[color=00aeef]FRIEDA RICHTER[/color] - head of main road into Salem -- night to dawn Waylon laughed and took a sip of his beer, “Well, I’m sure you’ve seen that she is a busy little bee. But, regardless, she doesn’t seem remotely interested in learning about firearms. I mean, she is the peaceful type and is a sweetheart. It does worry me though because if she were to ever get separated from one of us she would be in trouble I fear. I hope that she doesn’t listen to Shelby too much, that could get her into trouble. I saw Betty’s lip; I assume Brandy followed through with Shelby’s advice. I didn’t ask, that Betty girl Ace hired really needs an attitude check.” Steve spoke “if I could have your attention for a second, I have finished setting up the turret, the targeting system should work fine but If for some reason you need to stop the turret click this button.” Reaching into his pocket Steve then pulled out a cateye pill and swallowed it before looking at his watch muttering...“20 minutes... should be enough.” Before turning his attention back to Frieda and Waylon “I’m going to scout out the atom encampment before going to bed enjoy your...er... Date.” Steve added on not 100% sure what they doing together. Steve then turned to Edgar who was still glaring at Waylon “Edgar, Edgar? Would you kindly come along now? We are going.” "Finally," Frieda sighed under her breath. "Yeah -- enjoy yours, too," she waved almost too jovially. She drew into herself for warmth as Waylon watched the pair retreat. He watched them until they disappeared into the night sky before he turned to Frieda. “Don’t know about you, but those two guys drive me nuts. I know Steve sure got Brandy worked up today to with his sign he put on Ace’s diner.” "Mm," Frieda replied, "I mean, I haven't been in town for two full days just yet, but something about how that guy just shows up [i]everywhere[/i] is a little disconcerting. Almost suspicious. Kind of like the sign on the diner thing, he needs to just...pick a thing and stick to it. Oh!" she exclaimed, poking Waylon in the arm, "earlier tonight he walked by the diner dragging a fucking [i]corpse[/i] and called it a 'blood bag.' The poor doc." Waylon shifted and smiled, “So, what about you? What brings you to Salem? It’s a new start for Shelby and I, we had to get away from a bad situation, especially Shelby.” "Something...sort of like that. I just didn't 'fit in' at home, anymore." He looked down at her plasma pistol, “So, you’re pretty good with those? We get some energy weapons in on trade but Shelby usually takes them apart. She’s made a welder out of the parts, pretty slick actually and she’s good with it.” Frieda's stomach dropped at the idea of someone merely scrapping energy weapons. [i]Of course they would. Then they'd turn it into some kind of freak object like a welder.[/i] She swallowed hard. "You scrap these? That could be helpful, actually, if I ever need to replace a part," she said, instead, hoping her tone didn't sound too insincere. Waylon downed the rest of his beer. “You know, I bet Brandy loves having someone stay with her. She would linger around chatting until she was practically asleep at the diner. Like she didn’t want to go home by herself.” He smiled at Frieda, “She can ask a zillion questions, and some things go right over her head but I imagine she’s alright to live with. I know she has quite a bit of interesting inventions she’s built, and her moonshine, that’s some good stuff but you best, be careful otherwise you’ll end up on the floor.” "Oof," Frieda smiled, deliberately taking another drink of beer, "I think I might pass on that. Brandy's certainly...unique. I haven't met anyone else who was so trusting and generous. The [i]opposite[/i], though..." "Well, anyway," she continued, "it's so unheard of, how sweet she is, that I almost don't even know how to react. She gave me a tour, pointed out all of her family photos, made me a drink. Some kind of cocktail, but I didn't like it. Showed me to my room, offered to do my laundry..." Frieda finished the rest of her own beer, then impulsively threw the empty bottle as hard as she could, over the turret and into the intersection. The turret popped to life, firing off a few rounds into the street, turning the pieces of glass into dust. The pop and roar of the bullets echoed much louder than usual in the still and otherwise quiet night. "Fuck," she chuckled, turning to look back towards town. "Sorry, sleeping mmmmpeople!" she called, waving her hand, almost not catching herself in her slight