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Chapter 6 New Threat Pt1

As the sun began to rise Preston could heard a clanging of metal followed by a loud 'shit'. He groaned as he began to wake, one of his eyes opened to see Ashley dragging one of the robots that they took out yesterday. Getting it into a area she liked she then picked up a toolbox and began to take the machine apart. He woke up fully and watched as the blue suited woman begin to take a protectron-like robot apart.

“Come on.” she said as she began to take the machine apart.

Preston watched as she removed the armour plates and moved into the machine itself. As she began to rummage in the machine she began to sing.

“Atom bomb baby, lil atom bomb..” she muttered as she worked.

Unable to get to back sleep Preston got up and walked over to the 200 year old woman.

“What are you up to?” he asked.

“Aside from taking apart this machine? Ada said that the robots have a tracking chip in them before she shut down for a recharge. That's what I'm trying to find at the moment.” she said not looking up.

Shrugging Preston just nodded as she walked back to his bed, picking up his rifle and walking over to a fireplace. Slideing his hand into his bag and pulling out a tin of pork'n'beans before bring up a knife and opened it. He then set it down next to the fire allowing it to warm up. Danse was the next up, after stretching out he climbed into his power armour. He then walked over to a sleeping Cobra who fell asleep during his shift, shaking his head he slapped the Sword star commander waking him up with a start.

He looked up at the powered armoured solder with a twitch in the eye.

“Do that again.” he said standing. “And meet my boot up your ass.”

The two stared at each other for a good long while, before moving off to the fireplace. The two gave each other very dirty looks as they waited for their food to be ready. Dogmeat was the next to wake, but ran off for a moment and came back a second later with a mole rat in his mouth and began to eat the poor mutated beast. Ash was still focusing on dissecting the robot in front of her taking it out piece by piece as Ada awoke.

“Ahh full energy, that's better.” she said before turning to the others. “How is everyone today.”

“Fine.” both Cobra and Danse said coldly not taking their eyes off each other.

“I'm good.” Preston called out eating his breakfast.

Ashley didn't say anything as she looked in the machine.

“Well since you all agreed to help me, there is something I can give you. Schematics for you to make your own robot workbench, so you have the additional resources for this undertaking.” Ada said making the Soul survivor look at the machine with wide eyes.

“A robot work bench?” she said with joy. “Give, me, give me, give me.” she moved up to the robot who handed the plans to her and she opened it and looked at it. “Hohohoh.” she cried out in joy.

“So you want revenge?” Preston asked.

“I admit my goal is twofold. Stopping the Mechanist both protects the Commonwealth and allows me to avenge my fallen friends. I won't rest until this threat is dissolved. I owe it to them. Now, we last saw a group of Mechanist robots at the General Atomic's factory. You may find information there about where we can find the Mechanist.”

All eyes turned to Ashley who felt them on her turned and looked at the others. “What?”

“Your the robotics expert.” Cobra said. “And you where alive before the bombs fell.”

“So?” she asked with a raised brow. “Just because I was around before the bombs fell doesn't mean that I know where everything was ok. I have no.....” she stopped for a moment before looking at her pip-boy.

She'd forgot about the mapping feature that was on it. Turing to the map she looked at it, but cursed, it was just a simple map with icons of historical, popular sights and government structures.

“Da... wait... Ada do you have a location of the place?”

“Yes I do, I just sent it to your pip-boy.”

She checked again and there it was, a silhouetted icon. Turning on her foot, and looked passed the electronics building.

“That way.”

“General atomics has valuable salvage. Chances are high the robots are still there.”

“Agreed, Ok people let's get ready to move. And make sure to grab some bags, we're going to need all the salvage we can.”

Ashley was more or less ready as the others got up and began to move. She walked over to her work area and picked up her rifle and bulled the bolt back. Still loaded, but she knew that it wouldn't be enough to take out a building full of robots. Not to mention she had no armour piercing rounds, her hand reached to her laser pistol and pulled it out. She stole it, she stole it from the military armoury but no one cared, not one as there was a war to fight. After all no one notices if at least one weapon disappeared, now this one was her's.

She overcharged the capacitor and focused the energy from the cell into the firing mechanism. This along with the improved barrel made it quite the deadly weapon, that only left the handle. That she took from a Chinese sniper rifle, it was quite comfortable to handle but she left the sights as they where as scopes and pistols weren't too good. One other modification was making sure was the drain on the cell and focusing it on the beam only giving it 12 shots per cell. If her rifle didn't work, then this would.

Sliding it back into her holster she walked over to one of the tents and picked up one of the rucksacks throwing it over her shoulder. She looked to the others who where ready.

OOOOO

They made it to the place, they had a slight run-in with a Raider gang. Gaining some valuable salvage and ammo. Ashley picked up some armour and weapons which she packed and planned to break the down some time in the near future. When the word 'Future' came to mind it rolled around in her mind. Looking around more often then not, she began to think what kind of future what kind of future would she have out here? What was there out here? What kind of future was there?

Even if she could find her son was he older? Dead? She rubbed her head trying to get the thoughts out of her head. Her maternal instincts wouldn't allow her to think like that. After this whole robot mess would be over she would find her son until she died. 'Hell has no fury but a woman scorn' that old English saying was what Nate used to say to his old drinking buddies. When she was more then pissed off she could have been a lioness or a demon.

