Private Lewis Daniels was not a happy man. He knew his insubordination would catch up with him in the end, he just didn’t realise what the punishment would be. The Mojave Outpost was both the most boring station anyone could be sent to and, potentially, the most dangerous. When he had been told that as punishment for his latest ‘disagreement’ he would be stationed at the outpost, he had almost begged the commanding officer to give him something else. The only people who got sent to the Mojave outpost were either delinquents or hard ass veterans sent there to keep those obstreperous soldiers in line.

“This is so fucking boring.” The man next to Pvt Daniels moaned as he leant against the chain-link fence between the building and the road.

“It’s better than being attacked by Gangs, Fiends or legion Remnants.” Their CO shouted from her position on the roof. The NCR Ranger they had stationed with them had been at this Outpost for years if the stories were to be believed. She had even met the Courier before they took over Vegas.

“I’d rather have a boring job that I’m alive to do than a dangerous job that I would likely die doing.” Daniels said to his compatriot who had complained.

“But there is nothing here.” He said with a huff. “I have been at this outpost for at least a month and not a single thing even remotely dangerous has come to attack us. This job couldn’t get any worse.” He was immediately smacked round the back of his head for that comment by Daniels.

“You just had to tempt Murphey didn’t you?” He said with a scowl.

“Well murphy has taken the bait it seems.” The Ranger said from her position as she checked her rifle. “We got company.” She then began barking orders to everyone, yelling at them to get into positions and to stop lazing about.

“What are we looking to face?” Shouted one of the veterans, his LMG planted firmly on the sandbag in front of him.

“Danger level, Red Rose!” She shouted down to him, many of the other men and women steeling themselves for what they knew was to come.

“This is not my day.” Daniels grumbled from his position behind the sandbags.

Twilight was expecting many things when she saw the Mojave Outpost. A wall of guns being pointed their way was not one of them. Oh, she expected defensiveness from the soldiers, but this was quite a lot more than just plain old defence. She looked up at Arcade on the roof, his plasma rifle shifting between multiple targets ahead. Veronica had remained in the front cab of the vehicle but was no doubt aiming something at the men in front of the vehicle.

“Why are you here Courier?!” Shouted a women who was standing atop one of the buildings to Twilights left.

“Just passing through!” Red shouted back, her hands to the sides of her head. “I don’t want any trouble!”

“What’s with the two… things you’ve got there?!” The Ranger looked at both Spike and Twilight, her gaze sending chills down their spines.

“These two are Twilight and Spike.” Red answered, gesturing to each of them respectively. “They’re friends.”

“Hi” “Hello” Twilight and Spike greeted.

“Why are you leaving the Mojave?” She asked, a scowl making its way onto her face.

“We’re headed to the Sierra Madre.” Red lowered her arms and removed the rebreather from her face. “That place is dangerous and can’t be allowed to remain standing, I don’t know what I was thinking when didn’t blow up the entire place.”

The Ranger mulled it over for a moment before sighing and gesturing her head for them to come through. “Get your ass in here while I call this in to command, I’m not supposed to let you anywhere without first consulting them.”

“Thanks” Red turned to look up at Arcade and gestured for him to hop down from on top of the truck. She then turned to Twilight and Spike. “Come on you two, Veronica will drive the truck into the Outpost, we’ll head inside to speak to Ghost.”

“I’ll stay with Veronica.” Willow said as she went round the back and hopped inside, Arcade following her.

The interior of the Outpost was a little different from the last time that Red had been here. What used to be the bar had now been converted into a mess hall and the bunk room at the end of the building had gained a lot more beds. The section in between the two now had a makeshift wall with a door that turned it into small office which was where Red, Twilight and Spike were sitting. The Ranger, now known as Ghost, sat across from them with a radio in front of her which she was using.

“Look I know what the brass will say sir, but it’s not like she’s banned from leaving the Mojave.” She sighed, lifting her aviators off of her nose and rubbing her eyes. “If you’re that worried sir, then tell the brass that I let them through before radioing it in to you, I’m already at the worst place anyone can be sent to, the worst they can do is dock my pay.” There was a few moments where Ghost didn’t speak before she sighed. “If you think that’s for the best then okay.” She pushed her shades back up her nose. “Yes sir, will do sir.”

“So what’s the verdict?” Red asked.

“They want me to send one of our veterans out with you to the Madre.” Ghost turned off the radio and placed the microphone down. “It’s not like I could actually stop you from leaving in the first place, we are located in you territory.”

