Chapter 183: Chapter 178

Aron Morris was glad he retired early in the Nexus. Trading across the wasteland was something only the truly desperate would invest most of their lives into. For people like himself, when the opportunity came to settle down in peaceful lands, he took it even if it severely shrank his caps-based wealth.

 

Why chase mounds of caps when he could settle for a monthly allowance and free essentials like clean water? Plus, the Nexus higher ups had paid generously for his information about the greater wasteland, as limited as it was.

 

The result of all of that meant that Aron was comfortable enough and young enough to enjoy the sights and sounds of the growing rad-free realm around him. The brothels weren’t bad either. That the girls were very willing and weren’t desperate and/or chemmed up opened up a whole new sexual vista that Aron didn’t know existed.

 

He can’t say he enjoyed partaking in the bukkake pits though; It was weird seeing so many other naked men in the same room.

 

So when a robotic call came in requesting his presence in Boston as soon as was convenient, Aron almost shat bricks and subsequently lost two nights’ worth of sleep rummaging through his Nexus life, trying to figure out what he might have done to draw attention or worse, piss the higher ups off.

 

He definitely paid everyone on time ever since he came here. 

 

Maybe he overstayed his Caladan visit…or somehow entered a forbidden area? No, can’t be…he was sure to stick to the tour group. Unless they didn’t realize as well?

 

Or was it that time he accidentally bumped into some kids? But those kids apologized and said it was their fault, so it couldn’t be…right? 

 

Aron really, really hoped that it wasn’t anything related to kids. He didn’t want to see the inside of Blacksite Tleilax anytime in this lifetime.

 

To his great relief, upon taking the nerve-wracking trip to Boston, the staff from the Nexus Federal Administration helpfully informed him that they only wanted to get his views as a veteran caravan trader about the western half of the continent. But the nerves returned when he was guided into a truth chamber, and his interviewee was none other than Cait, the redheaded consort of Sev.

 

If not for his experience as a wandering merchant, Aron’s might’ve trembled himself to a fearful death. Instead, the middle-aged ex-trader forced himself to keep calm as he slipped into the seat opposite of Cait.

 

She was pleasant enough in welcoming his presence, displaying a small smile as she greeted Aron and summarized the point of this meeting. Even as he paid close attention to her words, Aron had to mentally remind his eyes not to wander below Cait’s neck, and his tongue to not insinuate anything about her looks.

 

He was not going to personally confirm the rumors about Sev being highly jealous about his girls. More to the point, he didn’t want to give the most impulsive of Sev’s harem a reason to tear him limb from limb.

 

Aron made a note to himself to never, ever speak that last thought aloud.

 

“So, how was your travels across the lands owned by Caesar’s Legion?” the young redhead asked, and noting the nervous pause, she smirked before adding, “Don’t worry, we understand that trading with the likes of them was a necessity for merchants like you, and hold nothing of your past against you.”

 

Aron almost slumped in relief at that reassurance, and then promptly gave all that he remembered about his time there.

 

“Uh, other than the slaving, the settlements there were very orderly. Mostly out of fear… The Legion liked their crucifixions and public executions.”

 

Cait gave a rather neutral nod. “We’ve tracked a lot of patrols across the wasteland within their borders. Is that a common thing, you think?”

 

Aron paused in thought for a second before answering. “I guess? I know I met a few patrols there.” He frowned as he tried to recall the details. “A few were, uh…leading slaves to town. Didn’t bother us caravans much, other than to ask us where we were headed and offer directions.”

 

Come to think of it, Aron realized that the Legion patrols were almost entirely uneventful encounters. There was no harassment, but no business from them either.

 

You are reading story Uncommon Wealth at novel35.com

An old rumor dug itself out of the recesses of Aron’s brain. “I’m not sure if it’s true, but supposedly, they sometimes toughened their recruits up by sending them against the wildlife with knives and clubs.”

 

“I see,” Cait said as she nodded again. They continued on about the Legion for a while more, moving onto the conditions of the local populace, rumors of note, and local resistance. Aron also eagerly offered up the information about the slavers there, especially the slave markets. That earned him Cait’s dark grin, and a thanks that sounded…hungry.  