The team reached the building making stop thinking and go into combat mode. The team staked up against the sides door. They looked to one another before Ash nodded and brought up her rifle as Cobra opened the door. She was the first to enter with both eyes open as she entered and walked passed a desk. Looking to the side of her, windows seeing into the factory she could see the machines waiting for her and the others. One of them spotted her and moved though the door in front of her and fired lasers at her making her dive behind the desk she passed.

The lasers hit around the door preventing the other's from entering. Popping up out of cover she then fired five rounds at the machine each one bounced off the armour forcing her to grab her laser pistol. Before she could grab it the machine fired at her but she dogged by spinning to the side while bringing out her pistol. Aiming it at the Mr Handy like machine she fired, the red lance of light hit the machine in the optics. The eye blew but it had two more to call upon. She fired again this time hitting the chassis sending it spinning. She fired once more at the fuel tank which melted and caused the machine to explode.

It fell to the ground allowing the others to pour into the building. As they did Ashley moved up to the robot to see what she could salvage. On looking she could see the handle of a pistol in the robot itself. She reached in and took a hold of the weapon. Yanking it out she then looked at it, it was a .44 revolver with a bull barrel. Sliding the release catch the cylinder popped open and she could see it had the standard 6 rounds that most .44's had. She closed it and slid it into one of her back pouches. No spare ammo for it, for now.

“Ahh been a long time since I seen a place like this.” Codsworth muttered.

“There's something here.” Ada said. “A robot model that I've never detected before.”

“Well let's move,” Ashley said moving through the door where the Mr Handy came from.

Since it as going to be close quarters Cobra and Preston both had their shotguns out. Cobra's one was modified to be automatic with a drum magazine. Preston on the other hand opted for single shot and a short magazine but with a long barrel. As their leader opened the door to the next room a laser blast hit her in the side sending her back and into cover. She recoiled in pain as Danse charged in tackling the robot to the ground and smashed it's processor killing it. As he did rounds began hitting his armour, deflecting off it and hitting the walls.

One scratched his face making him take cover fast. Preston came cup next and fired a high powered shot from his musket. The laser blast hit it power cell causing it to explode. But still not dead the machine crawled up with what was left of his torso but didn't get far as Danse crushed the machine under his boot. After injecting herself with a stimpack Ashley then moved up next as a protectron/ handy mix came in fast. As it slashed out at her she rolled over it's back grabbing a few of it's wires and pulled it. The machine went haywire as it spun around making her duck, pulling out her pistol she fired. The laser melted some of the wiring inside it causing it to fall down dead.

Smiling she spun her pistol around her finger before sliding it into the holster. Cobra came up as did the others and looked at the robot. Then at her pistol.

“What kind of weapon is that?” he asked.

“One that I modified myself I call it Nova's light.” she replied.

“Yes, yes very interesting, but we have a job to do here.” Danse said moving up passed them.

Ashley followed up up a fight of stairs and the others followed. At the other side of the room the Mechanist robots came charging in and fast. On of them pinned Danse to the wall next tot the stairs, Ashley took cover while Ada came in fast firing her laser arm but was hit on her arm survos causing her to fall. Cobra and Preston hung back, trying to get a look at the robots. The Sword star merc put a .308 round in his mouth as he pulled out his sniper rifle. Preston cranked his rifle as Cobra loaded the round in the rifle and took aim. The Minute-man also took aim as a heavily armed robot suppressed fire at them.

As they both took aim Danse threw off the robot who was on him making the armoured robot turn to him. Before he could fire the two mercs fired their rifles at it. The laser melted the armour allowing the bullet to hit the coolant system. The robot began to overheat and fast causing it to shut-down. While that happened Ashley ripped some of the wiring from the robot while Danse ripped it's optics off. As it fell Ashley turned to a door and just stared through it.

“Ok that's new.” she said.

The others turned to see a cylindrical robot with a glass dome for a head. The door was locked allowing them to look at it without any trouble. As they looked Ashley turned to Ada and took out some tools, she then opened the armour cap and looked.

“What is that thing?” Cobra asked.

“It's a robobrain.” Ashley said as she worked. “I cannot remember which company build them, or where planning to build them but there was some major controversy with it.”

“Why?” Danse asked.

“That brain? That an ape brain.” she said with more then a hint of disgust.

“Ape?” all three of them asked before Preston continued. “What's an ape?”

She turned to them with a bewilded look before slapping her head, hard. “Oh right, ugh. Ok so think of something like us but with a face pushed out, hands for feet and fur just about everywhere except for the face and chest.” she said turning back to Ada. “And that's just one group. But that was the reason, animal activists didn't want people to use apes brains as computers or human for that matter. Despite the advancement's we made, the brain is the only supercomputer system that we cannot duplicate.”

As soon as she finished talking she put her tools away.

“Ok try and move.”

Ada then stood and moved her arm. “Thank you.”

She then stood and looked at the machine through the glass. It was trapped and there was a terminal next to the door. They looked to each other and just reloaded their weapons. Walking up to the terminal the others readied their weapons, taking a deep breath she activated the terminal and began to hack. Each one of them was calm and collected, each one was a soldier in their own right. Not a sweat dropped as Ashley hacked the terminal. Just then the doors opened, as it did all of them fired at the machine, no emotion just action. And explosion sounded making them all stop.

They moved up slowly breathing slowly. Convinced it was dead thy all took a relaxed sigh. Ashley moved up and began too look inside the machine. She found something out of place, it looked like a chip of some kind.

