A Shephard- ZoC Main story vol1 chapter 10

Part 10 - Cans and Confusion

Every mistake was a lesson to learn, you felt. There just needed to be some time to process it. It should have been obvious what Rusty was after. What stalker worth his rads would not want artifacts? How he asked a few too many questions about everything you were carrying? He even said that there was only bandits in the area. How naive could you have been? Even Wolf and Sid have been saying from the beginning that trust is not something to be given lightly. And the worst of it all is that you had once again upset Lucy, although you didn’t quite understand what she was all about yet.

It had now been a week since the incident in The Garbage. You had finished the trip to the bar, finding it not quite as populated as you expected. Trading in one of the two artifacts you had found on Rusty netted you quite a bit of cash, although you elected to keep the most valuable one, the Jellyfish.

While there, you found an information broker. Well, more like he found you, but you now had cash to spare and still questions about your brother. Explaining that it would take a couple of weeks for his information net to dig up anything. Not exactly trusting the man, but with no better alternative, you agreed. The cost almost draining you of what you had just earned.

The barkeep, a large man in stature almost matching Sidorovich, save for a full head of hair, suggested that you head to the old agroprom research institute. He was looking for a specific artifact that occasionally popped up there, and would pay handsomely if you could find it.

And that’s where you find yourself now, heading through the garbage west to the area he had marked on your pda.

The only issue so far was a sighting of a few stalkers in the distance. Learning your lesson, you hunkered down for a few hours to let them pass. Didn’t want a repeat of Rusty. You still are pretty uncomfortable that you had killed four people in one week, and would like to avoid the experience for the foreseeable future.

During the week, you had paid extra special attention to your rifle, er, Lucy. You noted that it had stopped moving around at night, and no occasional sightings of her in her uniform. You’ve been talking to her, trying to coax her out, or alleviate boredom as you make the long trek to the derelict agroprom institute.

And today you had a new approach. Sitting down in the mouth of an old train tunnel, you break out your small heater and a can of food. Well, an extra can. You’re not sure if these things eat, but it does have a human form. Maybe you can temp the thing with the aroma of cooked food?

You set your svd down opposite of your small fire, laying down your extra jacket underneath it.

The first can being sufficiently heated, you open it up the rest of the way, blowing on the warm contents.

“Mmmm, this is really good!”

And

“Shame I don’t have an extra someone to give this can to!” You pause, spoon full of what is the equivalent of human catfood in your mouth, one eye closed, and the other peaking at your rifle.
You swallow what you have, and start laughing at yourself. What the hell were you thinking, talking to your rifle? Tempting it with some food like it was some sort of cat? Why would you ever think that would-

And next thing you know, looking up pleadingly at you on all fours, is Lucy.

“Uh, hello” is all you can manage from your surprise. Oh shit, the food. The whole reason you were doing this.

You hastily open the second can and thrust it out to her.

“I really don’t mind, please, have some!”

She takes the can and spare utensil from your hands, and slowly backs away back onto your laid down jacket. She's just staring at you now.

You take another spoonful out of your can and bite down. Then she slowly does the same. You take another bite. And she once again mimics you.

This goes on for a while until your can was exhausted, but by then you figure from her vicarious consumption of the rest of her can that she has it figured out.

“So.” You start, not really sure where to begin. As she looks back up at you with those blue and white eyes, you swear you see something twitch underneath the hood. Not gonna try to touch that one again.

“You eat food, huh?”

Looking surprised, she responds with a short “Yes, I guess.”

“So when's the last time you ate?” You respond. You guess it hasn’t been a while, unless those nightly outings got her something.

“I think… this is the first time. Food is really delicious!” She says, perking up for a moment.
You mentally slap yourself. The first meal you ever feed her, and it's a can of Tourists Delight. God damn it stalker.

“So you don’t need to eat?” You ask worryingly. If you had to pay for both food ammunition and a second set of real food for her, you’re not sure you’d have much money left.

“I don’t think so. It feels good, but I was not... hungry? Until you offered.”

She's at least pretty clear about things. Believing you’ve made some headway, you move onto the question portion of tonights show.

“So, I’m not the best at these things, but I need to ask. Sorry if it's a bit personal or rude, but…”

She looks at you, plain expression with a spoon still hanging out of her mouth.

“What are you, exactly?”

She continues to look. A bit more sad, she tries her best to explain: “I’m your rifle.”

“Okay, that's still a bit hard for me to believe, but I got that. But what are you?”

“Soviet Production Snayperskaya Vintovka Dragunova. Year 1972, number T-527. I can fire at a rate of-”