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Danse The area in and around East Cambridge is, well, it's honestly not much better than Boston itself, or the middle of Cambridge for that matter. Yet, against all odds, Caravaneers have created a narrow corridor that is relatively safe for travel, at least to destinations north and west. There are many sights to take in here, such as the waterfront in the distance, what looks to be a vintage sailing vessel embedded in a partially collapsed building, next to the sea, and even a bridge across to the wild lands of the north; a few sparse commercial installations visible amidst what a figurative sea of trees, as nature has reclaimed swathes of it.

    Most prominent in the remains of this neighborhood, however, is a stark, monolithic monument, erected to immortalize the site of the Battle of Bunker Hill. It has seen better days, certainly, and is two centuries overdue for maintenance, but that it remains standing at all is impressive. The former grounds and streets around it have been fortified with sheet metal and wooden barricades, forming a distinct flow for traffic coming in and out, most of it peaceful locals and settlers. There are doubtlessly many, that have been to the Commonwealth before, that have seen this monument from a distance, or even heard that it is a hub for the many caravans that bring supplies to the far reaches of what was once Massachusetts. For newcomers, it is a conspicuous destination in the middle of relative ruin and decay. No matter the reason for visiting, the inner citadel seems to be open for business.

    Getting past the civilian guards would be no issue. They don't seem to care much for the nature of the traffic, so much as they don't disrupt anyone else or try to steal anything while they're inside. There's plenty to steal, at that. While there are traces of self-sufficiency in manual water pumps and small crop fields, it soon becomes apparent that this is a merchant's town, complete with a ramshackle assembly of plywood and muddy mattresses that passes for a motel here. The one sight that seems to be conspicuous is at the makeshift bar, downstairs from the beds: A man whose exposed skin looks more like a scabbed over chemical burn than flesh, it's a Ghoul, and he's wearing a complete and decently upkept set of Pre-War light combat armor. It's quite a contrast to everyone else. Even the guards don't seem to care much for more than tattered blue jeans and flannel.

    In the meanwhile, plenty of sight-seeing and social networking to be done, for those inclined. The stairs to the top of the monument are even still navigable, if you feel really daring.
Kyle Katarn     The speeder bike heralds Kyle's arrival pretty soon. He's made a name for himself if his previous adventures have been any indication, that crazy off-worlder with a laser sword and hover bike who can move stuff with his mind does draw some attention every now and then.

    The lack of any hassle from the guards doesn't surprise Kyle, this place is clearly a trading post, it wouldn't do to deter visitors of any kind. Stopping by the bar, he orders up a drink, popping some Rad-X before he takes a drop. Glancing around, he takes note of the ghoul, and flags down the bartender. "Hey, slide over a beer to that guy down there." He whispers, motioning to the ghoul intently. "Tell him it's from me." The Force might have something to do with this, it's hard to ignore when the SPACE PSYCHIC ENERGY is telling you something stands out, even if the Force doesn't need to tell you that much.
Raylene Dunwich     Raylene shows up as she often does, which means 'out of nowhere, a barely teenage girl dressed /very nicely/ is wandering around.' The violent and opportunistic sorts may take this as a sign that she's an easy mark. The canny sorts will wonder where the opportunistic sorts were before. But fortunately, this place is relatively safe.

    "How interesting," Raylene is saying, hopping up halfway up the steps around the monument to take a look around. After all, this is equivalently close to where she lives in her world, as geography goes. Why shouldn't she take a look at how Boston in this world fared? For the moment she isn't paying much attention to other things, though she has noted the ghoul and had the Horror keep an eye on anyone so well-armored here. Possibly a merc, or possibly trouble. This is her first visit here, so she isn't sure!
Kotone Yamakawa Kotone Yamakawa had been keeping an eye on the boston of this post nuclear world so she was always trying to keep an eye out for things going on tht he should keep an eye on. Also there were matters of the water business Rory had set up after all. Kotone would be honest with the gurds got the basic rules out of them for behaving which was pretty much don't mess with things, don't rob the locals don't kill no one. She could do that she thinks. She does take note of Ghoul, but with his gear and clealry being welcome in the town? There is bno doubt that he's not feral. IT should be fine right? For now though she's going to start shopping for ome basic supplies here.

Kotone's style of dress though would be a bit of a giveway to not being around here but she wasn't knew she does go to pay for some odds and ends in caps.
Rory White Once again Rory White's out and about! This time she's swooped up in a quiet-running hovercycle. Mostly the only noise it makes is the whoooooosh of air for its engine is purely electric and very efficient. The small motorcycle-like vehicle's construction is too sleek, ergonomic, and minimalistic for anything that Boston could produce... and the blue-haired girl riding it is probably, by now, a dead-ringer for a certain overseer of the Weston Settlement. Rory hops off the bike after finding a parking spot.