“Did you retrieve something from that robot?” Ada asked.

Ashley stood as she looked at the device. “It had this device on it.”

“Let's have a look.” Ash passed the device to Ada who then began to scan it. “Impressive technology. If my analysis is correct, this is a specialised radar beacon. I suspect it's how the Mechanist is keeping track of the robobrain that we destroyed. As the next logical step, I need you to install this beacon within me so we can use it to our advantage.”

“Sounds like a sold plan.” Ash said.

“Wait.” Danse said making the two look at them. “Is it safe?”

“Yeah, all it is, is a tracking beacon. If your wondering if the Mechanist can take over or track us, I can write a program into Ada preventing that.”

“Agreed. You need to use a robot workbench to ensure proper installation.”

“Ok then, grab what salvage we can and let's head back to sanctuary.”

OOOOO a day later. (In the interest of time)

The graveyard was up ahead, as was the Robobrain robot. Ashley was lagging behind from the wound she suffered from that tankbot they faced earlier. Upon reaching the grave Danse and Cobra jumped down and engaged both feral ghouls and robots. Preston took a stop up next to a tree sniping with his laser musket. Codsworth and Ada jumped in with the blue assultron keeping back. When Ashley got to the drop she watched as her friends attack the robots and ghouls, but she recognised this place, the grave stones.

Fear, anger, hate began to fill her. She began to shake uncontrollably as tears fell from her eyes as she looked on. Preston looked at just standing there, no reason why she should just be standing. But being a sharp shooter, even he noticed her shaking. Something was up whit her.

“Ashley!” he yelled. “You ok?”

“YOU WORTHLESS PIECE OF SHIT!” a woman yell in her ears followed . “I regret not having that abortion.”

Inside her something snapped and she dropped her rifle, reaching down she picked up her pistol. And jumped down. Preston just watched as a ghoul approached her but she just shot it in the head. It fall making the other's turn to her. She kept on firing making them drop one by one until she ran out. Dropping the weapon she looked up and used the blade under her pip-boy and cut the head of one of the beasts. Spinning in the air she cut two more heads in half. Next came up a hovering robot who charged at her.

But as soon as it came in she grabbed it by the arm spun and slammed it into a tree causing it to fall. It was about to come back up, but before it could she slashed at the wires and chassis making it whine. The robobrain knocked Danse over and hit Cobra in the gut before turning to Ashley. It moved speed but she moved fas around it and jumped on it before ripping the brain dome off it's torso. She then there it to the floor before bringing a boot to it crushing it. Cobra then got up and walked over to her.

“Hey go...” before he could finish she spun and punched him in gut, hard.

He fell onto all fours before being kicked onto his back. Her arm was raised ready to strike but Preston jumped her. The blade cut Cobra's leg making him yell. The rolled a few feet before getting up.

“Ash stop!” Preston yelled.

“Oh no.” Codsworth said. “MR DANSE RESTRAIN HER!”

Danse looked from the robot to Ash who jumped Preston. Gritting his teeth he dropped his rifle and grabbed her by the waist. She thrashed about violently before Preston jumped up and injected her with something. Slowing down her thrashing she stopped and fell asleep. Ada came up and looked down at her. Cobra got up and pulled a sleeping bag off her back. Preston took it from her an lay her on the sleeping bag. Preston dabbed a wet cloth on her forehead slowly sighing as he did.

“I don't believe what she just did.” Cobra said as he wrapped the cut on his leg. “I mean I know she's tough but that... is she some kind of super mutant?”

“Unfortunately not.” Codsworth spoke up. “I think it's time you tell you all.” he said grabbing everyone's attention.

“Tell us what?” Danse asked.

“Why she went, well nuts.” he said for lack of a better word. “I learned about this from Sir before he died, he told me if something like this was to happen then I needed to put her to sleep. You see Ashley wasn't close to her father as he was a drunk. But she did look up to him, when he died it hit her hard, very hard so much so that she attacked the gang that killed him.”

“Ok wait.” Preston said. “Now I want to hear the rest but correct me if I'm wrong but didn't back then had a law enforcement group? If so... did she spend time in prison?”

“No, but she did cause damage to the gang.”

“Define damage.” Cobra said.

“Broken ribs, castration, broken back and skull. In total she deserved at least a few years in prison but that didn't happen. You see the local police knew her, and her dad quite well and since the gang caused the death of her father. But this is where is gets a little complicated you see Ashley's mother according to her word's was the 'Bitch queen from hell'. She, well abused Ashley and her father, it affected her quite badly making her react in a serious aggressiveness. From what sir said, it happened during the Anchorage liberation. When a mix of fear and anger inside her reaches a point, well....” Codsworth tailed off with the other's knowing what he was saying.

“But why did it happen now?” Ada asked.

“I think I know.” Danse said making everyone look to him.

Danse stood in front of a grave stone with the words 'Here lay's Jim Winter Beloved father and hero.' That last name clicked with all of them and looked to Ashley.

“She was trying to protect her father's grave.” Preston said.

“Of course!” Codsworth said out loud. “Every day when her father's birthday or when he died she go and visit without fail. And today...s.... oh right.....” His eye hung in the air. “29th October.... the day he died.”

The was an awkward silence in the air. They hardly knew her, but then again they hardly knew each other. The difference was that when they reach a point they didn't try to kill each other.

