Winchester/Fairfield Expedition - Depature

[winfield]

[After working for roughly a day and a half, nearly nonstop for some of you, the town's looking both healthier and hardier. With most (if not all) of the expeditioners contributing to reparation and building, you've managed to get a lot of work done: all the buildings have at least been patched up to some extent, and the poor broken fence is now standing and sturdy. You've even managed to get together a couple outposts. Nothing fancy-- they're just elevated platforms, really-- but they serve their purpose of allowing people to see far out quite well.

It's probably best to start heading back now, though, since you need the supplies you brought to last you the trip home.]

DR. BREWER | PACK IT UP, KIDS | HEATH | PEOPLE WHO WANT TO STAY

Comments

[vesania]

Have the others been giving you trouble? I know a lot of them aren't exactly...friendly.

[hard_talker]

The First Gens? .... Not since the Collectors took out that settlement in Terre Haute. Before that, they broke in and stole a lot of our booze while we'd been sent somewhere, but ... that was months ago, too.

[vesania]

They...stole your booze?

[hard_talker]

Yeah. And we heard from someone - Lente, I think? - that they mostly traded for alcohol at one point. Either they used it for somethin' other than drinking, or someone in the group needed a twelve-step program somethin' fierce.

[vesania]

Her name's Ironette. That's what she calls herself anyway. I'm not sure if she uses it all for drinking, but yeah. She really let herself go without a sponsor.

[hard_talker]

Did she call herself somethin' else before they came and stole all that armor from our fuckin' basement?

[vesania]

She probably has a real name. But I've never been privy to it. I've heard of a girl called Hope following them. Does that ring any bells?

[hard_talker]

Hope ... Hope ... Yeah, actually, hang on a sec.

[he flips through to where he's bookmarked Zelos' massive report and skims it quickly]

All we know is that a few people met her on their way back from the trip they took out to Lastlook, last fall. She followed 'em for a little ways, and then she just sort of ... I dunno, I guess she went her own way.

[vesania]

That's odd. Did she end up in your castle at all?

[hard_talker]

She might've followed us all the way back, she might've just booked it - I can't say. We try and keep notes on stuff we find out, but ... sometimes by the time people get around to asking, stuff's been forgotten or whoever learned something first-hand went home, so it's like telephone.

[vesania]

I can understand that. Notes get lost, people leave, it's hard to keep a reliable record.

[hard_talker]

Yeah, you're tellin' me. ... But hey - since you asked about her ... what d'you know about this Hope girl? Might be good to know a little more if we run into her again.

[vesania]

Not a lot, I know she's part of the group Ironette runs in. I believe she has power over people's dreams. She can manipulate them.

[hard_talker]

Even out in the Zone, seriously? ... That's a hell of a thing to be able to do. ... Does she use it to help them mess with people or somethin'?

[vesania]

Not in the dead zone, no. At least, I hope she can't. But when she's in a live zone...well.

[He shrugs] I suppose she has her own means to using them. We've been fortunate enough to not be on the receiving end of that.

[hard_talker]

... I'll definitely keep that in mind. [he goes through his backpack one more time to make sure he's got everything]

Any other words of wisdom before we hit the Oregon Trail and try not to die of dysentery?

[vesania]

Be careful of the cougars. They've invisible.

...And vengeful.

[hard_talker]

Invisible cougars. ... Oh yeah, I feel real great about the trip back, now, thanks, buddy. [he grins]

Seriously, though. Thank you for all of this. I know we came out here to help you, but I feel like you might've helped us more in the long run.

[vesania]

[He looks amused, at least] You're welcome. Maybe one of your group cne kill one and make an invisible rug.

Well, we really should help each other out here, don't mention it.