    Anyone who has a mind to try and steal the bike will have a hard time of it too, since the thing doesn't appear to have any controls a human could use beyond handlebars? Odd.

    "This place certainly fares better than many Commonwealth Settlements. Very impressive for the means available... and opposition!"
Danse The Ghoul, at least, doesn't need any radiation protection to eat or drink whatever he wants. The locals also seem to be at least vaguely familiar with him, since none are recoiling in horror at the sight, or glancing warily in case he goes feral -- plus his caps are as good as anyone else's. The bartender, an older man that could be seen arguing with a younger relative about something earlier, steps up to take Kyle's order: A bit unusual, but see above point! There are a few moments where the bartender fetches a bottle from a miraculously still working cooler and sets it down for the latter. The ghoul mercenary seems to get a light grin to his face, though it can be a little hard to tell with a face as scarred and withered as that. "Right, thanks." This prompts him to get up and relocate next to Kyle, along with the brown glass bottle, which he opens. "Probably shouldn't drink when I'm on the job," he begins, in his gravely voice which is distinctive of his kind, "But at my age, and in this wold, you never know if there'll be a tomorrow to worry about."

    He'd noticed that Kyle came in on the speeder. And as similarly as he's being watched, it's hard for those in his line of work to not notice relatively well-dressed folk wandering about, especially considering whom he works for. It's good to not be the only one standing out like a sore, acid-bathed thumb, for once. "Guess I should get down to it," he resumes, after taking a drink. "The name's Edward Deegan. I represent a certain client that's always looking for some extra, open-minded kind of help to keep things moving. And, as I'm taken to understand, you outsiders fit the bill." This Edward guy seems to be lumping Kyle in with the likes of Raylene and Kotone, which are moving about the place on their own business, though he doesn't interrupt them, just yet.

    Instead, after that brief introduction, he seems to be ready to rise from the bar stool. "If you're interested, gather up any friends you want along for the ride, and I'll introduce you to my boss. It's a pretty short walk from here." Just in case, though, he's going to do some personal introductions, though it would take a while to do them by himself. He instead finds one of the enterprising children (actual children!) running around the settlement, and tasks them, "Hey, kids. I'll give you 10 caps each to run these business cards to any newcomers you see." "20 caps," one of them demands! A dry laugh rises from the old Ghoul, "You're robbin' me blind here. Alright, fine. 20 caps."

    Those other newcomers are finding the sights and sounds of Bunker Hill to be enticing and interesting, it seems. Raylene would find as many glances given her way as Edward receives, and possibly more since he at least has been here before. Those that would want to take advantage of her seem to be purely of the mercantile variety, though, and if she's not careful she might find herself suckered into some junk stall, being sold on pieces chipped off of the Bunker Hill monument or the USS Constitution. Kotone similarly faces quite a spectrum of honest to untrustworthy items for sale, though as she is in the market for basic supplies, it's a bit harder to pull a fast one on those. And Rory is...well, she's new, and yet not, all at once. She fits a certain physical description that'd filtered back.

    One of the flanneled guards, a middle-aged woman, approaches her, though her double-barreled shotgun is held back rather than pointing forward. About as friendly as it gets in the wasteland. "You're that one from Weston, right? Heard about what you're starting up out there, and that you were maybe thinking of starting a caravan. You won't find a better deal on a distribution center than Bunker Hill." Around that time, a boy bumps into the middle of business, to try and hand Rory a card. Two girls soon approach Kotone and Raylene with the same, though the former demands a 5 cap tip (the same one that'd demanded 20 caps before). The business cards look printed on an old manual press,
Danse One of the flanneled guards, a middle-aged woman, approaches her, though her double-barreled shotgun is held back rather than pointing forward. About as friendly as it gets in the wasteland. "You're that one from Weston, right? Heard about what you're starting up out there, and that you were maybe thinking of starting a caravan. You won't find a better deal on a distribution center than Bunker Hill." Around that time, a boy bumps into the middle of business, to try and hand Rory a card. Two girls soon approach Kotone and Raylene with the same, though the former demands a 5 cap tip (the same one that'd demanded 20 caps before). The business cards look printed on an old manual press, though they introduce Edward Deegan as a personal bodyguard and investigator. Additional instructions are penned on the back, 'If you're looking for a job and like weird stuff, meet me outside the gate.' ...fishy! But at least he's honest.