“Ok so what do we do?” Cobra asked. “I mean we're low on medical supplies and hell we don't even have a medic.”

Preston nodded before looking up. “What about Vault 81?” he asked. “Back when the Minute-men where, well bigger, Vault 81 was the perfect place for medical supplies. If we can get her then...”

“We can get her back up to peak physical form before heading to the final place where the robobrain is.” Ada said.

“Ok, me and Cobra will carry her. Danse your the point man, Ada, behind him Codswoth your taking the rear.”

“Whoa now listen, I don't mind taking orders from her. But I WILL not take orders form a merc.”

“I.” Preston said slowly while standing and facing Danse. “Am not a MERC!”

“GUYS!” Cobra yelled getting their attention. “We don't have time for this, Danse I know how much you hate taking orders from a merc. But right now I don't see any choice in the matter. Now if we make it to the Vault then you can leave but right now we are playing with her life.”

Danse was about to say something but the sound of lasers firing met their ears. All of them grabbed their weapons standing ready they kept an eye open for any sign of the attackers. The sound lasted for a good five minutes before it stopped, looking from one to the other Cobra limped forward followed by Danse and Ada. The three moved up and over a nearby hill. A small wooded area came into sight along with several dead Raiders. The two humans looked to each other before moving up and looking at the bodies.

“Laser fire.” Danse said looking at one of them.

Cobra looked at the carefully before an idea came to mind. “Danse,” he said limping over to the Brotherhood soldier. “Shoot at that one.” pointing to one of the bodies.

“Why?”

“Just humour me ok, I think I may have something.”

He shook his head before firing at the body leaving a laser mark on it. Cobra moved up and got down to one knee and looked at the two wounds. The one that Danse fired was big but without heavy burns the other one however was smaller but was deeper with very heavy burns. He had seen this before.

“I don't believe this.” he said standing. “I do not believe this.”

“What?”

“These wound's, Institute rifle's.” he looked around. “I think their following us.”

“What? Why?”

“I have an idea, but we'll find out later. Come on, let's get Ash to the Vault.”

OOOOO

Moving through the streets slowly Cobra limped slowly forward with Ada who was behind him. No stimpacks mean that he couldn't heal his major leg wound. The cave came into sight with construction vehicles around the entrance it as a good half a mile out. He moved up the road with the others following close by with Ashley on a stretcher. Keeping their eyes open in case of attack, since Cobra and Preston knew the area well they could moved around the more hostile area's. But still that meant the animals had their go at them.

Moving up the street they passed a diner and up another good half a mile before reaching a cave where several construction vehicles where. The two mercs moved up through the fence before indicating to the others to move up. The rest of the group came up fast and the three entered the cave. Preston took point as Cobra took over from Dnase holding the stretcher. Moving through the cave they came to a large metal cog door with the number 81 in front of a yellow background. Preston moved up to a yellow terminal and press the comm.

“Hold it right there, Vault 81 security, identify yourself.” the voice said.

“Preston Garvy, we need medical help.”

There was no sound for a good moment before the voice came back. “Ok we're opening the door, keep your hands and arm's where we can see them.”

The group moved over to the door as it began to open. As the group entered they covered their eyes as the floodlights blinded them. Preston came in first with his hands up and musket in one of them. When floodlight's stopped blinded him he could see several armoured Vault security standing around. Three of them held assault rifles while the rest had 10mm smgs and 10mm pistols. One in the light someone called for them to lower their weapons as the others came down as they did three doctors came up and looked at Ashley, one of the doctors opened up her jumpsuit placed his stethoscope on her chest. A woman with a dark reddish hair came up and looked at Ashley.

“Is she ok?” she asked.

“Yeah, she fine.” the doctor said before turning to the squad.

“Waht happened to her?” he asked.

“Way to much anger and stress, pumped up inside her.” Cobra said.

The doctor nodded and looked down at the sole survivor. “Probably a large amount of adrenalin pumping through her body, mix with some rad's. Ok let's get her to the clinic, Rachel take care of our friends leg if you'll please.” he said as they took the woman on the stretcher to the lift.

The doctor nodded and moved over to the black armoured soldier and helped him to a chair. Meanwhile the red head walked over to Preston and slapped him across the face. The security where ready for a reaction but he did nothing. But the squad looked on with surprise.

“I guess I deserved that.” he said.

“Damn right you do.” she said. “Now, explain what happened.”

“About what?” Preston asked.

“About the girl.”

“Well, it's a long story.” the look the Overseer gave him told him that she didn't give a damn. “Ok, she from another Vault, Vault 111.”

“I can see that. Explains the outfit, but why is she here?”

“She's looking for her son, she was taken by someone.”

“I'm surprised a Vault security failed.”

“There was no security, I went to the Vault myself to get supplies, there was no one there. And the ones that were, were dead. But that's not the main thing, she 200 years old, when they opened the Vault, they put her, her son and husband in cryo.”

She just stared at him. “You mean, that the woman we have in the clinic was in cryo since the bombs fell?”

“Yeah, saw the pods myself.”

“Same here.” Cobra called out.

“Wow.” she muttered rubbing her head. “First rouge robots, now a 200 year old woman looking for her son? What's next?”

“Dunno, but we need to get her onto fighting form as soon as possible. Those robot's are tearing everything apart.”

She nodded at that and looked at him. “We'll do what we can, but you owe me big time for this.” she then walked off.

“Old flame?” Codsworth asked.

“Yep.”