 

“We’ll have to look into that. Even if the locations might have moved, the existence of slave markets is something the Nexus would definitely prioritize. Thank you for bringing that to our attention.”

 

Even though he knew it wasn’t directed at him, Aron almost pissed himself there and then as he caught a peek at the cold fury in the girl’s green eyes.

 

After six hours of questioning (not including the very pleasant and relieving lunch break), Aron’s first day of questioning was over. He half-dragged himself to his assigned accommodation, and was too mentally tired to appreciate the luxuries of his hotel room. He bled out all the pent up tension and fear with a long, warm bath, though so great was the anxiety of being stuck in a room with Cait for so long that Aron didn’t dare try the services of the nearby brothels, however famed they might be.

 

He was too afraid of suddenly imagining the girl’s face and calling out her name by mistake. 

 

The second day saw Aron stuck in the same room with Cait again, though this time the questions focused on the NCR instead. Perhaps unsurprisingly, questions about corruption popped up frequently.

 

“The people there are good customers,” Aron opined, “Though the military and police can make it all not worth it.”

 

“How so?” Sev’s consort asked with a cute (and Aron quickly scrubbed that thought out of his head) tilt of her head.

 

“Uh, well… If you’re unlucky, they can stop you for surprise spot-checks that are so thorough they can take a whole day to complete.” The former trader found his words getting dryer as he finished the sentence. “Unless you pay for an exemption.”

 

A smirk crossed Cait’s face. “Simple bribery? Is it rampant?”

 

Aron shrugged. “Depends on who’s running the particular region. Mayors, governors, generals… Hard to keep track of them, but I’m not sure if it’s the same now. Though…sometimes it’s just really bad cronies.” He frowned sourly at the unpleasant memories of ‘toll booths’ and ‘caravan parking fees’. “Sometimes it’s just opportunistic sergeants and privates.”

 

“You make it sound like it’s worse than dealing with the Legion.”

 

Well, now that he thought about it… “I guess? I mean, it pays well if you don’t run into those things, but life’s definitely easier if you bought a caravan license from one of the big businesses there. Crimson Caravan, Far Go Traders, Gun Runners… Cost a shi- a crapton, and needed annual renewal, but it opened up a lot more doors.” But not worth the ‘investment’ for small time traders like himself.

 

Aron found himself smirking as he remembered those days. “Of course, trying to get the license often required an application fee.” It was truly a shame the Nexus wasn’t in business back then. Would’ve been better to deal with honest businesses and robots than the bloodsucking snakes in the NCR.

 

Before he could fully reminisce, Cait’s voice returned Aron to the present. “Does the NCR government keep their hands off the local economy then?”

 

Aron was silent for a moment before answering. “Um…I’m…not sure, actually. I mean, some towns and villages barely have any NCR presence beyond the recruitment posters or the signs asking people to use NCR dollars.” Which were often found in the trash pile or serving as outhouse paper. “The times they directly intervened though was mostly bad for outsiders like us. Tariffs, exclusion zones, visa fees…”

 

In the end, a lot of NCR-related questions were answered on the second day, but Aron had to cut short his complaints about their shitty bureaucracy, cutthroat market competition, useless paper money, and more. Cait had asked him if he wanted to put those on the next day’s itinerary, but he opted for sending a written report instead.

 

The third day of interviewing would be the last, thankfully. It was less focused and more on broad, general knowledge about the west. From wildlife like cazadors and geckos, to interesting ruins and settlements scattered around. Far less stuff to reminisce about initially, but then he remembered the northern trade routes, and Aron’s blood began to simmer again.

 

“Now, they aren’t as bad, but the bloody Mormons sometimes…”

You can find story with these keywords: Uncommon Wealth, Read Uncommon Wealth, Uncommon Wealth novel, Uncommon Wealth book, Uncommon Wealth story, Uncommon Wealth full, Uncommon Wealth Latest Chapter