    And by some miracle, no one looks interested in stealing the vehicles. Maybe they've seen how most of the ones they know about are explosive.
Kyle Katarn     Kyle wonders just how it must be to not worry about radiation, but he doesn't seem to flinch at all when the ghoul comes closer. He's seen weirder people before, though everyone else must be wondering why he isn't relocating from the ghoul at this point.

    It's called 'being nice', for the record.

    "Words to live by." Kyle says, smiling faintly as he finds a kindred spirit. "Figured us freelancers could at least share a drink while we talk business. Kyle Katarn." He offers a hand to Deegan to shake, before they get to business.

    He notices Raylene and Kotone, as well as Rory, nodding. "Something like that. If you're offering money, I'm willing to listen. What's the job?"
Kotone Yamakawa Kotone Yamakawa was armed sure but her rifle wasn't hiddenand it's insanity to not be armed in a wasteland even if the human factor wasn't a thing? Feral Ghouls, hostile radioactive wild life out of an old 1950s B movie? That was enough of a reason to be so, but she seems to notbe looking to cause trouble from how she's beahv ing.

<<Hey Rory, I picked up some parts for the plant. got a few hot plates we can strip for parts along with a couple phones.>>

"It does Rory, got a full guard detail and they are decently armed."

She notes to her friend she pauses however.

"Hello Mr. Deegan and you say your looking for help? I'm Kotone Yamakawa."

She hears what he has to say and the girls also get an eyebrow raise but she gives the cap tip. Let them think she's easy money for now and well? It's good to keep out of trouble right.

<<What do you think of the offer? He's being honest about it but strange, here could be anyhing given some of the insane wildlife and war leftovers.>>
Raylene Dunwich     Conning Raylene is prevented not by her innocence - she has some older girls in her head avising her anyway - but by one simple fact. She hops down from her perch to explore, and the beckoning from the merchants is met with a small note, small but important. "Ah, I don't have any of the local currency yet." Probably looking for a good merchant to SELL something to and get some.

    Or... simpler, to take on a job! Learning about the world while making money. Sounds good to her! Also probably better than offloading a gold pocketwatch, which she'd probably get conned on.

    "Excuse me," she starts, sidling up closer to the others. The card gets flipped over, and then she ponders the instructions. Wait outside the gate. She'll do that when it looks like he's moving. It is only very, very, very belatedly that she actually notices his scarred appearance, and that nobody else is saying anything about it. "... I am a little new here."
Rory White Rory executes an overly formal bow! "Then I have come to the right place!" She blinks at being suddenly bumped, but takes the card nonetheless and examines it.

    "It's my hope that water... food... healthcare... and security will one day be abundantly available to everyone in the Commonwealth. No more raiding, no more desperation. A caravan will go a long way towards this!"

    She is, of course, sharp-eared (highly sensitive microphones) enough to hear the speech Kyle's being given by Edward, so she ambles over his way...

    But flips the card over a few times, and gives Kyle and Kotone both a look. A LOOK.
Danse Edward glances back to Kyle after filing what's left of his business cards and caps back into a pocket, "It's a bit of a sensitive matter, I'm sure you understand. Can't really get into it here." If he even tried to describe some of the things he'd seen over the years to the Bunker Hill locals, they'd probably not welcome him and his business as much as they do now. "I can assure you it's honest and above board, though. Especially more than a lot of others have had to resort to these past two centuries." His strangely clouded, but apparently not blind, eyes glance back pointedly on that note to where a new trio of visitors have arrived, almost on cue to Rory mention no one having to raid anymore. From the unwashed filth caking their bodies and makeshift armors, they are obviously raiders, yet they aren't attacking the place. Instead, they're ushered in and to a makeshift clinic the same as anyone else. Two of them are flanking the man in the middle, supporting him and all but carrying him further in. He has two serious gunshot wounds, at least that's what can be seen. "This is the closest thing anyone's got to a hospital for miles," he asides. "They don't discriminate."

    Gold pocketwatches actually sell fairly decently! Though, with the understanding that it'd probably be stripped for the finer, functional parts, and what's left melted down to recover high quality glass and gold. But, yes, no caps to initiate trade would present an obstacle to bartering for anything significant. The local merchants that had that gleam in their eye sort of frown at the news. "Well, if you find anything good out there, bring it on back and we'll take a look," offers one, in that tone that expects little to come of it. Not that Raylene's looks project as a scavver. Honestly, the locals are not certain what to make of her. Maybe she's some tourist from Diamond City's upper stands? (Someone that installed a clothes mod?) Regardless, the just as old-fashioned way to make money soon avails itself.