Description
Chapter 6 New Threat Pt1

As the sun began to rise Preston could heard a clanging of metal followed by a loud 'shit'. He groaned as he began to wake, one of his eyes opened to see Ashley dragging one of the robots that they took out yesterday. Getting it into a area she liked she then picked up a toolbox and began to take the machine apart. He woke up fully and watched as the blue suited woman begin to take a protectron-like robot apart.

“Come on.” she said as she began to take the machine apart.

Preston watched as she removed the armour plates and moved into the machine itself. As she began to rummage in the machine she began to sing.

“Atom bomb baby, lil atom bomb..” she muttered as she worked.

Unable to get to back sleep Preston got up and walked over to the 200 year old woman.

“What are you up to?” he asked.

“Aside from taking apart this machine? Ada said that the robots have a tracking chip in them before she shut down for a recharge. That's what I'm trying to find at the moment.” she said not looking up.

Shrugging Preston just nodded as she walked back to his bed, picking up his rifle and walking over to a fireplace. Slideing his hand into his bag and pulling out a tin of pork'n'beans before bring up a knife and opened it. He then set it down next to the fire allowing it to warm up. Danse was the next up, after stretching out he climbed into his power armour. He then walked over to a sleeping Cobra who fell asleep during his shift, shaking his head he slapped the Sword star commander waking him up with a start.

He looked up at the powered armoured solder with a twitch in the eye.

“Do that again.” he said standing. “And meet my boot up your ass.”

The two stared at each other for a good long while, before moving off to the fireplace. The two gave each other very dirty looks as they waited for their food to be ready. Dogmeat was the next to wake, but ran off for a moment and came back a second later with a mole rat in his mouth and began to eat the poor mutated beast. Ash was still focusing on dissecting the robot in front of her taking it out piece by piece as Ada awoke.

“Ahh full energy, that's better.” she said before turning to the others. “How is everyone today.”

“Fine.” both Cobra and Danse said coldly not taking their eyes off each other.

“I'm good.” Preston called out eating his breakfast.

Ashley didn't say anything as she looked in the machine.

“Well since you all agreed to help me, there is something I can give you. Schematics for you to make your own robot workbench, so you have the additional resources for this undertaking.” Ada said making the Soul survivor look at the machine with wide eyes.

“A robot work bench?” she said with joy. “Give, me, give me, give me.” she moved up to the robot who handed the plans to her and she opened it and looked at it. “Hohohoh.” she cried out in joy.

“So you want revenge?” Preston asked.

“I admit my goal is twofold. Stopping the Mechanist both protects the Commonwealth and allows me to avenge my fallen friends. I won't rest until this threat is dissolved. I owe it to them. Now, we last saw a group of Mechanist robots at the General Atomic's factory. You may find information there about where we can find the Mechanist.”

All eyes turned to Ashley who felt them on her turned and looked at the others. “What?”

“Your the robotics expert.” Cobra said. “And you where alive before the bombs fell.”

“So?” she asked with a raised brow. “Just because I was around before the bombs fell doesn't mean that I know where everything was ok. I have no.....” she stopped for a moment before looking at her pip-boy.

She'd forgot about the mapping feature that was on it. Turing to the map she looked at it, but cursed, it was just a simple map with icons of historical, popular sights and government structures.

“Da... wait... Ada do you have a location of the place?”

“Yes I do, I just sent it to your pip-boy.”

She checked again and there it was, a silhouetted icon. Turning on her foot, and looked passed the electronics building.

“That way.”

“General atomics has valuable salvage. Chances are high the robots are still there.”

“Agreed, Ok people let's get ready to move. And make sure to grab some bags, we're going to need all the salvage we can.”

Ashley was more or less ready as the others got up and began to move. She walked over to her work area and picked up her rifle and bulled the bolt back. Still loaded, but she knew that it wouldn't be enough to take out a building full of robots. Not to mention she had no armour piercing rounds, her hand reached to her laser pistol and pulled it out. She stole it, she stole it from the military armoury but no one cared, not one as there was a war to fight. After all no one notices if at least one weapon disappeared, now this one was her's.

She overcharged the capacitor and focused the energy from the cell into the firing mechanism. This along with the improved barrel made it quite the deadly weapon, that only left the handle. That she took from a Chinese sniper rifle, it was quite comfortable to handle but she left the sights as they where as scopes and pistols weren't too good. One other modification was making sure was the drain on the cell and focusing it on the beam only giving it 12 shots per cell. If her rifle didn't work, then this would.

Sliding it back into her holster she walked over to one of the tents and picked up one of the rucksacks throwing it over her shoulder. She looked to the others who where ready.

OOOOO

They made it to the place, they had a slight run-in with a Raider gang. Gaining some valuable salvage and ammo. Ashley picked up some armour and weapons which she packed and planned to break the down some time in the near future. When the word 'Future' came to mind it rolled around in her mind. Looking around more often then not, she began to think what kind of future what kind of future would she have out here? What was there out here? What kind of future was there?

Even if she could find her son was he older? Dead? She rubbed her head trying to get the thoughts out of her head. Her maternal instincts wouldn't allow her to think like that. After this whole robot mess would be over she would find her son until she died. 'Hell has no fury but a woman scorn' that old English saying was what Nate used to say to his old drinking buddies. When she was more then pissed off she could have been a lioness or a demon.

