Approach them

You stash your weapons nearby and walk out boldly, circling the building to find a single guard in the front. She wears torn leather shorts and a vest and holds a pipe rifle, which she handles with visible skill. She’s not some elite killer, but she knows what she’s doing. If all the Free Gurls handle their weapons the way that she does, you can expect to lose if you take them on openly.

But that’s not what you’re doing. You don’t raise your hands, but you keep them where the woman can see them. She spots you as soon as you’re in the open, but doesn’t raise the rifle. That’s a good sign.

“Hi,” you say as you approach.

“Hi,” she replies warily, looking past you at the rotting swamp. It’s only natural that she would expect an unarmed person approaching this way to be a distraction or something, but it’s her lucky day. You’re alone and you’re friendly. Unfortunately, she barely spares a glance for the bulge between your legs. “What are you doing here?” The words don’t come out exactly hostile, but you won’t be able to charm this woman.

That’s OK. You’re adaptable.

“Well,” you say. “I’m here looking for someone.”

“Who?”

“Some twins. Big attitude, small dicks,” you say.

The woman snorts. “You found them.” Then her eyes narrow. “Are you the one who sent them?”

Taken aback, you quickly raise your hands. “Whoa. No. I’m here because Reggie from New Gurlberg told me I might find them here.”

“Reggie,” the girl says, glancing away and clicking her tongue. “She must’ve sent them. That traitorous bitch.”

“Uh,” you say, giving her a skeptical look. “I don’t think so. I think Shiv and Shank are just her friends, and she’s worried about them. Reggie just runs a bar.”

The woman snorts. “You’re cute. But you’re stupid.”

You try not to be offended by that. “Are they OK at least?”

The guard leans on her pipe rifle, regarding you thoughtfully.

“You aren’t from New Gurlberg, are you?” she asks.

“Well, I just came from there,” you admit, looking over your shoulder. “But no, not really. I’m from Vault F. My name’s Jane.” You offer your hand.

She doesn’t shake, but after one last glance around, she shrugs.

“Come on.” She leans her rifle on her shoulder and opens the door to let you in. This works for you; the guard is not in charge. You need to talk to someone else. The plan worked: they don’t see you as a threat.

This building is a gym, or it was at one time. One half is a single huge room that includes a wood floor, cracked and rotting bleachers, and the rusted remains of basketball hoops. The other half of the building is locker rooms, offices, and bathrooms.

Time has not been kind to this place, but a single glance tells you that the Free Gurls are making an effort to keep it not only neat, but clean. Any debris has been removed, and there’s a chemical smell in the air. As the guard brings you in, you find another woman in the hallway, scrubbing the floor. The sight of people cleaning is common in the Vault, but not up here. It’s weird.

In the gymnasium, you see a row of motorcycles. They keep them in here, out of the elements. A pair of metal double doors that have been reinforced with scrap appears to be how they get the bikes in and out.

The tactical situation here is a little dicey. The lack of debris means a relative lack of cover. The guard takes you to a door and knocks.

“Hey,” she calls out. “Visitor.”

“A what?” a muffled voice calls out from inside, but the guard doesn’t wait. She opens the door and pushes you through, then shuts it. You are in a medium-sized room that has been set up to be cozy with scavenged furniture, like armchairs and a sofa.

Three women are here.

The one closest to you, who you almost ran into, you know. She’s a tall, strong brunette wearing an eclectic set of armor, although she doesn’t have her club with her at the moment.

“Striker,” you say, startled.

“Vault Girl,” she replies, keeping her composure and looking very cool.

But there’s no time for reunions or pleasantries: two other women are here, and you realize with a start that one of them is Queen Tess. You didn’t recognize her because of what she’s wearing: normal pants and a shirt. Her hair is down, and without her giant dick out and that insane S&M gear, she’s like a different person. Her affect is different too. She’s just sitting on the old, leather sofa, which is covered in tape and patches.

In the middle of the room is a petite redhead wearing nothing but a T-shirt that barely reaches her upper thighs. She’s wearing a fierce expression and radiating anger.

“Perfect timing, Vault Girl. I was just leaving,” Striker says with a smug look. She blows a kiss at the redhead, then brushes past you and leaves.

The door shuts.

The redhead glares at you and Queen Tess looks curious.

“Who the fuck are you?” the redhead snaps. She might be cute if she didn’t look so hostile, but you can’t help but feel that the shade of her hair is so much less pretty than Daisy’s.

“I’m Jane,” you say with a friendly smile. The lamp in the corner flickers.

This is not quite what you expected. It’s clear that some of your assumptions have been wrong and that there are some things you don’t know. Is Striker a Free Gurl? You noticed something else: the guard, the woman in the hall, and this redhead are all ordinary women without penises. So were the women that you saw when Queen Tess came to New Gurlberg.

You have a mission, but things are going on in the Florida Wasteland. You have to choose how you’re going to approach this. Do you stay focused on your objectives, or try to understand the bigger picture? You can see the pros and cons of both options.

Focus on Shiv and Shank?

Or slow down and seek information?