Ben didn't bother with any detours on his way to the substation. He wasn't sure if he would be out this way anytime soon once this portion of the task was complete. The desert flew by as he sped along protected in his capsule bike. Splurging for the enclosed option had been a great idea. There weren't as many splotches on the windscreen since the bugs in the area were big enough to dodge. It took a little over an hour to reach the substation.
A few NCR troopers were stationed to guard the location. They stared at him in a mix of confusion and paranoia as he pulled to a stop in front of the camp. He got off his bike and activated the capsule storage before he said anything to the troops. They raised their weapons once they shook off the shock.
"Hello," Ben greeted them. "I need to get in there."
"What are you?" One of the troopers asked.
The soldier beside the speaker smacked him upside the head.
"Identify yourself," The solider commanded.
Ben sighed, "Listen. I'm tired and sore. I just want to get this over with and go home." He paused. "Please, just step aside and let me in."
"How do we know you're not a Legion spy?" The final soldier asked.
Ben smiled, "They're not going to be around for much longer."
"What do you mean?" The first one asked.
Ben motioned in the vague direction of the dam, "Caesar is dead and their camp has been razed. There will just be scattered raiding parties by sunrise. Less, if we're lucky."
"Then who are you and who do you work for?" The second, Slappy, asked trying to gain control of the situation.
Ben shook his head, "I'm something of a problem solver. People pay me, I make problems disappear." He motioned to the substation. "I just need a minute, maybe two, inside that cement box, then we all have a nice peaceful night as the Legion dies."
"You are in no position to make demands," Slappy stated.
"This isn't a demand," Ben said flatly. "It's a request."
"And if we don't let you in?" The first soldier, their name was now Mo, asked.
Ben sighed, "I like the NCR. You seem like you actually want to help."
"We do," Mo said quickly.
Ben nodded, "Could you help me by moving out of the way?"
"You never said what would happen if we don't let you in," The third soldier asked.
He shrugged, "I guess I would have to ask nicer."
This was getting annoying. He had messed up letting them see the capsule bike. They wouldn't be able to identify him if he had just walked up. Now, they knew he had a working vehicle, one that could shrink, and that would make him easy to find. He wouldn't be surprised if more people than he had thought had already seen him, or at least the bike. That would make it easier to track him down.
Ben sighed. Killing them would complicate matters but letting them live would be an issue as well. The NCR would not be happy with him after this. More likely, they would not be happy with whoever activated the override. His laziness had complicated matters. The NCR would be able to identify him. They would not take kindly of him turning on the substation. It would make bettering Goodsprings and expanding to the nearby areas rough.
They would be able to connect whoever owned the bike to the substation. He hadn't been stealthy at all when he left the Legion camp. A lot of the NCR stationed on the dam had seen the bike. He had been wearing different armor at the time. Not to mention that it was dark and the destruction of the Legion camp was more interesting than some guy on a bike. Working vehicles weren't a novelty to them.
"Last chance," Ben said letting the emotion drain from his voice. "Your call."
They stared at each other for a long, tense moment. Slowly, Slappy lowered his weapon. Mo and the other one followed suit as well. They stepped to the side. Ben nodded as he passed. The console was easy to find, and the override was just as easy.
The troopers didn't look at him as he left.
~
Ben walked up to the closest Securitron.
"Howdy, there partner," The face flickered to show Victor. "Mister House was mighty pleased working with you. He told me to offer extend your services."
Ben shook his head, "I have a girl I need to get back to."
"Another time then, partner," Victor said. "Happy trails."
"Did the courier survive?" He asked.
"Doc Mitchel patched her up right as rain," Victor replied. "Surgery and judicious use of Stimpaks, he said. Swell of you to ask."
"Tell Mister House I've done my part and I'm off to Goodsprings," Ben tipped his hat at the Securitron.
Ben popped his bike once he was out of the city. He didn't stop for anything on his way out. The tension in his shoulders eased slightly as the town came into view. He hopped out of the shell and popped the bike into its capsule shape as it came to a stop.
He hurried up the steps of the saloon, giving a small nod to Pete as he passed, and stepped inside. Sunny was playing a game of pool with a woman he didn't recognize. The dog, Cheyenne -finally remembered her name- watched the game stretched out on the floor nearby. He smiled when he saw his Colt holstered on her waist.
"Could I play next?" Ben asked with a small smile on his face.
Sunny gasped. She dropped her pool cue as she turned toward me. The smile on her face proved that her last name truly fit. She rushed over to him, wrapping him in a tight hug.
"You came back!" She began to kiss him on the cheeks and lips.
Ben slid a hand along her back, pulling her into a kiss fit for a return. The sound of someone clearing their throat brought them out of the growing kiss. They turned to see the other woman looking at them with a mixture of amusement and interest. Her skin was a natural tan which made the fresh scar on her forehead that stretched along the side of her head stand out. The area around it had been shaved giving her something of a sloppy undercut.
