'Great President Dave! The Enclave greets you and your Republic!'
'The Enclave? I remember hearing that name quite a while ago, on the radio. It's hard to be sure what the Republic of Dave should think of you, though. You claimed to be
owner of the land, and would not acknowledge our own independence from the world.'
'That was an oversight of the old regime-'
Fuck... The beetles, or as he now come to know them the enclave, were smarter than he had wanted.
They were playing Dave just right. Tickling his ego and dancing around his insecurities. Stiff rows of hair began to stand up in a concerned Mexican wave, he really didn't think that someone who buzzed in nonchalantly with amazing old world tech could be serious about what they said, nor would they waste time and energy on something stupid like messing with Dave's head there had to be sinister intent. Not that, he now considered it would all bad for Dave if he stayed as compliant as he was now but Sully the newly promoted envoy (what timing) didn't want to get roped in with these idiots. Placated though Dave was for now it didn't eliminate the chance of a confrontation later. Spining on his heels he turned from his place at the front of the crowd with Dave and Bob back to the women and children, trying gage their reactions as well. The only one who looked remotely as concerned as they should was Rosie. She'd always seemed just a little bit sanner than everyone else here to him, and as he was recently 'briefed' by Dave, had been the sole provider of food and trade in the republic until a few months ago. 'Perhaps... The kids should play inside for awhile... it would be rude to crowd these nice new visitors wouldn't it?' he pleaded giving here a steady and stern look to drive his point home. Shuffling with frustration at being denied their spectacle, the crowd dispersed quickly enough into the two bunk houses.
Vaguely aware of the talk of Sully turned back to the beattles to catch the last of their declaration.
'-interest in the Republic of Dave, and wishes to protect the land with an alliance between our organization and your people'
Deep...
'My citizens, you mean.'
Sinking...
'Exactly!'
Feeling...
'Just what is it that you men propose to do? What does your commander have planned?'
The three of them looked at each other, and then said "Become citizens of Dave!".
This...was gonna be a long day. Worse Sully knew it was entirely his fault. If he'd just woken earlier or... or decided to cut losses and leave without trying to wheel a deal with Dave...Actually that was a good lesson. It was time to cut loses. Clearing his conscious with a twinge of guilt for Dave's poor old family he announced, 'Well Dave, it looks like my diplomatic services won't be needed at all. Your Dave-ness continues to astound. You just went and found new powerful allies before I could even drag myself onto the road.' Dave looked quizzically at him still obviously enamored with all the respect and compliments. Making sure not to invite his input put Sully continued 'As such think I'll head onto Canterbury anyway see if I can't form other alliances eh?' Resisting the dual urges to heft his bat up across his shoulder ready for a fight and the urge to bolt out towards the highway he knew was to the east leaving all these loons in the dust he strolled toward the gate which Dave had so kindly opened for the enclave. Wishing that he could see the expressions of the enclave soldiers he pushed past he made his way out left the compound still tense noting the enclave soldiers had turned to watching him now. The snaked tounged leader of theirs raised a hand at him as if to stop. Squeezing his eyes together and pushing his luck he kept walking hoping they'd just let it go. No such luck.
'Halt! You are a civil servant of our new ally the Republic are you not?' Sully's hands skulked back down to the sides of his loosened pants careful not to disrupt either the hem of the shirt concealing or the waist band supporting his hidden ACP. Seriously though what kind of luck was this? 'If Dave allows it we might reprimand you as a show of good faith to the Republic' the beetle face prick sneered, he must have been sneering helmet be damned Sully could hear it.
Dave sat knocked senseless by all the responsibility and authority before him. He looked thoughtfully of into the distance mulling it over in what would have been a hilarious and comic fashion on a holodisc drama... This wasn't a holodisc damn it!
Scanning the area for escape routes as discreetly as he could he was met with the flat, barren wastes he knew would be there. Well flat and barren everywhere other than the hole he'd left and the still manned vertibird idling along casually.
If this was karma he had no idea what he'd done to earn it. Was it the boy he'd watched Ule kill all those years ago? If it was it he thought that it was about time the wasteland gave that shtick up and forgave him already. Resigned to his seat amongst the rock and hard place he supposed that if this was a bad turn there must surely be a good one floating around somewhere. Surely!