    "Yeah, well good luck with that," comes a friendly response to Rory's optimism, though it has the slightly cynical bite of a woman that's seen plenty. Enough that the bleeding out man from before barely even registered a glance, and even that was to be certain they'd left their guns and grenades at the gate. They serve raiders here, same as anyone else, but they aren't stupid. "We deal in caps here. Hope kind of takes a back seat. It's worked out for us so far, though." Civilization has to start somewhere. "I'll mention you stopped by to Trashcan Carla. She sort of organizes the caravan side of things. Don't let her informal manner bother you, she's a nice enough gal." With this, the guard leaves Rory to pursue whatever it is she wishes to, since she seems to have some prior appointments.

    Kotone's being armed doesn't really receive much of a second glance. The only ones they demand to disarm are the obvious raiders, after all. For whatever reason, that kid thought she was an easy mark, too. Seems the merchant's trade has rubbed off on the younger generation. After that, and as she approaches, Edward gives a brief glance and a nod in her direction, though his answer is fairly similar as to Kyle earlier. "Just follow me and we'll talk more on the way. I won't blame you if you don't, though. It's your choice."

...
Danse Meanwhile, Edward is indeed on the move, after having visually confirmed that others got what he asked to be passed along. At least, those that don't outright come up to him. If he's bothered by anybody eyeballing him, such as Raylene getting a look at a Ghoul for the first time, he's mentally tough enough to not let it show. Instead, he unhurriedly wanders out through the front gate, and pauses for a few moments as he half-turns for a quick head count. "I'll explain a bit more on the way, but the boss will want to do his own introduction, since he wants to personally know everyone working for him. He's that kind of guy," so he continues in his chain smokery voice. To Raylene's earlier comment, he doesn't seem to be too bothered by it, "New's what the boss needs, and sent me to find. People with open minds. The Bunker Hill locals are nice enough folks, but set in their ways and opinions."

    With that, he continues, across a decently solid bridge and toward Boston, itself, particularly the old colonial part of town. He seems to be an old hand at navigating the alleys to avoid the concentrations of raiders, and worse, that also live in this area. "We're almost there." One of the narrow corridors opens up into a (relatively) well-maintained courtyard, with a Mr. Handy styled robot still tending deadened hedges with its variety of tool arms. A Sentrybot is also here, raising up its hulking frame on its triad of tank treads, while scanning the potential intruders with a single red eye. "Easy," Edward dismisses the alarm casually. "These are the ones the boss asked me to bring." "PROCEED," the Sentrybot's deep, synethetic tone allows, "BUT STAY, OFF, THE GRASS."
Danse Also...the actual house the courtyard belongs to is, while not absolutely pristine, actually clean. And intact. Somehow.
Raylene Dunwich     Raylene follows along casually enough, eyes curious, but before she goes she reassures the others, "Oh, that doesn't sound too hard. There are so many fascinating animals here, too! Do you take animal parts once I'm done with th- oh, excuse me."

    Hurrying after Edward, she gathers with the other 'new people' and pretends to not recognize those she knows. Easier that way. In fact she gives a little curtsey and introduces herself to the others. "Raylene Dunwich. I'm not native to the world, as I can guess the rest of you aren't, given your... interesting possessions." Hoverbikes are not native, she knows this.
Kyle Katarn     Kyle nods. "I can't imagine medicine being a common thing to know around here. Must make this place extra-vital if it's neutral ground between raiders and everybody else." He muses, giving the raiders plenty of space. It feels weird letting them go, when he's cut plenty of them down before in combat. I guess that's why the guards are here, to keep the rowdier elements from causing trouble. Before they get distracted further, Kyle does nod to Raylene. "Kyle Katarn, pleasure. Me, Kotone, and Rory have been around helping this world out for a while." He explains. "About two hundred years ago, this world was in the middle of nuclear war that..well, you've seen the results already. Society's still trying to pick up all the pieces."

    As they walk and talk, he follows Edward loyally, his bike left at East Cambridge. If it does get hijacked, Kyle has left a few countermeasures, including a dead man's switch to shut the engines down if unwanted riders hop on expecting a free ride. Besides, he brought his keys along anyways.

    "So how long you been working for this guy anyways? Seems like you've been in their employ for a while, I figure." He says, heeding the robot's words warily. Grass is serious business wherever you go.
Rory White "Good to hear." Rory answers the cynical woman's gruffness with a hopeful, simple smile. "It is either work to improve the future or be content with this meager existence. The time before the war was wasteful and irresponsible, but I am certain everyone feels they've suffered enough. It's time to make strides once more! ... with more care."

