The road I was on was one of those off shoot type deals like route sixty six back in my previous life that moved parallel to the major highways and as a result rarely saw traffic. Just like them however there was always a point where they merged into one path. It took me close to four hours to finally reach the merging point of the main highway and take that sharp left U-turn. The highway was not drastically better than what I was on before but because it was thicker it had stayed intact noticeably better.-
Additionally I saw signs of human activity easily as the cars on the road from when the bombs fell had been shifted to the side to allow caravan and troop movement without needing to swerve through them. I waited a few minutes for my soldier guy to catch up before driving nice and leisurely North following the highway. Thanks to the map I got from Chen I knew that I was on route towards the New Vegas checkpoint. I got flagged down before I could spot the place however as a squad of tan armored soldiers with a red and white striped patch with a two headed bear on it stepped in my path with one of them holding a hand up to tell me to stop.-
"Afternoon folks, need something?" I asked casually as I slowed to a stop.
"We're on patrol to keep a lookout for any suspicious travelers. You fit the description pretty gods damned well." the leader of this squad, a Caucasian man with a deep tan said bluntly.
"Snazzy am I right? Got a lucky score while scaving and comped the suit. The bike I fixed up myself before getting it suped up." I said proudly.
"Uh huh, and the horse?" he asked with a raised eyebrow that said he thought I was full of shit.
"Luck of the draw mostly. Same with the bug." I said with a shrug.
"What bug?" I heard one of the others asked quietly before the whole squad raised their guns as the Skirge landed on my shoulder.
"This bug." I said rubbing a fingertip over it's slick black carapace.
"Fuck it, this is above my paygrade. Call it in!" the leader said with the last bit being an order to the member of the squad carrying a big box portable radio on his back.
I just waited patiently at this since I wasn't in any terrible hurry. I got a glare when I laughed at the conversation going on through the radio. Whoever was on the other end thought the squad must have taken drugs or something and flat out didn't believe the report. It was a whole back and forth conversation that was frankly hilarious. Eventually the squad leader made some headway and turned to me.
"What's your destination?" he asked.
"Vegas, no real reason other than whim." I said with an amused chuckle.
He relayed that through the radio and the other end went quiet for a moment before the reply to send me to the checkpoint for a more thorough inspection came through.
"Heard that? Head to the checkpoint and remember to be on your best behavior, the NCR doesn't like troublemakers." the leader said firmly before moving the squad out of my way.
"There won't be any trouble so long as nobody gets any funny ideas about my stuff. Have a good day now." I say casually before revving the bike and moving forward again.
It took another hour to reach the checkpoint and from within the armor I had to raise an eyebrow at the reception laid out for me. Putting that to the side for now the checkpoint itself was a set of two buildings set perfectly at the gap between red cliffs that rose up around Vegas. These buildings were flat and rectangular with sandbags placed near the entrances in case of a firefight. Like most things in the wasteland they were rough and barely maintained more than the bare minimum needed for them to work.-
Along the road there was a few gated pens for brahmin to rest when caravans pass through the checkpoint and into Vegas proper. Beyond that was the massive scrap metal sculpture monument of two people shaking hands. One was obviously a Ranger with that distinctive Riot armor and the other looked like a park ranger frankly. It had some sort of importance to the NCR but I frankly couldn't be bothered to remember what since it really didn't effect anything. Now then about that reception! There had to be close to nine or ten NCR soldiers waiting in front of the main building and three snipers up on the rooves. -
As I slow and come to a stop at the entrance to the checkpoint a man walks out of the group calmly. He had a red bandana around the collar of his uniform, a cowboy hat and sunglasses. Most notably to me was the handlebar mustache he was rocking Hulk Hogan style. He had a rifle strapped to his back and a sash of pouched across his front from his right shoulder down to his left hip. -
"Well I'll be damned! Looks like I owe Clark a beer. Gonna be honest stranger when the call ahead came about you we all thought they were on drugs or something. But here you are, horse, bug, armor and motorbike all very much not hallucinations." he said sounding genuinely at a loss.
"Meh, just another day in the wasteland." I said with a shrug.
"Maybe for you but what the hell am I supposed to put on the books? This is going to send ripples all the way up the flagpole." he said tiredly.
"I'm just a wanderer passing through." I pointed out.
"I very much doubt that. Most wanderers don't ride around on extinct animals and motorbikes with armor that looks cutting edge with a bug that looks like someone's nightmare made real." He was bluntly.
"This one does." I said with a chuckle.
"Whatever the case nobody is allowed through. The I fifteen's been bogged up with ants and I can't send anyone to clear them out because McCarron's dragging their feet." he said firmly.
"No can do friendo. Not big on the whole sitting on my ass thing. Think I'll just go on my way and risk it anyways." I said shaking my head.
"Technically I can't stop you. I seriously wouldn't suggest it though. Right now those ants are dense and could probably swarm a deathclaw to death. Why not wait here a few days for them to clear out? They always do when they run out of food." he said clearly just as unhappy about the situation as I was.
"I appreciate the offer, really I do but I think I'll take my chances all the same thanks." I said and he sighs but steps out of the way.