Chapter 592 - Moods Barred

...

"Well, do you remember anything? Or is it just Dejavu?" Afton asks.​​

Tamia shakes her head, "Dejavu would be the word for it I think... Vague feelings of familiarity, somehow knowing how to deal with Tunnelers..." she rubs the spot on her helmet where she'd been shot by Benny, "Feels like I've been here and done this all before. Yet, I feel like I'm doing something wrong..." she admits while sounding somewhat vulnerable.

Afton gives a shrug and looks her up and down, "Maaybe you're just going crazy? That knock to the head finally catching up with you." he says semi-sarcastically.

"I'm being serious." Tamia instantly retorts with crossed arms, "Something's wrong, but I just can't place my finger on it." she states.

...

Afton chews his lip and decides to just throw an idea out there... Even if it were instantly rejected and labelled 'idiotic and ridiculous', it'd at least be less awkward than whatever this silence is called. "You know this tunnel supposedly leads to that irradiated military base Christine spoke about, maybe you'll find your answers there? If anything else, you could scavenge it for me, clear it and make it easy for my robots to take all the valuables."

...

Tamia taps her foot, "I'll think about it... But I need to see if House needs me for anything... And I'd have to take some of those robots with me too, I can't imagine a military base will be all that friendly... Plus the radiation." she trails off, as if trying to persuade herself.

Afton nods, "Right, well, you get on that. I'll be with Borous attending to our 'queen'." he says, gesturing for the Ultimo-Bots, Cyberdogs, and Deathclaws to follow him as he begin walking towards Big Mt.

Tamia just watches as he walks back, eyes glazed over as she'd deep in thought, wringing her mind for any information it was willing, or able to grant. "Urgh, why can't I just remember!" she mutters to herself, frustrated with Benny, Bullets, Brains... And anything else started with the letter B.

Elsewhere :

"Boss really has his stuff together, don't he?" Raul says as he watches the 'vending machine' materialise a cold bottle of Mexican beer. The humming of the machine stops and he opens the door, taking it out and marvelling at the condensation forming on its surface. "I mean, really, how does this thing even work? It's giving me a headache just tryin' to wrap my head around it." he mutters.

"Aha, well. You can't hold those things solely under him, he only scavenged and recreated them from a strange and dangerous place... Still, he did save my behind when it came down to it, even when it put himself at risk." Dean says and raising his beer, "Cheers my fellow outcast." he chuckles as they clink their drinks together.

Raul laughs along with him, "Aha, sounds similar to how I first met 'im. Was imprisoned by some crazy Nightkin and forced to operate the Black Mountain radio... Boss stormed the place alone and found me sitting there as if I were a teen masturbating."

"That must've been a strange sight to behold... Mind you, I haven't masturbated since I turned into a Ghoul... Afraid the thing might just, drop off!" Dean proclaims before bursting into laughter. He and Raul had been drinking for a couple hours now, and were both thoroughly drunk. While their status as Ghouls might've made it more difficult, the amount of beer they'd ingested would knock out a few human men, yet they were still drinking.

Once they quieted down Raul looks around the bar they were sitting in... It was dim with dark walls, yet nicely constructed, unlike most bars the duo had previously been to. The staff serving people were all nice-looking women wearing maid uniforms, and most of the patrons seemed to be of the military sort.

Indeed, both Ghouls could see a couple people sending sideways glances their way. Seems like wherever they came from weren't all that friendly towards Ghouls, it was good enough as long as they didn't bother them though.

Still, Dean had spent hundreds of years on his own with minimal company if any. And now that alcohol was loosening his lips, he couldn't help himself... He abruptly gets up out of his seat and walks towards them while Raul watches with morbid curiosity, wondering what kind of reaction his fellow Ghoul would get.

"Hello Amigas and Amigos, I was just wondering, do any of you have some matches I could borrow?" he asks while presenting an unlit cigarette... Of course, he had a lighter in his pocket, but he was interested in conversing with them than anything else.

The group of Former-brotherhood soldiers shuffle uncomfortably. Each had been given long lectures by Veronica, Christine, Afton, and even Glados when things started getting really bad. It was difficult for them to acclimate from their previous isolationist lifestyle to this one...

Life in Big Mt was strange, there were people from all walks of life here, Former-Legion slaves, NCR citizens, Ghouls, Robots, those creepy Scientist things... That overbearing creature called 'Glados'... It wasn't uncommon for Former-Brotherhood soldiers who were tired from training to react badly to things, especially since they'd been brought up from birth to be like that.

Miles glances around the table but finds that no one was willing to help the Ghoul out, he releases a sigh and lights Deans cigarette with his lighter, "Here."

Dean takes a couple puffs and blows the smoke in the air, not caring that the smoke catches a few of the soldiers... Fortunately, they manage to restrain themselves from reacting though, the lectures they received still fresh in their minds.

"Thanks for that, you know, I don't think I remember seeing you lot around here when I first arrived... Where are you from?" Dean drawls conversationally.

Miles notices his friends tense up at the Ghouls continued presence and decides to try and resolve this before they do anything they'll regret. "Look, I'd love to talk with you but we've just finished training and just want to relax... Maybe we can chat some other time?" he says, hoping the Ghoul would catch the message.

Dean shrugs and slowly examines the group before nodding, "Alright, fine... I'll leave you to it... But know you can only glare and avoid us for so long, eventually, there'll be more of us around... I wonder what you'll do then." he states, stabbing his cigarette into the ashtray and returning to his own table.

Raul across the table at Dean with a frown, "You tryin'a start a fight or somethin'? Boss will know who's right and wrong, his lady's always watchin'..." he warns.

Dean chuckles, "Tell me about it." he says while glancing up into the corner of the room where a camera with an orange light is observing everything.