

Frieda instinctively clutched her chest in relief at the good news. "Thank god. I can't believe I was so careless. Maybe you're rubbing off on me, doc. My primary directive was always to kill whoever, or whatever, I met." She caught herself and her tone, and flicked a glance at Celeste. The other woman didn't appear to be paying any attention. She glanced back at Arthur who had continue to pause in his work and was looking her deep in the eyes. Her heart fluttered, just a bit.

"You look tired Frieda, perhaps my..aid..might be wearing off? I could give you another...but I think its best if you get some hard earned rest when you get the chance. If you wish to remain here at the clinic I understand, however, you're welcome to use my quarters upstairs if you would like to rest without interruption. Once I get our friend here stabilized, and barring another Deathclaw attack, I think we'll be able to finally breathe a bit."

Frieda looked between Adam, Arthur, then turned and looked towards the stairs leading to where Arther had set up his apartment. "Maybe I should try to sleep, just a little. It's definitely been an eventful day..."

"Oh. The town meeting. I don't think we both should go, and leave the clinic completely unattended." She tapped her fingers on her thigh. "I think you should go. If someone or something tries to take advantage of the majority of the people being in one place, I can deal with it. And if something happens to one of the patients, I'll just...put some gloves on and apply pressure, or something, until you get back."

Frieda shook her head and offered a small wave. "You don't have to decide, now. I'll nap for an hour before the meeting, wake me up, then.' She ascended the stairs thinking about how she wanted to make some crack about being stuck in a room full of surface wasteland dwelling scum, but where was she at that moment, exactly?

Arthur's quarters were neatly organized. She untied her boots and slipped her feet out of them and was about to climb into his cot when she looked down at her dirty clothes, and paused. She didn't want to make his linens dirty, so with barely a second thought, she undressed down to her underwear before stretching out.

Her eyes followed lines and patterns in the ceiling over her head as her thoughts floated between the handsome and clever weapons shopkeep, and the handsome and clever -- well, extremely intelligent, really -- doctor. Both made her felt seen in a way she wasn't sure she'd ever really experienced.

You always cast a big shadow, Brian. I found a way to make it comfortable.

"Only one of those men knows where you're from and is still nice to you," Brian's voice replied in her mind.

Frieda let out a sigh. She refused to worry about anything like that, at the moment. She rolled over and closed her eyes, drifting off to sleep.