Author's Note: This fic will be set congruently to my main fic Build Me Up From Bones, starting at Chapter 7. I wanted to give readers an insight in Nick's personal growth and self-discovery since the narrative focus for BMUFB is on Nora. I really didn't think I'd make it to Far Harbor considering all of the other plot lines I'm trying to tie up, but I managed to work it in to the end-of-story notes that I want to hit. Reviews, comments, and thoughts are all appreciated.
Chapter 1
"You okay there Nicky?" Piper asked.
The synth sighed and tobacco smoke wafted out through his nostrils and the gaps in his neck.
"I'm as okay as I'll ever be." Nick replied vaguely.
The cold spray from the Atlantic Ocean hit their faces and the wind howled through the small fishing boat rattling straight to Nick's metal bones. Although the cold didn't affect him as much as it would a human being, the poor weather and the miserable conditions weighed on his mind.
"You're thinking about Nora." Piper replied. It wasn't a question but Nick didn't need to tell her that she was right. "Blue will be fine, you know."
Nick nodded. Of course Nora would be fine. She was the Director of the Commonwealth's second biggest threat while preparing for a war with the Commonwealth's first biggest threat. What was there to worry about?
Piper sighed and patted Nick's back. "I'm gonna go inside and warm up before we reach The Island. You may not feel cold, but come inside soon okay? The salt water is gonna rust you to the deck if you stay out here too long."
Piper left and Nick took another drag off his cigarette. The effects of the nicotine did nothing for him, but the hand-to-mouth movement was soothing nonetheless.
Nick replayed his last conversation to Nora over and over in his head.
"Nora think about what's at stake. Are you willing to die for the Institute?"
"Yes Nick. I'm willing to die for them."
"Are you sure? Because I don't think they'd think twice about sacrificing you to further their own ends. You are just a means of an end to these people. They don't value human life. They just value progress for the sake of progress."
"Nick, I know it's hard to believe, but there are good people here. I can't —"
"— Dammit Nora! Don't be naive. I just spent hours listening to the proof on those damned tapes. They've kidnapped, tortured, and murdered people! Why are you still protecting them when you don't have to?"
"I'm not protecting them Nick, I'm protecting the synths who have been imprisoned here like you were. The Institute has taken everything from me. I have just as much reason to hate them as you do, but I am choosing to forge a different path."
Nick clenched his jaw and bit the cigarette filter until it broke apart in his mouth. He sputtered and spit the tobacco over the side and wiped at his face with a red handkerchief.
The thought of Nora dying for the Institute was more than he could bare. He had the memories of a man who had lost his fiancé because she was pulled into events far larger than herself. Nick, Pre-War Nick, had tried to save her. He tried to protect her from the dangers of the world and from Eddie Winter, but he failed.
This Nick Valentine couldn't endure it if he failed too.
He was willing to lay his life down if that meant Nora would live. He was over 150 years old — if the Institute archives were to be believed — and that was far more time than he deserved. But Nora's determination to save the very organization that manipulated her, abused her, and stole her son from her was part of why he loved Nora even though he was angry with her.
Nora held a naiveté about the world. How could she not? She had slept through the bombs dropping. She slept through the starvation, struggle, disease, and pain that people experienced as they tried to rebuild among the ashes of their precious civilization. So it made sense that she'd look at an organization like the Institute and believe that a group of isolated people could go against their nature and let the world in.
Nora was pure and idealistic about the world. Now that she had found her place in the Commonwealth and had come to terms with her son's fate, Nora was determined to act as the Institute's champion. Nick loved her for it for her idealism. The Commonwealth needed more people like her. However, he loathed the Institute taking advantage of that idealism and use it for their own agenda. As the ship cut through the steel grey surf, Nick lit another cigarette and leaned against the railing.
Nick needed this as a distraction. If he couldn't protect Nora, then he couldn't stand by as she willingly threw herself onto the Institute's sword. No, he needed to get her help and he believed — he hoped that help would be found in a place called Acadia. Although his secondary purpose in setting sail across the Atlantic Ocean was to track down a missing girl who had run away from home, Nick Valentine's main purpose was personal.
He was on his way to track down the Institute synth called DiMA and get answers about his own past, and about the Institute's secrets, once and for all.
Piper's and Nick's arrival to the derelict and waterlogged community of Far Harbor spelled trouble for them from the start.
They met a shrewd white-haired woman named Captain Avery who seemed friendly enough despite her clear exasperation over a local's clear consternation and outright vitriol over their arrival on the island.
"You can't be serious Avery! They're not from here. They shouldn't be trusted." He spat. "And that one," he indicated Nick, "is a disgusting synth."
"That's enough Allen!" She snapped. "Synth or not, these folks haven't done anything to warrant our distrust just yet. I'm not saying we all have to be best friends, but we have bigger problems to deal with than your petty bigoted ideas."
