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[Junk XIII] First Stop (K 1-6, S 1-6)
The morning was calm. A sleepy Hump and Topps are arm in arm during breakfast, laughing, smiling at each other, enough to make a body sick. And at breakfast!
VB is quiet, still a bit sullen. The truckers eat quiet, then start getting things moving. Svenja sleeps through. Stitch, where is she stuck? In the back of one of the trucks?
Anyways, you all mount up and ride for a couple days without incident. By the time you reach the speck of a village called Cat, Svenja is up a bit more, grousing about the lucky shot that got her, and drek.
Your three trucks have pulled into Cat, and Kodak heads into the roadhouse called Cat's. It's most of the village, really. He tells you, Kiddo, that he got you a couple rooms, four beds. He'll need you to handle security for the trucks overnight however you like, but those four beds are yours to handle however you like.
You're halfway to Salt.
Cat's roadhouse is a waystation on the main road to the south, the artery where travel happens. There's a small gang of kids with guns that watch over the place, all teens. They all look the same, really. All six of them. Spooky. There are a couple travelers here, drinking swill and talking quietly. Stitch, which pair do you recognize from Boomtown?
What do you do?
VB is quiet, still a bit sullen. The truckers eat quiet, then start getting things moving. Svenja sleeps through. Stitch, where is she stuck? In the back of one of the trucks?
Anyways, you all mount up and ride for a couple days without incident. By the time you reach the speck of a village called Cat, Svenja is up a bit more, grousing about the lucky shot that got her, and drek.
Your three trucks have pulled into Cat, and Kodak heads into the roadhouse called Cat's. It's most of the village, really. He tells you, Kiddo, that he got you a couple rooms, four beds. He'll need you to handle security for the trucks overnight however you like, but those four beds are yours to handle however you like.
You're halfway to Salt.
Cat's roadhouse is a waystation on the main road to the south, the artery where travel happens. There's a small gang of kids with guns that watch over the place, all teens. They all look the same, really. All six of them. Spooky. There are a couple travelers here, drinking swill and talking quietly. Stitch, which pair do you recognize from Boomtown?
What do you do?
Comments
Those kids are fucking creepy. I sort of want to ask what their deal is, but I keep my mouth shut. I see Crest and Scope sitting at the bar- they came into Loot's one time I was there and Scope bought me a drink. I smile over at them.
The last few nights have been pretty sleepless... Being down a man for watch means Rinso and I are pulling time and a half — which means 3 hours of sleep a night instead of 4, and shorter naps during the day. I may be a little cranky myself, OK? And Kodak offering me a nice warm bed? Oh man... I'd kill for a bed right now.
Literally.
Urgh... Whatever. I pull Kodak aside. There's a bluntness to my speech that probably wasn't there a few days ago. "Rinso and I will take half shifts, as usual. Svenja and the drivers get priority for beds, but I'd like everyone to get a solid nap in one before we roll out." That doesn't include me or Rinso though, sadly... We need to be out in case someone decides they like what they see on those trucks...
I am so pissed off right now.
Scope and Crest both see your group come in. I mean, there's less than ten folk in here, not like you can sneak, right? Scope recognizes you, waves all friendly, "Stitch! Hey Stitch! It's us, Scope an Crest!" Then he hops up out of his seat and hustles over to you, "How did Kim let you go? You're the best damn doctor in the South, I hear. C'mon over to our table, have a drink with us, yeah? My treat."
Svenja, VB and the truckers come in and take a table. Rolo, Cheetos, KellyTires, Topps and Hump take a different table. They're friendly, it's just, they mix differently, you know?
Kiddo,
Kodak seems to pick up on your irritation. He waits for the rest of the crew to head past you two, on inside. He puts an arm on your shoulder, "Kiddo, you want me to take a watch? You've been burning the wick at both ends for three days now. I don't mind, honest. You can take my bed, since it'd sit empty."
What do you do?
I give him a long, cold, and above all tired look. He can read my mind. Great... What next?
And unless you object, Kodak will walk you to the bar where old Cat, who used to be called Polecat, flips him a key and hands him a cold bottle of home-brewed beer that isn't too hoppy. He leans over just barely to pick them both up in his off hand, then walks you towards the back hallway, "C'mon girl, the brew and the bed are for you. Get some rest, alright?"
I still take the beer though... And the key...