The team reached the building making stop thinking and go into combat mode. The team staked up against the sides door. They looked to one another before Ash nodded and brought up her rifle as Cobra opened the door. She was the first to enter with both eyes open as she entered and walked passed a desk. Looking to the side of her, windows seeing into the factory she could see the machines waiting for her and the others. One of them spotted her and moved though the door in front of her and fired lasers at her making her dive behind the desk she passed.

The lasers hit around the door preventing the other's from entering. Popping up out of cover she then fired five rounds at the machine each one bounced off the armour forcing her to grab her laser pistol. Before she could grab it the machine fired at her but she dogged by spinning to the side while bringing out her pistol. Aiming it at the Mr Handy like machine she fired, the red lance of light hit the machine in the optics. The eye blew but it had two more to call upon. She fired again this time hitting the chassis sending it spinning. She fired once more at the fuel tank which melted and caused the machine to explode.

It fell to the ground allowing the others to pour into the building. As they did Ashley moved up to the robot to see what she could salvage. On looking she could see the handle of a pistol in the robot itself. She reached in and took a hold of the weapon. Yanking it out she then looked at it, it was a .44 revolver with a bull barrel. Sliding the release catch the cylinder popped open and she could see it had the standard 6 rounds that most .44's had. She closed it and slid it into one of her back pouches. No spare ammo for it, for now.

“Ahh been a long time since I seen a place like this.” Codsworth muttered.

“There's something here.” Ada said. “A robot model that I've never detected before.”

“Well let's move,” Ashley said moving through the door where the Mr Handy came from.

Since it as going to be close quarters Cobra and Preston both had their shotguns out. Cobra's one was modified to be automatic with a drum magazine. Preston on the other hand opted for single shot and a short magazine but with a long barrel. As their leader opened the door to the next room a laser blast hit her in the side sending her back and into cover. She recoiled in pain as Danse charged in tackling the robot to the ground and smashed it's processor killing it. As he did rounds began hitting his armour, deflecting off it and hitting the walls.

One scratched his face making him take cover fast. Preston came cup next and fired a high powered shot from his musket. The laser blast hit it power cell causing it to explode. But still not dead the machine crawled up with what was left of his torso but didn't get far as Danse crushed the machine under his boot. After injecting herself with a stimpack Ashley then moved up next as a protectron/ handy mix came in fast. As it slashed out at her she rolled over it's back grabbing a few of it's wires and pulled it. The machine went haywire as it spun around making her duck, pulling out her pistol she fired. The laser melted some of the wiring inside it causing it to fall down dead.

Smiling she spun her pistol around her finger before sliding it into the holster. Cobra came up as did the others and looked at the robot. Then at her pistol.

“What kind of weapon is that?” he asked.

“One that I modified myself I call it Nova's light.” she replied.

“Yes, yes very interesting, but we have a job to do here.” Danse said moving up passed them.

Ashley followed up up a fight of stairs and the others followed. At the other side of the room the Mechanist robots came charging in and fast. On of them pinned Danse to the wall next tot the stairs, Ashley took cover while Ada came in fast firing her laser arm but was hit on her arm survos causing her to fall. Cobra and Preston hung back, trying to get a look at the robots. The Sword star merc put a .308 round in his mouth as he pulled out his sniper rifle. Preston cranked his rifle as Cobra loaded the round in the rifle and took aim. The Minute-man also took aim as a heavily armed robot suppressed fire at them.

As they both took aim Danse threw off the robot who was on him making the armoured robot turn to him. Before he could fire the two mercs fired their rifles at it. The laser melted the armour allowing the bullet to hit the coolant system. The robot began to overheat and fast causing it to shut-down. While that happened Ashley ripped some of the wiring from the robot while Danse ripped it's optics off. As it fell Ashley turned to a door and just stared through it.

“Ok that's new.” she said.

The others turned to see a cylindrical robot with a glass dome for a head. The door was locked allowing them to look at it without any trouble. As they looked Ashley turned to Ada and took out some tools, she then opened the armour cap and looked.

“What is that thing?” Cobra asked.

“It's a robobrain.” Ashley said as she worked. “I cannot remember which company build them, or where planning to build them but there was some major controversy with it.”

“Why?” Danse asked.

“That brain? That an ape brain.” she said with more then a hint of disgust.

“Ape?” all three of them asked before Preston continued. “What's an ape?”

She turned to them with a bewilded look before slapping her head, hard. “Oh right, ugh. Ok so think of something like us but with a face pushed out, hands for feet and fur just about everywhere except for the face and chest.” she said turning back to Ada. “And that's just one group. But that was the reason, animal activists didn't want people to use apes brains as computers or human for that matter. Despite the advancement's we made, the brain is the only supercomputer system that we cannot duplicate.”

As soon as she finished talking she put her tools away.

“Ok try and move.”

Ada then stood and moved her arm. “Thank you.”

She then stood and looked at the machine through the glass. It was trapped and there was a terminal next to the door. They looked to each other and just reloaded their weapons. Walking up to the terminal the others readied their weapons, taking a deep breath she activated the terminal and began to hack. Each one of them was calm and collected, each one was a soldier in their own right. Not a sweat dropped as Ashley hacked the terminal. Just then the doors opened, as it did all of them fired at the machine, no emotion just action. And explosion sounded making them all stop.

They moved up slowly breathing slowly. Convinced it was dead thy all took a relaxed sigh. Ashley moved up and began too look inside the machine. She found something out of place, it looked like a chip of some kind.

