I was cruising along with Ronnie and ED, not long after I fixed him, and we came upon some Big Horners. I just give them a bit of room and they are no problem. I know they are enemies, red, but they never attack me. ED, I think fires on them. They ignore Ronnie and me and just tear ED to pieces. There was nothing we could do and they just stared at us in a menacing way and we left.

I often will reload last save to get a companion back but this was so unexpected and somehow fitting that I just carried on.

...Ronnie?

Veronica

Oh! That's kind of obvious now that I think of it. Especially considering she's my second favorite companion (Grandma Lily will always reign supreme).

Shouldn't it be Vonnie?

Anyways.....you can avoid ED-D to engage by telling it stay further away and melee.

I don't reload for companion deaths either. Makes the game more immersive for me. Also, Veronica in Archie comics is often referred to as Ronnie.

Yeah ED-E dies fairly easily unless you get him upgraded.