The room isn't half bad. Slate floor, a big queen-sized bed with a headboard and everything, bathroom to the left, a dresser. Blankets on the bed, hand woven stuff, and a quilt. What are the pictures on the quilt?
What do you do? Shower now or wait for food? Invite anyone into your bed?
I crack the bottle of homebrew, and call Vee in once I've finished showering. The quilt's interesting — it's a bunch of small squares with the scribbles of a bunch of folks who stayed here in permanent marker. Some of them are initials with hearts, some are awesome drawings of skeletons and stuff. Folks poor their heart and soul into making their marks. One of them is a chord progression — I'd bet hard jingle that was Dad... I wonder where he is right now...
Anyway... I'm too tired to give a shit about getting dressed right now. I'm just gunna chill on the bed until that food comes, or Vee comes to join me.
VB arrives pretty quick, and she's got a bowl of some stew, still steaming hot. The smell of it, rich vegetables, some kind of meat, it's heavenly. She's got the bowl on a hubcap with a couple more bottles of brew. She kicks the door closed with her robotic leg and looks around at the room. A low whistle, and she saunters forward, "I was gonna ask what the hell you were doin bein Kodak's girl again, but if this is what you get out of it, well then, not bad, Kids!"
She sets the bowl on the side table, takes a brew and pulls the cap off with her teeth, takes a draw. While you're eating, she looks at you all clean and naked, says, "Not sure why you're sitting here all hot and ready. Kodak is out by the trucks, hanging out with Rinso. Who knows? Maybe they're into each other." She snickers, then takes another drink.
Heh heh.
"Yeah, I'm sure they're all lovey-dovey and shit, comparing notes on bench-pressing and Pea coats." I take a swig from the bottle of brew I opened, and start drying my hair off with my towel.
... Well, it's kind of a towel...
"How you holding up sweetie? You've been really quiet."
VB is grinning when you keep up the Rinso Kodak joke, keeps drinking her brew. She's a lightweight when it comes to alcohol, so she's probably going to be buzzing any minute now. What's she normally like around you when she's tipsy?
You ask how she's doing and she puts the cold bottle against the side of her head, "It's just weird, is all, Kids. I mean, I didn't have claim over him or anything, but now, it's like in my face. And she's here, too, you know? It's just really uncomfortable. But I don't wanna make a deal out of it. Take him off his game. So I've just sorta stewed, I guess."
She takes a last drink of her beer, puts the bottle on the table, "And I'm a little bit pissed at you, Kids. I mean, not hugely pissed, right? I love you and all. But frak, girl, you haven't given me a watch the whole trip! I mean, I know I'm a drek shot, but I've got eyes." She points at her eyes, glances dramatically around to make her point.
She holds out her hands wide, "I can wake you big warrior-types up and drek." Her tone changes a bit, showing concern, "You look half dead. And Rinnie does, too. I keep waiting for you to give me a watch. And it's not like I'm gonna call you out in front of them, right? So... so give me Rinnie's watch tonight, damnit. Alright?"
"Another swig off that bottle," I point at the open homebrew in her hand, "and you'll be too far gone to take a shift tonight. I'll make you a deal — we sleep here tonight, get nice 'n rested. Tomorrow, we split the shift so Rinny can get a full night sleep, and the next day we'll do 3-shifts, like we planned, until cranky bitch can hold a gun again." I look at her expectantly, "fair?"
She walks over to sit beside you on the bed, "Any hot water in that shower?" She starts fumbling at the straps that affix her leg. Normally, its real easy for her to "slip out of it", but with her buzzed state, she's doing it, just more slowly.
"Kim wasn't happy about it, but she understood." I reply. "What're you guys doing all the way out here?"
We need to talk about Rinso, and what he said. I start scarfing down my stew, and taking sips of my beer while she strips down.
Crest puts a mug in front of you, filled with some pretty good brew. Those Cat kids are watching you as you take a drink, weird little clones that they are. Gotta be clones, nobody around here pops out that many kids, right?
Scope leans in and says quiet, "We're trying to talk Cat into upping her brewing so we can travel round and sell it." He taps Crest's arm, "Crest and I were here on a caravan a Junkfall ago and got a few bottles of this stuff. Isn't it great?" He waits for you to take a drink of it.
The beer's not bad, really. What about it reminds you of home?
Scope grins when you drink it, "See? If we can get a crate out of her, walk it back to Boomtown, then we can sell it for enough barter to set up a run. It'd be really good for Cat's and Boomtown, a trade route that's regular, you know?"