"This is Ben?" The woman asked.
He nodded, "I'm Ben, and you are?"
"Six," The woman replied. "Courier. I heard you killed the guys that shot me."
"I didn't recognize you with your skull intact," Ben slid an arm around Sunny's waist, "I completed the delivery. You looked like you had a splitting headache."
"Funny," Six said flatly. "Doc Mitchel fixed me up."
"Glad to see," Ben said.
She pointed at him. "Thanks to you I don't have a job, and you killed the guy that shot me. I've got nothing but time."
"I have a plan," Ben said. "I was going to run it by you too, Sunny."
She raised her eyebrows in question.
"The Legion are being wiped out," Ben continued. "There will still be a few running around, but the camps near the dam are gone. I wanted to secure Goodsprings, help it grow, and get a militia formed."
"A militia?" Sunny asked. "What about the NCR?"
"They don't have enough manpower," Ben answered. "The situation at Primm just proves it. I cleared it out on my own while they were camped out on the other side of the road. Do you think they would help Goodsprings if the Powder Gangers attacked? Would they even get here in time?"
"I get it," Six nodded. "I've seen that happen too many times already."
"Sounds like a plan," Sunny added. "Where do we start?"
§
And so, the mysterious traveler that showed up in Goodsprings helped shape the future of the Mojave. Using his meta-knowledge, as well as his nightly jaunts in his true form, the traveler was able to build a protective wall around Goodsprings in a matter of days, complete with raised walkways for guards to patrol. The town was completely unrecognizable by the end of the month. New housing, a better source of clean water, and a steady supply of food. The wild geckos were wiped out and their nests relocated to pens as a new source of food, leather, and trade. New citizens were required to be reserve militia in a state of emergency.
Working with the Courier, Six, and his lover, Sunny Smiles, they formed a militia from the nearby towns. Primm was the first to join. The situation had compounded as a group of NCR deserters decided to take over the town with the bandits gone. Hard proof of a better life converted a few of the deserters. The others were reported to the NCR.
The recently recruited troopers helped train the volunteers. They began patrolling and clearing the area between the two towns. Word spread. People from Nipton, no longer trusting those in charge of the town to keep them safe, helped increase the population of both towns. Oddly enough, some former convicts asked to join as well. They were accepted on a provisional basis. Most earned the trust of the neighbors. Those that betrayed that trust were branded with an X to show they were no longer welcome in any of the associated towns.
Mister House continued to rule over Vegas. True to his word, the man used his automated workforce to revive the city. People flocked to the city for a chance at a safer life. Patrols of Securitrons kept the streets and outskirts of Vegas clear of raiders and wildlife.
The NCR, fresh from a 'victory' at Hoover Dam, stayed in the area. They didn't officially help House or the burgeoning militia. The troopers that grew fond of the area after their deployment usually settled down in Goodsprings or Primm.
Peace, or as close as the Mojave could get to it, spread as the militia found its feet.
On occasion, the traveler would disappear for stretches at a time on a job for Mister House. But those are tales for another time.
§
Ben took a deep breath as he returned to his true form. He had lived a good life with Sunny. They had settled down once the militia was formed and could stand without them. Dying of old age wasn't common in the Mojave and Ben had been no exception. Forty years living in the Wasteland wasn't anything to disparage. His body had been roughly thirty when he started meaning he died somewhere in his seventies. He had left a legacy, the first three children added to the Traveler family name.
The Cube had been growing at a slow, constant rate that was just able to be measured. Either people were still feeding him faith, or he was just growing stronger as time went on. He wanted to rest for a little while to reacclimate to his godly form. Living in the Mojave wasteland had been quite an experience. It was one that he didn't want to repeat anytime soon. His next stop would have proper indoor plumbing, clean water, good food, and wildlife of proper size. Not to mention Air Conditioning. Sweet fuck, how he missed air conditioning.
Forty years in the Mojave meant that everywhere he had visited previously had continued as well. Aside from the MCU where he could use the TVA technology. He would need to test to see if it worked in the previous dimensions. Though he was curious as to how some places had progressed in forty years.
Ben stretched to get a feel of his body once more. Living as a mortal for so long had been strange. He had spent more time alive in the Mojave than he had in his original life. It never truly clicked for him. Like he was on vacation rather than living a life. The nightly jaunts as a godlike being was probably to blame.
He needed somewhere completely different. This would need some thought. First, he wanted to check in on his other worlds.
The Walking DeadGreene Village, Georgia, USA – 2054
Ben appeared in the air above the Greene Village. Rather, where it once stood. The majority of the structures were stripped to their foundations. It didn't look recent. In fact, it didn't look like anyone had been here for a few years at least. He had no idea when or what happened. A wave of sorrow washed over him as he floated around the ruins. He smiled at the additional construction that he had no hand in creating. The garden patches were overgrown with weeds and the odd wild vegetable.
