OK, I purchased Sgt. RL-3, and then got Star Paladin Cross to follow me as well once I reached the Citadel (there's a glitch that allows that), and the three of us had a fine time chewing up everything from muties to mole rats. However, once I retrieved the GECK and got snatched by the Enclave, they both returned to their "waiting places" (Canturberry for the sergeant, the Citadel for Cross). To make matters worse, after dropping my karma to the point that I could rehire the robot, I got it up to Good, but Cross wouldn't follow me because I already had a follower (in other words, the glitch that I exploited to hire her isn't repeatable). So, I'm wondering: is there any way I can keep my follower(s) in my employ after I get captured in Vault 87?

I'm sorry to say that I do not have any DLC, and I use a PS3 so mods are impossible as well.

I don't know exactly but I heard some of them disappear. Some may have just gone back to where you first met them. EXCEPT Sgt. RL-3. He is found in front of Canterbury Commons (sp).

There's a glitch with RL-3 which will enable you to use him to get multiple followers. Raise your karma to good and take RL-3 to where Cross is. Tell him to Wait. Once he's waiting there, fire him and quickly hire Cross. Wait for seven days inside the Citadel, lower your karma to neutral and go to Canterbury Commons. RL-3 should agree to accompany you even though you already have a follower.

The glitch only works with RL-3 but you can use it to gather up all of the companions in the game if you don't mind flip-flopping your karma around. Any time your followers are fired, you'll have to go get RL-3 again and repeat the process.

Flipflopping karma wouldn't have been a major problem, I had it around 250. Steal some stuff, it drops to Neutral, dole out sone water and it goes back up. Problem, though: both Good karma followers will leave you the moment your karma drops to Neutral. So, before I can regain the sergeant, I lose Cross.

Having a second follower wouldn't have been a problem either way, I could have reaquired Cross, then gone and hired on Fawkes as well (he has a similar exploitable glitch). I just liked having Cross and the sergeant because it made for a different game experience.

They won't leave you when your karma drops. Cross will moan and complain but she'll stick around. I had all of the followers on a PS3 game. I couldn't get rid of her even after wiping out everyone inside the Church of Atom. I eventually made her wear the AntAgonizer's costume (complete with helmet) and parked her in my Megaton house and told Waddy to keep an eye on her.

QUOTE: The glitch only works with RL-3 but you can use it to gather up all of the companions in the game if you don't mind flip-flopping your karma around.

No, two's enough for me. The game runs slower when you have more companions, and sometimes they won't load when you enter a new location. Pain in the butt if you enter a mutie-heavy area and whoops! It's just you.

Fawkes is technically an exception as well, though he doesn't apply to this situation. He goes to the Museum of History when fired.