Crest rumbles in his deep voice, "Hell, we could even kick some jingle to the Mesas to let us through, and then it might make the road safe for everyone."
VB grins, "Half? You sweetie," she says as she rubs your arm thankfully. As you eat the stew, she finishes up with her leg, stands, and hops over to the shower. She's got excellent balance, and her muscle memory is stronger than her inebriation, so she makes it without any falls. Then she strips down like her clothes are burning her up and turns on the shower.
You're done with all your food when she shrieks with the water's turn to cold. She gets out maybe a minute later, and drips dry for a bit before grabbing the sort of towel and dries off. She hops back over, leaving her clothes on the floor outside the small bathroom, and climbs over you to get under the covers, still damp and grinning, like she got you wet again and that's really funny to her. She loves sleeping without "the leg" on, so she's probably going to relax there. Did you ever put anything on?
I slap Vee playfully as she chuckles and climbs all over me. I made one joke about Vee making me wet, one time, and I've never heard the end of it. I pass her the bottle of homebrew, after taking a swig of it myself, then I climb under the covers with her, and start playing with her hair.
"I talked to Rinso about you and Svenja and me that night after the Mesas attacked, you know... Showed him why thinking with his dick was dangerous out here in the flats. I think the message got through, but I kinda had to make a promise for it to stick..." I wait for her response.
VB, who evidently didn't think she had to wear anything, takes a long draw off the beer and hands you back the bottle. When you start playing with her hair, she rolls over to her side, her back to you. She's looking at the pock-marked wall that's painted a light yellow when you tell her about Rinso. And your promise.
A beat passes before she responds. Then, with a casual tone that sounds a bit forced, she asks, "Yeah? What'd you promise him?" Her shoulders look a little tense, by the way.
She doesn't turn around, you can see the tension in her neck. Then, after a moment, she asks, "What do you mean, you don't mind doing it?" She pulls the blanket up a bit, "You don't need my permission, Kids. If you want him, and cranky bitch lets you... have at it." Her tone is forced flat, but there's some emotion in there.
I look over her shoulder to try and catch her gaze, "someone else I care about, yeah?"
She reaches up to tap your nose with a finger, "But stop. Just let me get over it. It's not like I'm gonna die from pining for him or anything, its just... he knows I've liked him. Or, you know, that I still like him. And now, he looks all puppy dog sad around me and then cranky bitch, she's staring at me like I'm her next target or a threat and I just want out of it. He's a great guy, he's just not worth all that drama."
The left corner of her mouth quirks up in a grin, "You know me, Kids. I like to travel light."
... Maybe...
It doesn't matter, I guess. Still ... "What if Svenja was out of the picture?"
VB rolls her eyes, "You gonna shoot her?" She snickers, like that's a horrible thought. You guys don't betray folks like that, do you? Or have you? Is VB playing innocent here? "She's a bitch, but until she got shot, she pulled her weight. I mean, she shoots way better than I do. And to be honest, you need her more than you need me on this trip."
She takes the same finger she poked your nose and reaches over to tickle your ribs, just a quick tickle, "Besides, Kids. If I have to eliminate competition just to get with him, then what happens if he's into somebody else? And c'mon, really," She's smiling up at you fondly when she says all serious, "Really, he's totally into you. And you know it. Which is why you offered to frak him to get him in line. And you said you think he's hot and all. So, really, just leave me out of it, and go for it." She reaches up her hands to make a lewd gesture, you know, demonstrating it. Then she spills into a fit of giggles.
Once she recovers, she slaps your arm playfully, "I'll be fine. I don't have to have a guy or whatever to be happy. Seriously, I got way more important stuff. Like, you know, learning to shoot. And hanging out with you and Hump. Even Brillo. Remember, I'm older than you, and much wiser. Kay?" She grins again, then yawns, a sort of fakey yawn, but you know, sleep would be nice.
Well, at least for now that's what she is.
"Fine," I mutter, "but remember, I offered to share if you wanted to get it out of your system," not like we haven't before — though admittedly never with someone we really cared about, "and I'd just as soon shoot Svenja if she ever so much as laid a finger on you." I would too.
I rub her shoulder and give her a kiss on the cheek.
VB makes a sweet little hmm sound when you kiss her cheek. She likes affection like that. "If Svenja lays a finger on me, I'll run run away, fast as I can. She can't catch me!" She titters with a little laughter, and snuggles her head into your chest, sort of pushing you back so she can snuggle up beside you, her head on your shoulder, her lithe and mostly dry body sidled up next to you.
