Fallout Unsheltered: Ol' Road 120 (CYOA) (2)

Oops... Maybe walking straight up to a group of armed women wasn’t the brightest idea you’ve ever had. They seem to think you’re with some gang that stole from them… and judging by the look in the leader’s eyes, she’s very angry about it.

Well, good thing you once took that course in “De-escalation of Awkward or Dangerous Situations.” You raise your arms and quickly explain that you’re not part of any thief crew, and that you’re, in fact, a legitimate dweller from Vault 120.

The armed woman —clearly the leader— doesn’t look convinced. In fact, she looks like she couldn’t care less. With a snap of her fingers, you’re instantly

surrounded. Then, with deliberate ease, she grabs the pink-haired girl by her twin-tails and drags her over to a slab of ruined concrete.

“Now,” she says, voice sharp and cold, “let’s get cozy and have a little chat.”

Thankfully, after a long, tense exchange, you manage to explain yourself. Between your pristine Pip-Boy, your spotless Vault jumpsuit, and the “fish-out-of-water” look plastered across your face, the mercenary leader, who finally introduces herself as Palin, commander of the elite mercenary company named Silver Wolves, decides you’re not part of the thieves she’s after.

The good news? They don’t plan on keeping you around or gun you down. The bad news? You’re not exactly in a position to argue with anything they decide.

As Palin stands, the pink-haired raider blurts out desperately:

“Hey, I told you everything I know! I’m not even with the gang anymore! I told Fairy that hitting mercs was suicide! Just let me go!”

Palin chuckles. It’s not a kind chuckle.

“So what? You were one of them. You don’t know where my cargo is. And here’s the thing: I don’t care. Look at those perfectly full udders. You’re a basically a human cow... If I can’t recover my shipment, I’ll just put you to milking duty. You’ll make caps for me until the day you drop… or until I find someone better and put a bullet in your skull.”

She turns to you with a smirk.

“Honestly? Shame you’re not one of them. With milk bags, you’d make a cute little cow slut yourself.”

She waves you off, dismissive.

“You can go. Watch your back out there.”

As her guards lower their weapons and step aside, you breathe a shaky sigh of relief. Meanwhile, the raider is seized and dragged away, her protests drowned out by the stomp of boots. For just a moment, her desperate eyes lock with yours, a silent plea for help.

You…

>CHOICE A:
Ignore her. You feel a pang of pity, sure… but you’re not about to risk your life for a raider. She probably deserves what’s coming.

You leave.

(You gain Negative Karma with the Pixie Dust.)

>CHOICE B:
You tentatively speak up, asking Palin if she can’t let the girl go. After all, she didn’t even take part in the theft.

Palin regards you for a long moment, her expression unreadable.

“Hmph. You know what? These bitches scatter like flies when they see us, but they don’t know you. Get that slut to their camp, recover my cargo, and we’ll let her go. Hell, we’ll even owe you one. Sound fair?”

CHOICE B, OPTION A: You accept.

[The Lost Cargo mini-arc starts.]
(You gain positive Karma from the Silver Wolves.)
[Pinkie joins your as temporary follower.]

CHOICE B, OPTION B: You refuse. You aren’t sticking your head in this mess.
You decide to leave.
(You gain Negative Karma with the Pixie Dust)