    And if she just had the resources to devote... but she's not sure that's a good idea. Not just yet.

    Maybe in some decades, after she's had more time to figure out the full range of issues plaguing this world and all the things she'd have to account for.

    Like the Brotherhood of Steel.

    She has, however, after that, ambled off to trek along with the others. Since it seems they are investigating a V.I.P.

    Interested in work she's not, but meeting more of the local powers and their stakes is definitely a good thing. And maybe establishing more business partners! So Rory trails along behind Kyle. She's dressed in her usual white robes, and doesn't appear to be armed. This is, of course, not true. But concealed weapons are almost a given around her.

    She pauses briefly to evaluate the Sentry Bot... "Ah... now this is an excellently designed combat form. Good day." She just gives the bot a brief nod... then hurries onwards.
Kotone Yamakawa Maybe Kotone is an easy mark then again? Rory's seen Kotone snap at some of the things in htis world or she's not trying to make scene either here or alienate people but really. Kotone will move on at this point, she does seem to take interest in Rory's own plans nodding a bit. "That's why I'm helping, and working with a trade hub like Bunker Hill would be a good deal for everyone involved I'd wager."

though the main business stuff is Rory's deal in the end. She'll move to follow along curious to know more nad it's much as Kyle said as she does indeed follow along.
Danse "Yeah," comes the raspy and subtly far-away voice of Edward, to Kyle's explaining why this world looks like it got hit by several nuclear strikes: Because it did. "I lived through it. I didn't look like this back then, but soaked up a lot of rads trying to keep the looters away from the place, and got...guess they call it 'Ghoulified' now." He clearly doesn't have much taste for the term, but accepts it for what it is.

    The hulking Sentrybot goes back on its patrol around the courtyard, it being uncertain whether it registered Rory's compliment at all, as Edward next turns to Raylene, "A few of you outside folk have showed up, and I knew about it. It's sort of what I do for the boss, keep a finger on the pulse of the Commonwealth. He stays pretty busy with his work, after all, and I won't lie. It's good to have a boss that just lets me do things my own way, usually." Even if the Sentrybot didn't seem to care for Rory's appreciation, Edward certainly overheard it. Even if his external ear parts have withered. "You one of those sciencey types," he wonders? As if it wasn't obvious from her appearance. "I think you'll like where we're headed, then." After the explanations and small talk, the Ghoul merc wanders up to a combination intercom and access system, mounted just outside the front door. "Jack? It's me, I've brought some potential recruits."

    A fairly young and male voice, proper in tone and perhaps late twenties or early thirties, responds through the speaker. "Ah, Edward! Good man. Show our guests inside, would you? I'll be down in a moment." "Sure thing." As he draws back, he ponders Kyle's question for a moment, and decides to be technically truthful, the best kind of truthful. "Jack's my immediate employer, but I actually work for the whole family. Actually did even before the bombs fell." If someone could work for anyone else for 210 years, then obviously they must be a quality career opportunity! "Gets a little old being the errand runner for the upper crust, sometimes, but then I look around and remember what it could have been like. Think it's fair to say that I'd probably be long dead, somewhere." Ghoulification provides longevity and radiation immunity, but bullets and rippers remain just as lethal.

    As Edward is pushing the front door open, one that looks like just about any wooden door, until you notice the large array of heavy security deadbolts integrated into the reinfored frame, the groundskeeper Mr. Handy floats up to Kotone and seems to inspect her closely. "Excuse me, mum, I must make you presentable to the master," comes an English accented voice, which is still obviously robotic but a good deal more natual than the Sentrybot's stylistically ominous tone. The robot then withdraws a feather duster and goes about attemptig to clean her up a bit, whether she actually needs it or not. Dust sensors may require recalibration. "Ah, geez," says Edward, as he notices. "Leave her alone. She's fine! We really need to find somebody to fix that thing."

    Once actually inside, the house is, again, very clean and extremely liveable. A lot of the doors are closed off at the moment, though the living room, kitchen, basement and immediate upstairs seem to be immediately accessible. Edward paces into the living room, calling up, "We're here." The same voice from the intercom calls down, "Just a few more moments, this is very sensitiv--" Then a puff of the magic blue smoke that any electronics engineering major would recognize boils up, with a flash, and a coughing fit follows. Edward just waits patiently, as a man in a white labcoat emerges. Again, sticking to the theme, clean, wouldn't look signifcantly out of place in many modern and near future worlds of the Multiverse. "My apologies. The work schedule is always so grueling! But I insist on addressing everyone personally. My name is Jack Cabot, and this is my family estate. It's been in the family for centuries. Go ahead and have a seat." Even the couches and glassware are clean.
Kyle Katarn     Kyle looks at Edward for a moment, and I mean LOOKS. "Wow. That uh...so I take it ghouls tend to be pretty long lived, huh?" He asks, wondering if that's kosher to ask a Ghoul to their face. At least he's not like 'oh god kill it it's a zombie', right?