"I figured you out, just now." VB says quietly with mirth, "You're trying to orchestrate some threeway. That was your plan, wasn't it? You're sooo bad, Kids." She's not making eye contact right now, just lazily staring off past you at the wall.
I wasn't trying to get Vee and Rinso into a Threesome. Not really... I mean, it'd start that way, probably, but I ain't about to go frak Vee... But I don't know many men who'd turn down a threesome out of loyalty — Ruthie told me my Dad did, but c'mon... Rinso's not that crazy about me... Is he? I'd just coax Rinny into frakking Vee, nice and easy. I swear!
I bite my lip, realizing I'm ignoring what Vee wants here... It didn't really work out for Ma' when she tried it either, I guess... "Yeah," I shrug, "you caught me."
She starts idly scratching your tummy, then giggles and says, "Made you wet again. You're slave to my wiles, Kids. It's not about Rinnie, you just want me, hee hee... Oh, oh frak!" her laughter dies and VB flinches suddenly.
She rolls off you and puts both hands on her stump, grimacing and hissing a breath. She's having phantom limb pains.
What do you do?
"It's alright sweetie," I whisper, rubbing her how Brillo taught me, "and of course it's all about you! Who else could make me wet in the middle of a desert?" That's an inside joke, for you folks playing the home game.
After the painkillers and beer, and maybe ten minutes of massaging, VB finally eases up. Her whole body was clenched, she broke into a sweat and ended up biting her lower lip until the pain subsided, leaving her whining a bit from the effort.
Her stump, it's such a jagged wound, the leg sawed off crudely to free her from that giant wing that crushed her leg. The white scar tissue is the only mark on her otherwise beautiful body. But what a mark it is, like stretched wax in parts, and there are still pink pieces of flesh that look like teeth near the edge, like her stump was some maw.
The ordeal wears her out, and you know she's going to slip into sleep in moments. Did you have any more you wanted to chat with her about before morning? Oh, and do you dress her, or leave her as she is?
I moved your scene over here.
It worries me, yeah? I dunno much about love like my parents had, but I'm pretty sure it's what makes you cry when you hear that special someone with another lady...
I know it's not my job to worry after Vee... But Vee travels light because I travel quite heavy. I carry around the folks I love, and the memories of those I lose. They're all I've got, in the long run.
I settle into bed once Vee's out, and stare up at the ceiling wondering what she really feels about Rinny. I kinda hope I never feel like that... It sounds like it hurts...
Maybe an hour later, or so, there's a knock at the door. You answer, I assume.
It's Hump. And Topps. Hump has his arm around her, he smells a little like booze, and he's got a big drek-eating grin. "Hey sis, just checkin on ya." He's sort of peering in the room, he must know VB is in here, but she didn't come to the door.
Topps snickers and punches him playfully, "It's okay, Kiddo. We're just hanging out with dad. Nothing crazy..."
"I came here," Hump interrupts, "To tell you that Topps is really pretty. And! I think she's awesome. And! I'm gonna sleep in her room. Tooo night." He laughs again. Topps rolls her eyes. But she doesn't deny it.
Then remembering I'm still in my bra and panties, I pause, "Uh, actually. Hold on a second. I'll be right out." I'll toss some clothes on quickly, and follow them back out to the bar.
KellyTires, Rolo and Svenja are at one table. Kelly has cleared half the table and has set up a few utensils and upside-down cups as markers on some makeshift map. He's talking animatedly about the radio network, mapping out Salt, Boomtown, some of the northern villages, all a web of communication.
Svenja is paying attention, but quiet. Rolo seems dubious. Kelly sees you come up with his daughter and Hump, says, "Hey Kiddo, come have a seat. I was just boring them all about the radio tower project."
I crane my neck around, examining the map, and move Salt farther away from the other markers on the table. "It's further than that," I add, still a bit sleepy, "so you never did tell us why you're building this tower thingy, or even who for."
He stands up, spreading his arms wide, "We could communicate ideas across the world, tell stories and build a culture of shared ideas. And music. We could have music! Anywhere and everywhere - music." You see Hump's heard this speech already, and he's pretty excited about it, sitting there by Topps, holding her hand and watching KellyTires like he's some mad wizard.
