After Karl leaves Afton turns towards his new 'drinking buddy', his mind was still fuzzy but it was relatively easy to understand that fist-fights didn't usually make you friends... Or maybe it was different in the Mojave?

"Sorry... Youknow, about hitting you. I just really, really hate raiders." she says sincerely while tapping her whisky glass to get Lacey to fill it back up. ​​

He shrugs, "Not the first woman to beat the shit out of me, my best friend's the one who trained me... She'd give any guy a run for their money." he says, thinking about Veronica with a small smile.

The woman nods, "I'm Cass by the way."

"Afton... What's the deal with you and raiders anyway?" he questions, most people wouldn't start a fist fight with 'former-raiders' for no reason after all. Especially since the people in question had undoubtedly helped out enough to make up for their past crimes.

Cass sips her drink and sighs, "I used to own a caravan, Cassidy Caravans. Life was pretty good until I got word that someone had raided it, killed all my people and burned everything it held... Must've been Legion since they didn't even bother to take anything."

"So I reminded you of that, huh?" he asks.

She shrugs, "Yeah, I guess. You used to be a Powder Ganger so you kinda deserve it. Raiding Caravans is in the job description after all... Doesn't really matter now though, did you really help the NCR take back that prison?"

He nods, "Yeah, wasn't too hard. Once the NCR got behind the walls it was like shooting fish in a barrel... What're you doing here anyway, I can't imagine your happy just sitting around?"

Cass snorts, "Yeah, that's because I'm not. My Caravan may have been destroyed, but my licence is still active... Means that I can't leave until Jackson gets his head outta his ass and lets me go. Says 'the roads are too dangerous', bullshit."

"Wait, so even if your caravan is destroyed they still force you to stay here?" He asks in confusion.

"Exactly. I know how to handle myself, and don't need these stiffed dicks to worry their pretty heads for me." she says loud enough for some of the soldiers to hear. The exasperated sighs give a clear picture that this wasn't the first time she'd expressed her irritation to them.

"Can't you, I don't know, just walk out?" Afton asks, "They can't legally stop you can they?"

Cass shakes her head, "They can and will, I'd technically be smuggling if I tried to do that, even if it sounds bullshit... Hey, you're a merc right? Don't suppose you could clear the roads?"

Afton shrugs, he and Karl were going to take some jobs so he might as well hear her out. "It depends, who's paying, how much needs to be cleared, and what creatures will we be dealing with."

"The only problem I can see is those damn giant ants in the dry-lake, they wait next to the road and ambush anyone who comes near. I'm sure they consider the road their territory, not like the NCR has enough balls to take it back."

"Why is that anyway?" he asks, wondering why they couldn't bring a couple machine guns and start bringing their numbers down.

"There are too many ants, that and they have tunnels underground that let them popup behind you at any moment... As to who's paying, I'd be willing to chip in some, but Jackson would probably give an arm and a leg just to have those pests gone."

Afton shrugs, "Me and Karl'll look into it tomorrow. Right now I think I could do with a couple more drinks."

She snorts, "Yeah, you and me both."

The next day Afton groggily woke up, he was on the bottom bunk in the Barracks and could see many other soldiers, as well as caravaners, sleeping nearby. Rubbing his eyes he groaned as he felt the hangover kick in. "Fuck, does coffee even exist anymore?" he mutters to himself as he falls outta bed and slowly makes his way to the bar, the smell of alcohol almost causing him to vomit on the spot.

He looks to Lacey who's somehow still there and asks, "You got any water?"

She nods, and passes him one, "9 caps."

He tosses her the cash and sits down, only now noticing that Karl was sitting on the stool next to him... When did he get up? The man grinned at him and waggled his eyebrows, "Fun night?"

Afton just shakes his head, "Don't start Karl, I'm having a rough enough morning as it is." he says swirling the water in his mouth to get the dryness and taste of Tequila out.

"Whatever kid, you had a chance and you blew it, doubt you'll be losing your virginity til we get to New Vegas."

...

Afton's about to reply when a hand grasps Karl's shoulder, the old man turns around and comes face to face with a rather angry looking Cass. "You got something say old-timer?"

Karl snorts, "Yeah," he gestures to Afton, "My boy here ain't good enough for ya?"

...

After a moment Cass just breaks into laughter, she wipes a stray tear from her eye and continues "Youknow, there's a fine line between funny and annoying."

Karl nods sagely, "I get that, same thing with life really." this gets another chuckle from her and they both nod in agreement.

"I suppose it is... I spoke to Afton yesterday about a job for you two, you weren't too drunk to remember right?" she asks.

Afton nods, "Clearing the roads right?"

She nods, "I've already gone to ask Jackson what he'd be willing to pay, said 600 caps. I'll chip in a hundred so, you willing to do it for 700 caps?"

The duo looks at each other and shrug, "Sure."