“Did you retrieve something from that robot?” Ada asked.

Ashley stood as she looked at the device. “It had this device on it.”

“Let's have a look.” Ash passed the device to Ada who then began to scan it. “Impressive technology. If my analysis is correct, this is a specialised radar beacon. I suspect it's how the Mechanist is keeping track of the robobrain that we destroyed. As the next logical step, I need you to install this beacon within me so we can use it to our advantage.”

“Sounds like a sold plan.” Ash said.

“Wait.” Danse said making the two look at them. “Is it safe?”

“Yeah, all it is, is a tracking beacon. If your wondering if the Mechanist can take over or track us, I can write a program into Ada preventing that.”

“Agreed. You need to use a robot workbench to ensure proper installation.”

“Ok then, grab what salvage we can and let's head back to sanctuary.”

OOOOO a day later. (In the interest of time)

The graveyard was up ahead, as was the Robobrain robot. Ashley was lagging behind from the wound she suffered from that tankbot they faced earlier. Upon reaching the grave Danse and Cobra jumped down and engaged both feral ghouls and robots. Preston took a stop up next to a tree sniping with his laser musket. Codsworth and Ada jumped in with the blue assultron keeping back. When Ashley got to the drop she watched as her friends attack the robots and ghouls, but she recognised this place, the grave stones.

Fear, anger, hate began to fill her. She began to shake uncontrollably as tears fell from her eyes as she looked on. Preston looked at just standing there, no reason why she should just be standing. But being a sharp shooter, even he noticed her shaking. Something was up whit her.

“Ashley!” he yelled. “You ok?”

“YOU WORTHLESS PIECE OF SHIT!” a woman yell in her ears followed . “I regret not having that abortion.”

Inside her something snapped and she dropped her rifle, reaching down she picked up her pistol. And jumped down. Preston just watched as a ghoul approached her but she just shot it in the head. It fall making the other's turn to her. She kept on firing making them drop one by one until she ran out. Dropping the weapon she looked up and used the blade under her pip-boy and cut the head of one of the beasts. Spinning in the air she cut two more heads in half. Next came up a hovering robot who charged at her.

But as soon as it came in she grabbed it by the arm spun and slammed it into a tree causing it to fall. It was about to come back up, but before it could she slashed at the wires and chassis making it whine. The robobrain knocked Danse over and hit Cobra in the gut before turning to Ashley. It moved speed but she moved fas around it and jumped on it before ripping the brain dome off it's torso. She then there it to the floor before bringing a boot to it crushing it. Cobra then got up and walked over to her.

“Hey go...” before he could finish she spun and punched him in gut, hard.

He fell onto all fours before being kicked onto his back. Her arm was raised ready to strike but Preston jumped her. The blade cut Cobra's leg making him yell. The rolled a few feet before getting up.

“Ash stop!” Preston yelled.

“Oh no.” Codsworth said. “MR DANSE RESTRAIN HER!”

Danse looked from the robot to Ash who jumped Preston. Gritting his teeth he dropped his rifle and grabbed her by the waist. She thrashed about violently before Preston jumped up and injected her with something. Slowing down her thrashing she stopped and fell asleep. Ada came up and looked down at her. Cobra got up and pulled a sleeping bag off her back. Preston took it from her an lay her on the sleeping bag. Preston dabbed a wet cloth on her forehead slowly sighing as he did.

“I don't believe what she just did.” Cobra said as he wrapped the cut on his leg. “I mean I know she's tough but that... is she some kind of super mutant?”

“Unfortunately not.” Codsworth spoke up. “I think it's time you tell you all.” he said grabbing everyone's attention.

“Tell us what?” Danse asked.

“Why she went, well nuts.” he said for lack of a better word. “I learned about this from Sir before he died, he told me if something like this was to happen then I needed to put her to sleep. You see Ashley wasn't close to her father as he was a drunk. But she did look up to him, when he died it hit her hard, very hard so much so that she attacked the gang that killed him.”

“Ok wait.” Preston said. “Now I want to hear the rest but correct me if I'm wrong but didn't back then had a law enforcement group? If so... did she spend time in prison?”

“No, but she did cause damage to the gang.”

“Define damage.” Cobra said.

“Broken ribs, castration, broken back and skull. In total she deserved at least a few years in prison but that didn't happen. You see the local police knew her, and her dad quite well and since the gang caused the death of her father. But this is where is gets a little complicated you see Ashley's mother according to her word's was the 'Bitch queen from hell'. She, well abused Ashley and her father, it affected her quite badly making her react in a serious aggressiveness. From what sir said, it happened during the Anchorage liberation. When a mix of fear and anger inside her reaches a point, well....” Codsworth tailed off with the other's knowing what he was saying.

“But why did it happen now?” Ada asked.

“I think I know.” Danse said making everyone look to him.

Danse stood in front of a grave stone with the words 'Here lay's Jim Winter Beloved father and hero.' That last name clicked with all of them and looked to Ashley.

“She was trying to protect her father's grave.” Preston said.

“Of course!” Codsworth said out loud. “Every day when her father's birthday or when he died she go and visit without fail. And today...s.... oh right.....” His eye hung in the air. “29th October.... the day he died.”

The was an awkward silence in the air. They hardly knew her, but then again they hardly knew each other. The difference was that when they reach a point they didn't try to kill each other.

