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Project Purity Basement, Round Two
Sep. 24th, 2011 10:30 pmScribe Bigsley did not say "welcome back" when Ellen returned to his office under the Jefferson Memorial. Neither did he make snide, sarcastic comments, which would've been much more in keeping with his personality anyway. This is because when Ellen found him, Scribe Bigsley had fallen asleep face down on his ancient RobCo terminal's keyboard. Ellen winced at the sight. She'd done that once in Vault 101 after a long night of studying. It got her a lecture and some very interesting temporary markings.
Fortunately, Bigsley hadn't been asleep quite that long. He jerked upright at Ellen's approach and looked... about as salutary as last time, really. "There you are," he said, dragging both hands over his face. "Well, you've done it; you got the Megaton problem cleared up. Good for you. Never let it be said that I didn't follow up on my word. I did say I'd make it worth your while."
Ellen almost said something about how she would've done the job anyway for Megaton's sake, but decided to keep her mouth shut. Bigsley struck her as the kind of person who expected everyone to think the same way he did; if she talked him out of the payment, he'd probably assume he was entitled to free labor whether or not she was being ordered to help him out. "You did," she agreed.
Bigsley got up and made a show of blocking her view of the office safe as he unlocked it. "Here," he said. "It's not much. Most of the assets have been exhausted, at least until the next round of payments come in, but take this. It's definitely worth getting Lyons off my back. Thanks." As he handed her the jingling bag full of bottlecaps he added, "If you're interested in making more, there's trouble in Rivet City you could look into clearing up for me."
Ellen tied the bag of caps as tightly as she could to minimize the sound. As she put it away in her pack she said, "What kind of trouble?"
"The security forces in Rivet City are pretty good, for civilians, but they're reporting problems with some 'unusually organized' bandits." Bigsley snorted. "Don't get me started about Rivet City. They act like they're entitled to everything. Always whining about how 'they're OUR scientists' here, and all that crap. Like they did US a favor.... Thought the security deal we worked out with them would be a win-win. My hope was they'd completely take over the water caravan escorts by now."
Considering how touchy Pinkerton had been about Project Purity's scientists sweeping into Rivet City after her father broke ranks, Ellen was... well, not all that surprised. Rivet City got pretty territorial about its people and its labs, and having the group (minus Dr. Li) pull up stakes and go back to their original project must've hurt.
"But I got Officer Lepelletier bitching about an 'organized bandit syndicate'," Bigsley continued. "Guess they don't have the chops after all. I need you to go visit Officer Lepelletier and lend a hand."
"Lepelletier?" Ellen says. "Not Chief Harkness?"
"No, he's too busy. Says he's got his hands full keeping the city council from each other's throats or something." Bigsley waved a hand irritably. "Officer Lepelletier's our contact with them for the water operation instead."
Well, nothing wrong with a trip to Rivet City. Maybe she'd be able to check up on Bryan Wilks- and it wouldn't hurt to visit some of the merchants she knew, either. "Okay," Ellen said. "I'll be happy to go."
"Great!" said Bigsley, offering a strained smile. "Hopefully you can get them straightened out. We really can't do this without them. Now, if you don't mind, I've got some work I have to get done...."
Fortunately, Bigsley hadn't been asleep quite that long. He jerked upright at Ellen's approach and looked... about as salutary as last time, really. "There you are," he said, dragging both hands over his face. "Well, you've done it; you got the Megaton problem cleared up. Good for you. Never let it be said that I didn't follow up on my word. I did say I'd make it worth your while."
Ellen almost said something about how she would've done the job anyway for Megaton's sake, but decided to keep her mouth shut. Bigsley struck her as the kind of person who expected everyone to think the same way he did; if she talked him out of the payment, he'd probably assume he was entitled to free labor whether or not she was being ordered to help him out. "You did," she agreed.
Bigsley got up and made a show of blocking her view of the office safe as he unlocked it. "Here," he said. "It's not much. Most of the assets have been exhausted, at least until the next round of payments come in, but take this. It's definitely worth getting Lyons off my back. Thanks." As he handed her the jingling bag full of bottlecaps he added, "If you're interested in making more, there's trouble in Rivet City you could look into clearing up for me."
Ellen tied the bag of caps as tightly as she could to minimize the sound. As she put it away in her pack she said, "What kind of trouble?"
"The security forces in Rivet City are pretty good, for civilians, but they're reporting problems with some 'unusually organized' bandits." Bigsley snorted. "Don't get me started about Rivet City. They act like they're entitled to everything. Always whining about how 'they're OUR scientists' here, and all that crap. Like they did US a favor.... Thought the security deal we worked out with them would be a win-win. My hope was they'd completely take over the water caravan escorts by now."
Considering how touchy Pinkerton had been about Project Purity's scientists sweeping into Rivet City after her father broke ranks, Ellen was... well, not all that surprised. Rivet City got pretty territorial about its people and its labs, and having the group (minus Dr. Li) pull up stakes and go back to their original project must've hurt.
"But I got Officer Lepelletier bitching about an 'organized bandit syndicate'," Bigsley continued. "Guess they don't have the chops after all. I need you to go visit Officer Lepelletier and lend a hand."
"Lepelletier?" Ellen says. "Not Chief Harkness?"
"No, he's too busy. Says he's got his hands full keeping the city council from each other's throats or something." Bigsley waved a hand irritably. "Officer Lepelletier's our contact with them for the water operation instead."
Well, nothing wrong with a trip to Rivet City. Maybe she'd be able to check up on Bryan Wilks- and it wouldn't hurt to visit some of the merchants she knew, either. "Okay," Ellen said. "I'll be happy to go."
"Great!" said Bigsley, offering a strained smile. "Hopefully you can get them straightened out. We really can't do this without them. Now, if you don't mind, I've got some work I have to get done...."