“I know, I’d rather not start any conflict with the NCR if I can avoid it.” Red said nonchalantly and straightened her hat out. “Any idea who you’re gonna send with us?”

“I think I’ll send PFC Daniels with you.” Ghost said with a faint smile on her face.

“I thought they said to send a veteran, isn’t that a bit of a low rank for him to be a veteran?” Red questioned the Ranger, her confusion clearly written on her face.

“By the time you guys will be back from the Madre, he’ll be a veteran.” She smirked and got up from her seat. “I’ll go get him.”

After she had left, Twilight looked up at Red with a questioning gaze. “What did she mean by them being located in your territory, I thought this was the border between your land and the NCR’s?”

“Technically my territory goes on for about a mile beyond the Outpost.” Red said, lighting a cigarette and placing it in her mouth. “This is the only building for a good few miles though so I let them stay here and they fortified the place even more. I still have jurisdiction over this land though, meaning I should be allowed to pass through without even checking in.”

“So why don’t you then?” Spike asked.

“Like I said, I prefer not to cause any trouble with the NCR, don’t want another war so soon after I ended the last one.” Red said.

“That wouldn’t start a war would it?” Twilight asked, an incredulous expression on her face.

“The majority of the generals at the top of the NCR want me, and everyone who has power and agrees with me, dead. The only ones who don’t are the ones who were there during the NCR - Legion war.” Red explained.

“So as always, the ignorant people in power want something purely because they don’t have it.” Twilight rolled her eyes.

“You got people like that back home?” Red asked as she took another drag of her cigarette.

“There are quite a few Gryphon politicians who have that mind-set, that’s not to say that they are all like that, it’s just they had a conquest like culture a lot longer than a lot of the other races, Ponies included.” Twilight explained. “The first time Celestia took me to the Annual Summit of all the world powers, I had the ‘pleasure’ of meeting a few of those politicians, and let me tell you, they were not at all pleased about another princess in the Equestrian Triumvirate, now of course being a Quadrumvirate.”

“This world, before and after the war, is full of those people.” Red scoffed “And the NCR has its fair share of them running it. The only high ranking military officers I’ve met and not wished to punch in the face were General Hsu, previously Colonel Hsu, and Colonel Moore, who despite also being one of the ones who wants me either dead or disposed from my seat of power, has a huge amount of my respect.”

“Why does she want you out of the Mojave?” Spike asked before thinking back on his question and adding, “Apart from the obvious reasons.”

“She wants me gone because of me taking over made a lot of her efforts all for nothing, I spoke profusely with her while negotiating what the NCR would be able to do in my territory and she was not a happy bunny with the outcome.” Red then laughed “Once the Negotiations were over she stormed right up to me and socked me right in the face, broke my nose if I remember correctly. Of course Willow wouldn’t let that stand which is why Moore was walking funny when the NCR actually left… I hope she can still have kids though.”

Twilight was aghast at the thought that Willow may have caused the Colonel to become infertile with what she assumed was a very powerful kick to the genital area. *I don’t think I could live with not being able to have foals* She thought to herself, shuddering with the prospect.

“Yeah I heard about that on the radio.” Ghost said as she walked into the room with a younger black haired man following her. “Thankfully the Colonel was massively out of order so no major problems arose.”

“When they finally did leave, Moore walked, well hobbled really, right up to Willow and stared her in the eyes before placing her hand on her shoulder and saying “Good Kick” and then she got on the Vertibird and left.” Red said with a laugh.

“Well that bit wasn’t broadcasted on the Radio.” Ghost said before she sat down at her desk and opened up a bottle of Sunset Sarsaparilla and took a sip. “Red, this is Private First Class Daniels, he’ll be the lucky man to go with you on your journey to the Sierra Madre.”

“Nice to meet you private.” Red said, holding out her hand which he shook. “You looking forward to traveling with the almighty Courier?” She asked in a bombastic manner, earning a laugh out of Twilight. “What? I didn’t think it was that funny.” Red questioned with a raised eyebrow.

“No, no. It’s just that you reminded me of my… um… friend Trixie, her stage title is The Great and Powerful Trixie.” Twilight coughed into her hoof after she finished the sentence rather quietly. Red shot Spike a confused look at which a he responded with him pointing his thumb at Twilight and then making the shape of a heart with both of his claws together.

