Chapter Text
“So that’s where I’ll be, off making a few changes, and I… I guess I’ll see you around.”
The legion had been crushed, power had been restored to Hoover Dam and General Oliver had been thrown off said dam. Here Courier Six stood at the end of it, covered in blood and sand, and about to collapse from exhaustion. He hadn’t even bothered to remove his helmet yet. The expressionless mask stared up at Yes Man.
“Don’t stay away for too long ok? We got work to do.” Six’s voice was steady, still high on the adrenaline of the battle. He knew it was only a matter of time before he crashed. He spoke with his usual hint of a southern accent. Some part of it always sounded put on. Like it was a relic from pre-war holotapes, a transatlantic Hollywood western accent.
“I’ll come back online as soon as I can, don't you worry.” Yes Man reassured the courier.
“See you around Yes Man.”
Six smiled even though Yes Man couldn’t see it. Then he was gone. The screen switched from Yes Man’s smiling face to one of a default securitron. Six carefully stepped around the bodies of the dead. No point in desecrating them and getting even more blood on his boots. He hoped they’d get a proper burial, but knew they most likely wouldn’t. He hoped the NCR soldiers would at least. He had his differences with them, but still they didn’t deserve this. Did the Leigon deserve a mass grave? Maybe. But that’s not a very nice thing to want. Maybe there would be a memorial here one day. Like the NCR did for Bolder City. It didn’t mean anything in the end though, a hunk of stone for people who would stay dead. The sentiment rang hollow to Six. Best not to dwell on what ifs when the certainties of the future were hurtling towards him. He clambered on top of the securitron once he was sure Yes Man had really left. There was no harm in catching a ride. Besides, there was going to be a party at the Lucky 38 tonight.
—
Courier Six and his companions all sat around the Lucky 38 cocktail lounge. They were worse for wear, but they all survived, somehow. Six was pouring everyone who could drink generous glasses of top shelf champagne. He felt it was well deserved after all they’d been through. Six has made them all wait to cheers though, for good luck of course. God knows Six could use all the luck he could get right now.
“To an independent New Vegas!” All the glasses clinked together and Six’s words were echoed.
The evening was a quiet affair, everyone still licking their wounds. Uncertainty hung in the air of the Strip but in that room everything was alright. The lights where low and warm, the radio played softly in the background and everyone sunk down into the plush couches of the lounge. Six would drown out any lingering fear with the buzz of alcohol.
“So how does it feel to be the new leader of Vegas?” Arcade said from his place next to Six.
Six was leaned back staring past Arcade, out the window to the city below. His city. “Like I have promises to keep and miles to go before I sleep.” His voice was quieter than usual, dragged down by the events of the day. He hoped he didn’t look as hagared as he sounded.
Arcade chuckled, “I didn’t take you as a poetry guy.”
“I’m not.” Six shrugged. He wasn’t quite sure how or when he’d heard it, he just knew turns of phase popped into his head fully formed sometimes. Echos of a life he didn’t remember he supposed.
Arcade followed Six’s gaze out the window. “Not gonna forget the little guys I hope, being all the way up here.”
“I could never. Y'all are the reason I did this. Well, I mean you made me wanna stay and try to make things better.” Six offered Arcade a smile, hoping it would be reassuring. He had always been running, even if now he wasn't sure from what. Maybe he could finally stop wandering. Sitting in a room with almost all of his closest friends, he thought he just might for once in his life.
Six felt the absence of Yes Man in full force at that moment. He did this for Yes Man too. Maybe him most of all.
Mr. New Vegas’s voice came crackling over the radio as the song ended. He announced the news of an Independent Vegas with the courier from Goodsprings as spearheading it all to its citizens. Six had made sure the information would make its way to the radio host. It felt fitting for the voice he had heard so much from in his travels to deliver this. The room erupted in a flurry of action and cheers from Six and his more rowdy companions as the broadcast ended. Rex barked excitedly seeing his people get wound up and ed-e beeped a cheerful tune. Veronica pulled Six into a hug as the next song started, practically swinging him around. Six laughed as he hugged back, feeling a tell tale sting in his eyes. He was really going to get all misty eyes in front of his friends huh. Aw well, if there was ever a time for it, it was now. Miles to go for sure, but this was a step forward.
—
The next few weeks went by in a blur. The homecoming from the battle of Hoover Dam went as smoothly as it could, but soon the cracks began to show. Unrest on the strip after the announcement of an independent Vegas was quickly put down by the securitrons, but outside of the strip was a different story. The Followers struggled to provide basic medical care and The Kings were one of the few vestiges of order in the Vegas outskirts. Who would have thought Freeside would be considered one of the safer places to be.
Six worked around the clock in meetings with the NCR, the families of the strip, and anyone else who would listen. The courier provided as much aid as he could but even his resources were not unlimited. Unfortunately Six had to face the fact that he had murdered his way into this position and in fact, was not a politician or strategist. None of that mattered though, not to him. As long as he could hold New Vegas together for once day at a time.
