well obviously wasteland is full of laser and big gunners running around, especially in the cave (would make sense - plasma glows ) so slaves could fend off predators like rats and still were able to craft ammo for their laser and BG out of nothing just for protection of their brahmins/cave, makes a lot of sense.
Runaway scientist slaves.
I think the biggest brains are still on the oil rig, VC, NCR, as yet For me F2 constitutes of 99% of tribals in the wasteland and 1% scientists in civilized places. Even a runaway scientist would outsmart a tribal with a spear (for example dare him to shove his spear in his ass) and reach a civilized world or die, or get eaten by cannibals or animals since scientist are no fighters