    Right.

    He doffs his head to the Mr. Handy in as cheerful a way he can manage, "Afternoon. Sorry we're a bit scruffy, running around the Commonwealth will put dust on anybody pretty quick, and other things. At least we didn't get into a fight this time, right?" Of course, seems the robot has that covered, and tries to hide his laughter.

    Following Edward into the kitchen, Kyle takes a moment to cock an eyebrow, just as Jack makes his arrival. Seems like the same voice as from before, and the man of the house confirms that pretty quickly. Kyle gives a little salute, as he takes a seat. "Afternoon, sir. Nice place. I...wait. Centuries?" No way. They can't be IMMORTAL can they?

    Is that even a thing? Usually long lifespans in his experience come with -horrific- (Sorry Edward) drawbacks.
Kotone Yamakawa Kotone Yamakawa looks to Edward and listnes with intrest.

"You done well to surive all of it, my own ... world nearly did the same to it self when I was a child." Her world pulled back and that left why Kotone belives that there is a God. How else could one explain that? Either way she follows along and looks t the Sentrybot with a low whistle.

"That things looks like it could take on a Hardsuit..."

She goes quite though as Edward does his thing and talks to his boss. She also gets Edward had worked for the family for that long? Means it's got to be a good gig and they don't screw over hires, right? That's hopeful at the very least. Then comes the Mr Handy. She has a shocked look on her face as she's dusted but she doesn't seem offended by it.

"No problem."

Being dusted like a clothing display is still a bot creepy for her. She looks to Edward wth a look of thanks however.

Then she sees something the insides are intact and in near perfect condtion. She tries to think about how long she could live? What's left of her birdh body will hold out for decades and it's very likely she'll live to be for maybe even two Centuries, and that doesn't count her chosing to hop a body. She'll worry about that later for now she bows to Jack Cabot and say "I'm Kotone Yamakawa it's good to meet you sir."

She'll then sit down.
Raylene Dunwich     Raylene chuckles, but is paying more attention to Edward. "You're actually looking quite well for being two hundred years old." It's a sincere compliment, too... though might not be taken for such.

    Then she's inside the house... "Ah, kind of homey. Reminds me of back home... a little more modern though. My estate is a bit too rural to have things like a robotic butler." Not that her world HAS robot butlers. Minus the one in Season 2 Episode 8, but she wasn't present for that so she'd never know anyway.

    She slides into a seat, folding her hands in her lap. "A pleasure. You've kept the place up quite well, considering. Your ancestors must be quite proud."
Rory White Rory first has a good opportunity to get a very good look at the Mr. Handy... then the malfunctioning PA system. Her expression turns pretty stonefaced very quickly.

    "With every factory across the continent shut down, I imagine maintaining even an analog intercome is... challenging. How so many sophisticated robots maintain even this level of function speaks wonders of both their designs and current maintainers.. but even so, I see plenty of room for improvement here... yes, I am! Mechanical engineer, roboticist, and programmer. Still adapting to the American Wasteland's technology, but the Weston plant is up and running again! ... after a massive refit of nearly all the equipment..."

    She can't help but question the Ghoul on one matter though. "You've been with them since before the war? ... This family maintained its place through even that? A NUCLEAR EXPLOSIVE went off a few hours' walk from here..."

    To say nothing of all of the awful things that followed.

    All of it leaves her going a bit wide-eyed to see someone emerging in a lab coat. Her demeanor instantly shifts and straightens! "Mr. Cabot! What I've seen so far is very impressive. Thank you for the invitation. I am Rory White, overseer of the Weston Settlement." Which is apparently operating well enough that she can afford to come visit the Cabot house. That says something.

    She beelines for a couch and takes a polite seat at one end of it, hands in her lap.
Danse "Oh, no worries at all, sir, and glad to be of service, mum." The Mr. Handy reaches up a clasper hand as though it were tipping an invisible hat, and then gets right back to trimming the obviously dead hedges. If it'd been present to hear Raylene's mention of robot butlers, it would have helpfully activated its promotional subroutines, and mentioned the closest General Atomics sales and service center, where she could buy a Mr. Handy of her very own! (Protip: Actual chance of finding an intact and non-bonkers Mr. Handy at such a site, statistically zero.) While Rory isn't a certified General Atomics service agent, she might do in a pinch. Though that will have to wait.