buzz. Thankfully, Waylon kept watch in the road in her stead. Frieda was glad Waylon had offered to help her with the watch. There had been no movement beyond the edge of town, and definitely no sign of approaching wounded Gunners. She forgot all about how she'd asked Barney to take over during the night. The darkness began to give way to light, and an ambient hum that she didn't think abnormal, right away. “Is that a vertibird?” Waylon pulled back the bolt on his SKS and readied it for trouble. "Of course i--" she began dismissively, when finally the gravity of the situation hit her, completely. [i]Vertibirds aren't really common sights out here, you idiot![/i] A sudden fear gripped her, causing her chest to tighten. They'd found her. Somehow, they'd found her, and were coming to bring her back to face justice. How was it that everything she knew and believed about the Enclave, her home, her family, was so [i]wrong?[/i] Panic and doom began to cloud her mind. She was broken from her reverie by Waylon giving her a nudge. “Is that Ace up on that roof?” He squint, “Looks like a generator dangling under that bird doesn’t it?” [i]...is it?[/i] Frieda leaned forwards and squinted, as well. She couldn't exactly tell if it was Ace, but she did finally catch a glimpse of the large crest that had been painted on the side of the vehicle: the sword, gear, and wreath. Brotherhood. She wasn't sure, at first, if that was better or worse than it being the Enclave come to remove her from existence, but perhaps it didn't matter. "I don't know," she breathed, finally finding her voice and responding to Waylon. Frieda couldn't peel her eyes off the vertibird, watching it pitch before its pilot managed to get it level, then pulled it back up higher into the air and sailing off. She winced to see such clunky piloting. "Who called the Brotherhood for a generator? And what are we going to have to give them, in return?" she mused aloud. After standing quietly for a few moments, Waylon looked over at Frieda, “So…um, would you be up for dinner later tonight?” "Oh, probably, I'm gonna power through the day as best I can without going to bed too early," she replied before really thinking about what he as really asking. Frieda felt her face flush hotly from embarrassment. "Oh, y-you meant...aha," she chuckled nervously. "S-sure, that'd be okay. Er, I mean, great. I mean, [i]fun[/i]! Fun, and great." [i]The hell is wrong with you, Richter?[/i] Frieda cleared her throat. "Listen, my regular gig is clinic guard, so I should try to find some coffee and get to that. I'll track down Barney and make him take his turn at this watchpost, so you can get back to your weapons shop. But, uhhh, I'll meet you there later today?" She reached out and gently squeezed his arm. His responsive smile lingered on her mind as she hustled back down the street, nervously lighting up one of her last cigarettes. Frieda had never, in her life, received the attention of anyone who wasn't ultimately interested in just getting closer to her brother, and the thought of that was jarring. The air was still and crisp in the early morning while she made her way back past the road to the inn. Up ahead was a familiar figure -- the doc. Her shoulders relaxed in relief. Forget coffee, the doctor must have some kind of [i]enhancing[/i] substance back at the clinic she could use, just to get her through the next few hours. She'd grab a nap in the clinic in the afternoon, that way if she was needing, she could be woken up easily. Yeah, that's what she would do. "Hey doc, you're up early. Doesn't even look like the diner's open yet -- er, wait, you said you didn't like his coffee. I don't blame you. I'm impressed that single cup I drank last night didn't create another hole in my stomach." Her words flowed quickly, almost anxiously. Frieda drew up close to the doc, glanced around then spoke her next words quietly. "Listen, I was up all night standing watch at the town road, and that vertibird really threw me for a loop. I need something to help keep me alert for another few hours, until I have found Barney to take over for Waylon at the town road, and I've figured out what the deal is with the, ahem, Brotherhood...presence." She sniffed, before continuing. "I have no reason to believe they would recognize or shoot me on sight, and I won't do same unless they give me reason to. They delivered some equipment, seems to me they aren't here for any other reason. But, just to be sure..." Frieda tilted her head. "You all right? You think you have something for me?"