"I'm sure you can guess who was part of the group of folks who helped start this, Kiddo." KellyTires says. "Your pa is one of them. Logitech worked on some of the supplies, his tower will connect with Salt. Hell, I'm tryin to get Cat to set up at least a repeater. It'll take a couple years, if we're lucky. The first tower will be up soon after we get there, and I'll be the first voice to broadcast... only because Topps here is shy."
"Hush, dad!" Topps says, irritated at being called out. Hump smirks at her annoyed reaction. Rolo's still a bit dismayed at all of this.
"Sounds neat," I say with a smile, "didn't they used to have something like that in the Valley? With the pods?"
KellyTires responds, "Totally different reasons for the tragedy in the Valley. That's like blaming a fart for running out of gas, man." Hump snickers at that, Topps rolls her eyes. Then Kelly continues, "Funny you ask about the pods, Kiddo. Your ma and a few others drew out schematics based on some of the successes they had in the valley. At least we have some legacy to use from that time. We've got the first tower almost done, I'm just there to put together the last bits and get it actually, you know, running."
"And be the first DJ." Topps adds.
"And be the first DJ." KellyTires agrees.
It's good these folks have something they wanna do. The way Hump's looking at him, it sounds like he buys into this shit. That's good too... Hump needs to find what he wants to do, or he'll be stuck doing what I do — and I'm a shit teacher, as evidenced by his current state of inebriation.
"You should help 'em out, Hump," I finally say, breaking the silence, "you could be the second DJ."
Hump grins, shakes his head, "I dunno about that, but you know, this sounds pretty flash. Any way I can help, you know, I would."
KellyTires raises his mug, "To radio!" Rolo, Topps and Hump raise a glass and toast with him, although Rolo seems like he's just playing along.
The big display breaks down into some side conversations and chatter, seems like Topps and Hump are heading to bed. Rinso is in bed, so is Svenja, maybe they're together? Who knows? Stitch isn't around, Kodak is on watch outside, and the truckers have called it a night, too.
Oh and by the way, over by the big fireplace, Cheetos is sitting by himself, no drink, just staring into the fire.
"Hey Chee, how's it going?"
He turns back to the fire, the light dancing across his smooth face, "Thanks for handling the Mesas, Kiddo. We can usually outrun them. But I'll take your asswhipping of them over burning gas in a chase any day."
"Awful."
"Pretty awful. Wish it was the way it used to be." His mouth is the only part of his face that moves. His eyes look glass, but it could be a trick of the firelight.
I look over to him, "What did Rolo say?"
"He came over, wanted to check on me, make sure I'm alright. Said he talked to you, said he didn't want me to off myself or anything." His voice broke a bit at the end there. He sits for a bit longer, like he has more to say, just needs to collect himself. "I tried to... get close. He asked me to. To stop. Then, he left."
Cheetos closes his eyes for a little longer, then without opening them, says, "Then, next morning, he just showed up to ride. Like nothing happened. Just... just another ferry. Another day. Except, he doesn't look at me anymore. At all. And he sleeps alone. So... so do I."
His eyes open and he's looking at you out of the corner of them, "Like I said, pretty awful."
Asshole.
"Folks can be frakking stupid sometimes, yeah? They love you all fine and shit when you're 'straight' – but when they find out you'd frak 'em, suddenly everything's different, when it sure as shit frakking isn't."
I look back into the fire, maybe a bit bitter about some of my own experiences... "I'm sorry you gotta go through this Chee... But if you get tired of Rolo's ignorant shit, then you could come ride with us a while... I mean... I don't mind talking with ya, and we wouldn't make you sleep alone or nothing."
I mean... Frakking hell, right? Rolo let him suck his frakking dick, and yet now it's weird?!?!
He turns his head to look at you more directly, "The thing is, about Rolo. I think its not the BJs... it's that it meant something more to me. And I'm sure he feels guilty, and uncomfortable, and he doesn't see me the same way anymore, Like everything I say is so loaded to him now. That now, we're not friends anymore. Because maybe, for him, I never was his friend, I was just trying to get with him."
Cheetos turns back to the fire, "Who knows? Maybe I was. I don't know anymore, Kiddo. I just don't know."
"I'll figure it out. About Rolo, I mean."
I stay quiet a while staring into the fire, but Chee's right ... He'll figure it all out. "I know you will, sweetie. Just remember you aren't alone, yeah?"
But hey, if you want to chat up anyone else, you let me know.