“Ok so what do we do?” Cobra asked. “I mean we're low on medical supplies and hell we don't even have a medic.”

Preston nodded before looking up. “What about Vault 81?” he asked. “Back when the Minute-men where, well bigger, Vault 81 was the perfect place for medical supplies. If we can get her then...”

“We can get her back up to peak physical form before heading to the final place where the robobrain is.” Ada said.

“Ok, me and Cobra will carry her. Danse your the point man, Ada, behind him Codswoth your taking the rear.”

“Whoa now listen, I don't mind taking orders from her. But I WILL not take orders form a merc.”

“I.” Preston said slowly while standing and facing Danse. “Am not a MERC!”

“GUYS!” Cobra yelled getting their attention. “We don't have time for this, Danse I know how much you hate taking orders from a merc. But right now I don't see any choice in the matter. Now if we make it to the Vault then you can leave but right now we are playing with her life.”

Danse was about to say something but the sound of lasers firing met their ears. All of them grabbed their weapons standing ready they kept an eye open for any sign of the attackers. The sound lasted for a good five minutes before it stopped, looking from one to the other Cobra limped forward followed by Danse and Ada. The three moved up and over a nearby hill. A small wooded area came into sight along with several dead Raiders. The two humans looked to each other before moving up and looking at the bodies.

“Laser fire.” Danse said looking at one of them.

Cobra looked at the carefully before an idea came to mind. “Danse,” he said limping over to the Brotherhood soldier. “Shoot at that one.” pointing to one of the bodies.

“Why?”

“Just humour me ok, I think I may have something.”

He shook his head before firing at the body leaving a laser mark on it. Cobra moved up and got down to one knee and looked at the two wounds. The one that Danse fired was big but without heavy burns the other one however was smaller but was deeper with very heavy burns. He had seen this before.

“I don't believe this.” he said standing. “I do not believe this.”

“What?”

“These wound's, Institute rifle's.” he looked around. “I think their following us.”

“What? Why?”

“I have an idea, but we'll find out later. Come on, let's get Ash to the Vault.”

OOOOO

Moving through the streets slowly Cobra limped slowly forward with Ada who was behind him. No stimpacks mean that he couldn't heal his major leg wound. The cave came into sight with construction vehicles around the entrance it as a good half a mile out. He moved up the road with the others following close by with Ashley on a stretcher. Keeping their eyes open in case of attack, since Cobra and Preston knew the area well they could moved around the more hostile area's. But still that meant the animals had their go at them.

Moving up the street they passed a diner and up another good half a mile before reaching a cave where several construction vehicles where. The two mercs moved up through the fence before indicating to the others to move up. The rest of the group came up fast and the three entered the cave. Preston took point as Cobra took over from Dnase holding the stretcher. Moving through the cave they came to a large metal cog door with the number 81 in front of a yellow background. Preston moved up to a yellow terminal and press the comm.

“Hold it right there, Vault 81 security, identify yourself.” the voice said.

“Preston Garvy, we need medical help.”

There was no sound for a good moment before the voice came back. “Ok we're opening the door, keep your hands and arm's where we can see them.”

The group moved over to the door as it began to open. As the group entered they covered their eyes as the floodlights blinded them. Preston came in first with his hands up and musket in one of them. When floodlight's stopped blinded him he could see several armoured Vault security standing around. Three of them held assault rifles while the rest had 10mm smgs and 10mm pistols. One in the light someone called for them to lower their weapons as the others came down as they did three doctors came up and looked at Ashley, one of the doctors opened up her jumpsuit placed his stethoscope on her chest. A woman with a dark reddish hair came up and looked at Ashley.

“Is she ok?” she asked.

“Yeah, she fine.” the doctor said before turning to the squad.

“Waht happened to her?” he asked.

“Way to much anger and stress, pumped up inside her.” Cobra said.

The doctor nodded and looked down at the sole survivor. “Probably a large amount of adrenalin pumping through her body, mix with some rad's. Ok let's get her to the clinic, Rachel take care of our friends leg if you'll please.” he said as they took the woman on the stretcher to the lift.

The doctor nodded and moved over to the black armoured soldier and helped him to a chair. Meanwhile the red head walked over to Preston and slapped him across the face. The security where ready for a reaction but he did nothing. But the squad looked on with surprise.

“I guess I deserved that.” he said.

“Damn right you do.” she said. “Now, explain what happened.”

“About what?” Preston asked.

“About the girl.”

“Well, it's a long story.” the look the Overseer gave him told him that she didn't give a damn. “Ok, she from another Vault, Vault 111.”

“I can see that. Explains the outfit, but why is she here?”

“She's looking for her son, she was taken by someone.”

“I'm surprised a Vault security failed.”

“There was no security, I went to the Vault myself to get supplies, there was no one there. And the ones that were, were dead. But that's not the main thing, she 200 years old, when they opened the Vault, they put her, her son and husband in cryo.”

She just stared at him. “You mean, that the woman we have in the clinic was in cryo since the bombs fell?”

“Yeah, saw the pods myself.”

“Same here.” Cobra called out.

“Wow.” she muttered rubbing her head. “First rouge robots, now a 200 year old woman looking for her son? What's next?”

“Dunno, but we need to get her onto fighting form as soon as possible. Those robot's are tearing everything apart.”

She nodded at that and looked at him. “We'll do what we can, but you owe me big time for this.” she then walked off.

“Old flame?” Codsworth asked.

“Yep.”