    Edward doesn't seem offput by the questions and admirations of longevity, as well as survival, by the visitors. "Yeah. There's a few pre-war ghouls like me still trotting around. Guess after a while Death just kind of forgets to come visit. Get a little older and wiser." He at least has a sense of humor about it, if dark. "Radiation and old age doesn't get us. Just about anything else that'd kill one of you would do, though." He gives a dry laugh to Raylene, in particular, "Thanks. Been a while since anybody said so." When you're a Ghoul, you take what you can get. That also calls to mind some of the ferals that have been encountered, sealed up in places for who knows how long. No wonder they went insane! Rory also gets a glance from him, with those clouded eyes. "They're an old money family. Sure, they don't have the reach they once did, but they've always been smart enough to keep a low profile. Well...as low as you can get in this world."

    After all that, and once everyone is settled in, though, the Ghoul merc gets quiet. It's the boss's time now. Without any orders to, Edward heads over to the liquor cabinet, though after second guessing the age of some of those that followed, he thinks better of pouring everyone a drink.

    Jack Cabot, himself, walks down the stairs from the room above, which just barely through the doors, a few tall cabinets that seem to house computers, as well as some chemistry apparatus, can be seen. He dusts some of the soot that had stuck to his labcoat and then adjusts his glasses. He looks, and sounds, almost stereotypically 'man of science', as described in 1950s era literature. First, to Raylene, he offers a friendly smile, "Thank you! I do pride myself on safeguarding the old family home, though Edward deserves a lot of the credit, especially when some of our more unsavory neighbors come calling." To Kyle's guesswork, there is just a moment's pause, before he decides it's an honest enough question. "Well, it was built in the late 1700s, originally. My ancestors have lived here practically from the beginning, though we were a family of explorers and scientists, so we seldom actually stayed long. Before the bombs fell, and it had to become a refuge, that is." It's probably just a Jedi's vivid imagination. He doesn't...seem the Sith or vampire immortal type, anyway.

    He also personally greets Rory and Kotone. "Greetings and welcome, Ms. White. Edward told me some things about that, good work." He seems...genuinely enthusiastic, as opposed to the cold cynicism of a lot of the wasteland's residents. "Ms. Yamakawa, as well. Is that a Japanese name? I've always wanted so much to visit, but...I fear not much would be left, now."

    On to business, though, as Edward lightly clears his throat as a reminder. Poor Jack just doesn't see too many guests, especially friendly and new faces, so he gets a bit carried away! The labcoated man steps over to the seating area, lowering himself into one of the singular chairs -- looks like a recliner. "Well then, before I get into why I've brought you here, I'd like to ask you something. Edward has made me aware that this topic may seem silly to you, but it is of great interest to me, dare I say of utmost importance, in the long run. Have you ever considered that mankind was not the first to claim dominion over this planet?
Danse On to business, though, as Edward lightly clears his throat as a reminder. Poor Jack just doesn't see too many guests, especially friendly and new faces, so he gets a bit carried away! The labcoated man steps over to the seating area, lowering himself into one of the singular chairs -- looks like a recliner. "Well then, before I get into why I've brought you here, I'd like to ask you something. Edward has made me aware that this topic may seem silly to you, but it is of great interest to me, dare I say of utmost importance, in the long run. Have you ever considered that mankind was not the first to claim dominion over this planet? That civilizations beyond our understanding, and with greater power than we can imagine, preceded our own?" Edward looks absolutely pained during all of this, downing a shot of liquor, and seemingly completely abandoning his caution he'd told Kyle about the moment this starts going on.
Raylene Dunwich     Oh, now that is an interesting question! "A common belief where I come from, though only a few know the truth," Raylene replies, keeping her calm. The intangible Horror sidles up behind her, but just kind of lurks there. She doesn't materialize it. "I haven't seen any such evidence here, but then such evidence is... always well-hidden in my own world. And as I told your man there, I am new here."

    She doesn't actually have much else to say, because of everyone she's probably the one to believe everything straight up, and not just because of youthful naivety.
Kotone Yamakawa Kotone Yamakawa says "Oh I'm a mechancie and vechile deisgner techinally. I do computers well enough as well, and yes my father's Japanese." She notes and she looks a bit sad. "I expected as much given the state here, but if there are people who surived here? I'm certain there are people all over the world slowly getting back on their feet." She has to keep that idea in mind it's far to depressing otherwise.