“Oh okay, anyway, you ready to leave soon?” Red asked Daniels.

“Yes ma’am, I’ll grab my gear and be ready in ten.” He then looked over at Ghost.

“Dismissed Private.” She said with a nod, at which he made his way out of the room at a brisk pace.

“Any particular reason why you decided him over any other man or woman?” Red asked as she got up and stamped her cigarette out.

“A few actually. One, he has a similar way of thinking as you. Two, he really does not belong on this station, he’s going stir crazy here. And three, he needs the experience, and he’s going to get plenty of it traveling with you.” Ghost took another sip from her bottle and lifted her legs up onto her desk.

“What do you mean by ‘similar way of thinking’?” Red enquired.

“The reason he was sent here was because her refused to follow orders when told to deal with a family that had been causing trouble for some on-high business man who had bought the land from the person who they were living under.” She smiled as she placed the bottle down and fished out a report from her desk. “He instead dug through a lot of paperwork and discovered that the family needed to have a place to go before they could be evicted. Of course, they still got evicted, but not before they were paid by the Business man and the NCR for the trouble.”

“I bet the officials who had obviously ‘not’ been bribed by the Business man were not too happy with his decision.” Red said with a smirk. “Sounds like my kind of guy.”

“Sorry, he wouldn’t be interested in you.” Ghost said with a knowing look in her eyes.

It took Red a few seconds to figure out what she meant before she gained a look of realisation and nodded her head. A few seconds later her look became confused, then slightly irritated before settling on bemused.

“Twilight watched the whole thing and was left with a perplexed expression on her face. “What’s the problem?”

“I just realised that out of everyone I’ve been traveling with, only three of them are straight, four if you count Lily.” She rubbed the bridge of her nose. “What are we, the Gay Brigade?”

“I’m straight.” Spike said with a raised claw.

“Five then.” Red sighed and slumped in our seat. “I mean, I have zero problems with any of them, it’s just that it seems that I’m attracting them like moths to a flame.” Red then perked up and looked over at Ghost. “I just realised, how’s Knighty?”

“Major Knight left about three months ago to get engaged.” Ghost said with a smile.

“Aww, why didn’t he tell me he was getting married?” Red pouted.

“I do believe he decided to move into Freeside with his husband. So I would assume he didn’t want you bugging him constantly.” Ghost smirked and finished the last of her drink off.

“I’ll have to go visit him when I get back and tell him off for trying to run away from his friends.” Red said with a huff. Just as she said that, Private Daniels came back into the room, fully kitted out carrying a duffel bag.

“I’m ready to leave ma’am.” He said, snapping a salute to Ghost.

“We best get going then.” Red clapped her hands and stood up, the other occupants of the room following after her. “The Journey will be about two days long if nothing goes wrong, though that probably means the journey will take three at minimum.”

“I’ve got enough stuff to last that long.” Daniels said with a nod.

“I don’t mean food, though if we could buy a few groceries here then I would much appreciate it, I mean you’ll be cramped inside a small truck for about three to four days. Can you last that long?” Red asked him dead seriously, causing the man to gulped and hesitantly nod his head. “We’ll see about that.”

They exited the building and started making their way to the truck where Arcade was chatting with a few of the female soldiers.

“Yo Arcade! We good to go?” Red shouted over to him.

“We’re ready.” He then spotted Daniels with them. “Who’s this?”

“This is PFC Daniels, he’ll be joining us on this trip.” Red gestured to the man himself and he held out his hand which Arcade shook.

“Nice to meet you.” Daniels said.

“Yeah… anyway, you anything left to do before we go?” Arcade asked as he turned to Red.

“I’ll see if I can pick up any Groceries, Oh and if any of you guys need the toilet, I would recommend going now before we get going.” This earned a sheepish smile from Twilight who just realised that she hadn’t been in quite a while. “It’s in that building further up, I’ll come with so I can buy stuff at the store.”

After they had left and Ghost had gone back to her position on the roof, Daniel turned to Arcade.

“Soo, what’s with the winged unicorn?” he asked

“It’s a looong story.” Arcade said with a sigh, “And it’ll only get longer.”

Author's Note

THE WAIT HAS BEEN TOO LONG!

I am sorry about the long wait guys, but personal issues decided to jump in bed with writers block, causing the eventual birth of their child, Delay.

I hope to get another chapter up back within my normal three weeks, but it make take four, No longer than that though.

No New Mods

Kwaheri