Strange enough, the walls still stood. They didn't have any noticeable damage aside from the ravages of time. Ben narrowed his eyes trying to figure out how that would work. He ranged out in a spiral that grew larger with each pass. There had to be something that explained this.
His answer soon came when he found the nearby town. They had retaken the town and moved in. He recognized some of the buildings he had built forty years ago. The buildings had lights, as did the streets. People walked around without worry. A new wall had been erected around the town clearly modelled after the old wall. Guards patrolled along it to keep an eye on the world beyond. A nearby burn pile told him what they did with the undead they encountered.
Would anyone from his time here still be alive? Maybe Clementine and Duck, but they'd be in their fifties by now. They probably remembered him from the gifts. It was just as likely he had been relegated to a myth the old people talked about.
He watched them for a while. Observing them go through their lives. One zombie approached the town. It was barely upright and was little more than a skeleton. A sharp crack sounded as it dropped. Its head vanished. They seemed happy.
Just for the hell of it, he restocked the cupboards with fresh food from a Supermarket in a random Hallmark Movie. Those places were always great for resource gatherings.
He flew high above the roads toward Atlanta. The majority of cars that had clogged the roads had been stripped down to their frames. He noted that the side leading into the city had been cleared of rubble. There were also signs of patching.
Zombies still roamed the streets, though they were in greatly reduced number. He guessed that the buildings played a part in that. The respite from exposure would delay their decomposing. He landed and cleared a few pockets with his laser vision for old-times sake. The streets had been cleared of wreckage as well. It gave him hope that they were slowly reclaiming this world.
He continued on to the CDC. A weight settled in his gut when he found a crater where it once stood. The gas had to run out at some point. Then the failsafe would activate and the place would go boom. Maybe Jenner had made it out. Maybe they were able to come up with a treatment. Maybe they trained chimps to deliver pizza. There were a lot of maybes.
The world had moved on without his help. There was one more place he wanted to look.
The Walking DeadNew York City, New York, USA – 2054
Ben cocked his head to the side as he looked down at the stretch of city. What had once been a metropolis swarming with undead was now a quasi-medieval kingdom complete with an actual castle constructed in its ruins. He turned invisible before landing. Actual knights in armor patrolled the streets. They carried swords, spears, and bows instead of firearms. That did make sense, they would run out of ammunition and specialized parts without someone to make them.
He slipped into the castle in hopes of finding some sort of information. If there was one thing that royalty knew how to do, it was show off. A row of tapestries hung along the walls depicting the founding of the kingdom. It started with a giant falling from the sky into the outstretched hands of the undead then transitioned to the giant cutting a swath through them. The next showed him saving a beautiful woman and gathering people to serve. A lot of the tapestries followed the giant either killing people, clearly marked as evil due to their red eyes, or zombies. Sometimes it was both.
Ben groaned when he came to the final tapestry. The Mountain had not only survived the six fall but had managed to create his own kingdom. He should have seen that coming.
"Should have gone higher," He muttered.
A nearby serving girl jumped at the sound of his voice. She looked around before hurrying off. He chuckled when he heard her mumbling about ghosts. This world was done for him. It had changed so much and going back in time felt wrong.
He pulled out his timepad and tried to activate it. The display flashed OUTSIDE NETWORK before powering down. It didn't look like he had to worry about that moral conundrum.
CUBEOutside of Space and Time
Ben floated in the middle of the space. He could feel a sudden increase of faith from his visit. Who knew a couple of boxes of Cheerios could revive belief.
Where else had he visited? Marvel, obviously. Had he gone to DC yet? He didn't think so. That should be on the list once he figured out which version he wanted to visit. He had used The Circle as something of a rest stop since it was close enough to his original dimension. Unfortunately, he hadn't paid attention to the timeline during the brief visit to Viltrum to pester Thragg. He had popped up in Mass Effect twice, once to become the God of Death to the Reapers and another to steal some armor nearly a hundred years later. That shouldn't have worked.
A quiet voice in his head whispered about his developing Traveler ability. He first visit had changed the timeline enough for it to count as a different dimension. There were no Reapers, thus the galaxy progressed on a completely different path. It would be the same thing if he visited Westros once more. The world had been altered enough to be considered a separate dimension from the one originally visited. He wondered if the Invincible Dimension had the same option. Doubtful. Thragg wasn't going to change from one encounter with a divine being.
That was interesting. It was tempted to jump into various dimensions years before the plot started just to see what would happen. Appear in Hogwarts just as Tom Riddle is about to open the Chamber of Secrets, grab him by the scruff of the neck, and toss him in The Saga of Tanya the Evil. Hell, he'd stick around to watch what happened next.
Star Wars had forty years without Palpatine to progress. That would be an interesting visit. He should check back in with Makoto and the demi-plane. Visiting Asgard once more was a must. He wasn't sure if his new method of visiting dimensions would work with Dan Machi. They had stopped him the first time. Delicious in Dungeon and 80,000 Gold were an option once he had some time in a more modern setting.
Choices, choices.