Rayleen is also getting some interested looks from Kotone, as she's never seen Raylene before.

She also listens now and sees that JAck doesn't get many guest she'd be happy to chat later but for now buiness and she listens intently.

"I'd not be shocked if it was true but I haven't seen anything to lead me to think such was the case here, at least in my travels here."
Kyle Katarn     Kyle whistles, "That's impressive. You guys thought ahead when it came to setting this place up, is it rad-resistant?" He asks, before he kicks back on the couch, just in time to sense an invisible monster thing walking up besides Raylene.

    He gives the girl a cocked eyebrow, "Uhhh..." He motions to Raylene, as though the Dunwich horror is just about to rip her head off.

    He has no clue, does he?
Raylene Dunwich     Raylene blinks at Kyle, then puts a finger to her lips with a smile. She mimes tugging a leash, and the evil presence shifts a little as if in response, then she sets her hands on her lap again attentively,
Rory White "It is reassuring to hear that the efforts are appreciated! ... With more time and effort though... so much more can be achieved. Proper agriculture. Life without a desperate struggle for resources. Perhaps even a means to undo the mangling that Ghouls suffered. My technological resources might exceed pre-war standards... so much is possible, but it takes so much time."

    Roryshuts up quickly after getting that out... and tilts her head. Blink blink. "You mean... aliens? They do exist in at least one Earth timeline. You have evidence of extraterrestrials from prehistory, Mr. Cabot?"
Danse There is visible relief, since Raylene seems to have an open mind. Youthful naivety or not, Jack Cabot is always glad to have someone that will listen. The skepticism that's intermingled from others doesn't do much to deter him, though, since he knows what's in the journals, as well as what was ultimately found. "It's good that there are open minds, here, though I understand the doubts." He frowns somewhat at Rory, though not out of displeasure, but merely the terminology, "Not the sort you would typically think about in old movies, but...a non-human precursor. The truth, as it was put, has been at the heart of my family's destiny for some time, as it was indeed the Cabots that discovered proof of this. While exploring Arabia, looking for the lost city of Ubar, a forebear of mine found instead what I can only describe as the ruins of an alien city, not built for, or by, human beings. My father believed there was more out there, as well, waiting to be discovered, including another site in the Mojave desert." Time to hit up Courier Six?

    Edward interrupts for a moment, in another of those timely reminders, "Jack...we're kind of in a hurry here."

    The scientist looks annoyed at the interruption, but it's a welcome one, as it would be easy to get lost in what has obviously occupied his mind for quite some years. "Sorry, Edward. I'll be finished in just a moment. I bring this up not only for the sake of the future, but also to be certain that you all keep an open mind about the work I need done more immediately. I apologize that we won't be able to get to those quite interesting topics, immediately, but, should things work out, I assure you that a world of discovery awaits!" He does quirk an eyebrow between Kyle and Raylene, though, as the two seem to be engaging in some shared secret, perhaps. It's kind of ironic that a man whose life is so greatly affected by the arcane unknown remains unknowing of such a presence in his very vicinity.

    Edward steps up, after this, answering Kyle in the process, "We have a bit of electromagnetic shielding. Jack's a real wizard with that sort of thing." Then gets to the actual, more immediate business, "Like he said, it's not going to be too glamorous, just yet. Jack's lab here is small time compared to the stuff he's got stashed away at the Parsons State Insane Asylum, further north. ...yeah, I know, that might sound creepy, but it keeps people from sticking their nose in. Anyways, we were expecting a courier to bring a shipment down from there. Some vials for Jack's research, but they went missing in transit." Several people can likely already guess by now, but as Jack looks on, Edward spreads a (slightly outdated, given the bombs) map of the Commonwealth on the coffee table, and draws a weathered finger to the site of the Asylum. "We need folks that can track it down. We can't send normal mercenaries because it's Deathclaw country."

    Jack, meanwhile, stands up from where he's seated, and offers a hand to either shake, or whatever personal greeting is preferred. "Please, be careful. That part of the Commonwealth is dangerous." He also offers an aside to Rory, in particular, "Maybe after all of this is done with, we can discuss more about what I might do to help. I realize it likely seems selfish to have everything I need in this house of mine, but...the problems outside seemed outside my ability, so I focused on what I could."
Rory White "Cities built for non-humans... I'd be very interested in a bit of xenoarchaeology! So strange to imagine such a thing being found on Earth... but... these vials. You mentioned they're in Deathclaw territory? ... May be what befell your courier, in that case... those creatures are... among the most dangerous I know of."