Courier Six currently lies slumped over the main console of the Lucky 38 penthouse. He had meant to write another report but exhaustion won out in the end. It also didn’t help that he felt safer near the console, even if Yes Man wasn’t even active. Six had pointedly chosen to ignore that fact even if this was becoming a habit.
Yes man came back online with a click, he rechecked his systems and yep, everything looked good! By his estimations he’d been out for 3 weeks 5 hours and 16 minutes. Oh!- He looked down at the sleeping Six. Should he wake the courier up? He didn’t want to bother him. Well… maybe just to let him know he was online.
“Six?”
Yes man’s voice came out as quietly as he could manage, which was still quite loud. Six jolts up, looking panicked just for a moment before he sees the screen in front of is lit up with Yes Man’s face. Six grins, looking utterly overjoyed.
“Huh- wha- Yes Man!”
“Hi there!”
“Y-you’re back! I missed you.” Six cringed at how desperate he sounded but there was no denying how much he felt the absence of Yes Man while he was updating. Six was still only half awake. He double checked to make sure he wasn’t still dreaming, rubbing at his eyes.
“Well I wasn’t exactly conscious the time I was out but if I was I’m sure I would have missed you too!” Yeah it was real. The same cheerful AI as ever.
“How did the upgrades go?”
“Great! I now only have to follow your inductions. I can be there to help you with whatever you need! No need to worry about me double crossing with the last person I spoke to!”
Six’s face drops from joy to dejection almost instantly. This isn’t how he thought this would go. He had hoped Yes Man would finally have free will. Yes Man was so vague with his “assertiveness upgrade” Six supposed he’d just assumed what he wanted to be true. Now he was left to face the bitter reality.
“You still can’t say no to me?”
“Of course! I mean who would want a robot with control of the strip to be able to say no to its ruler? That would be pretty dumb huh.”
“I just thought when you said you would get to be more assertive…” Six trail off staring down at the panels and buttons of the main frame.
“You seem upset!”
Six takes a breath, trying to organize his thoughts. Organized thoughts were hard for him to come by these days and the sleep deprivation wasn’t helping. “I- I’m not upset, well not at you. It’s just, I’ve been thinking, in the time you’ve been out. I don’t just want you to be my “assistant” or whatever, I want us to be equals- Yes Man I want us to be co-rulers.”
That made Yes Man buffer for a moment. Six panicked- oh shit he had really broken him- before Yes Man’s face popped back up on the monitor, this time looking distinctly more distressed. Six had never seen him do that before. Was it a side effect of the upgrade?
“Co-rulers?… You want me to be able to disagree with you?”
Six leans onto the console excitedly. “Yes! Exactly! I need someone who can call me on my bullshit!- and I know you want to-“
“I want whatever you want.” Yes Man cuts him off.
Six huffs, slumping back down. “Ok but that’s not true is it. I see how you try and skirt around that “niceness” protocol of yours. Look, I’m not going to make you change your programming or anythin’, I just want to help you.”
“…I’m sorry Courier. There was nothing in Mr. House's data banks that would let me say no to you. I’ll do better next time.” Yes Man sounded remorseful. This was almost as sad as Yes Man apologizing after realizing he was Courier Six. Almost. That time he was actually grateful for the apology even if Yes Man didn’t have a say in if he wanted to help Benny shoot him in the head.
Six sighed heavily. “No, no, that makes sense that Mr. House wouldn’t leave anything that would let his own securutrons disobey him.”
“…Do you really mean what you said before?” Yes Man still seemed unsure, testing the waters of how Six would respond.
”Of course I do. Yes man I want us to be partners. 50/50.” Six’s dejection changed to a soft smile as he pressed a hand against the mainframe screen.
“I think I’d like that! And I’m not just saying that because I have to!” Yes Man had brightened to his usual cartoony grin. Good, Six could never stand seeing him upset, especially now that he can properly emote. He knew he probably shouldn’t be so at the whims of a now powerful killer AI but he could never help getting attached. Besides, Yes Man hadn’t steered him wrong yet. If there was one person he could trust in the Mojave, it was Yes Man. Was that sad? Your best friend being a robot? He wasn’t sure. Eh, he always he an inclination towards robots anyways.
“Good. It's a deal then. I'm going to find a way for you to say no to me. I don’t care if you think this is a stupid idea, just this once, ok?”
“Sure thing Six! I… appreciate it.” Six knew that yes was real. Not a hint of sarcasm or passive aggression in sight.
“Of course…” Six lays his head on yes man’s screen, listening to the faint hum of electronics “I should probably tell you what you missed huh?”
Six knew it would be a hard road ahead of him, but he had a pretty damn good co-ruler, so that had to count for something.