"Look. We're not here to start any trouble. We're looking for a missing girl, her name is Kasumi Nakano. Her mother and father discovered that she's been in contact with some people from this island at a place called Acadia. We just want to find her and bring her home." Nick explained.
Allen spat, "If she's gone to Acadia then she deserves to stay there. That place is full of freaks like you."
Nick exhaled. His skeletal fingers twitched as irritation crackled through his circuits. He was usually a patient man. He had dealt with this type of bigotry and hatred many times before, but something about Allen's relentless hatred ignited his short fuse.
"Look pal," He spat. "We've come an awfully long way to look for a missing girl, but the more you give us a hard time, the longer we'll be on this God-forsaken piece of rock that you call an island. Why don't you just back off and let us do our job?"
The other man was about to open his mouth to retort but a loud foghorn cut off whatever he was about to say.
"Ah dammit. Not again." Captain Avery cursed. Then she looked at Piper and Nick. "You two, get out your guns and follow me up to the hull. You may not think very highly of our island, but if you don't help us, you'll be joining us at the bottom of the ocean when the fog creatures drag our corpses into the murky depths."
Piper glanced at Nick. The synth shrugged and they both did as they were told. They followed Captain Avery up the long wooden staircase and into the town.
Gunfire and explosions sounded around them as Captain Avery brought them to a huge wall that surrounded the town.
The hull, as it was called, was nearly fifteen feet high. The pathway that allowed people to walk on top of it was narrow and it lacked guard rails in some places. Nick made the mistake of looking down and the ground swam a little in front of his face.
"Careful not to fall of the side." Captain Avery remarked. "If the fall doesn't kill you, we might not get to rescue you in time before the gulpers and fog crawlers get to ya."
Nick was about to ask what these fog crawlers were and then he saw it. The beast was almost as tall as the wall. It's hard crustacean-esque shell was slick from the condensation and the fog. Two large arms with lobster-like pincers at the end clicked together. The noise was as loud as a gunshot and Nick was sure that the pincers could slice a man — or synth — in two.
"Get your guns ready." Captain Avery yelled out to the battalion of people who were stationed on the hull. "Wait for my order to fire."
"Nicky…" Piper whispered in abject horror, "… what the hell is this place?"
"FIRE!"
Nick's and Piper's guns fired off shot after shot at the mutated sea bug but their bullets barely made a dent on the creature's exoskeleton.
Captain Avery's handgun had explosive rounds and the two Far Harbor natives next to her were carrying hunting rifles but the creature was still approaching at a steady albeit slow pace.
"If the creature gets to the road, we'll need to retreat back into the town." Captain Avery ordered.
As the shooting continued, Nick and Piper saw dark objects jumping across the landscape similar to giant frogs. If their ammunition was useless against the monstrous sea creature, then maybe they'd have better luck tackling something smaller.
"What are those?" Piper asked as she pointed to a slimy salamander-like creature that was trying to climb up the wall.
"Those are gulpers." Someone next to her replied. "They'll go down in a couple of hits. They're more of an nuisance than anything."
Just as the Far Harbor native spoke, an anguished yell came from below them as a gulper grabbed ahold of a poor soul and started chewing on their legs.
Piper fired three shots into the creature's head with her 10mm pistol and the creature retreated back into the fog with the poor soul still in its mouth.
"You call that 'just a nuisance'?" Piper exclaimed.
"Fire in the hole!" A thickly accented voice yelled from off to their right. A white-haired man stood holding a missile launcher that looked much too large for a man of his age to comfortably wield.
Nick grabbed Piper and pulled her down the wooden ladder as two missiles flew right past their heads and landed on the Fog Crawler.
The explosion created a massive wave of heat and smoke but after a moment, the crowd heard nothing except the retreating gulpers and the lapping of the waves.
"All clear!" Captain Avery called.
Piper imagined that the crowd would cheer but the citizens simply holstered their weapons and descended the hull in a quiet, orderly fashion as though these attacks were so frequent that they were now boring.
Nick descended the ladder first and helped Piper down the last couple of broken rungs.
The white-haired man wielding the missile launcher descended after them. Up close, Nick judged the man to be in his late fifties or early sixties, which was impressive considering the day-to-day dangers the Far Harbor citizens had to live with.
"Hoo wee." He wheezed. "Them fog crawlers will get the blood pumpin', that's fer sure."
"Thank you for the assistance Longfellow." Captain Avery replied. "I didn't know you'd be in town."
The old man chuckled and Nick saw that he was missing several teeth. "I wasn' plannin' on it but I couldn't remember if I had my weekly bath or not so I thought I'd stop by the bar, have a couple, and wash up just to be safe."
Piper wrinkled her nose at that but didn't say anything.
Captain Avery cleared her throat, "Well, thank you again. I do have a favor to ask of you. These two mainlanders are looking to get to Acadia. They're tracking down a girl who has gone missing and they think she's there. Do you think you could escort them up the mountain tomorrow?"
The old man scrutinized them both. "Eh … my hiring fee only takes into account helpin' one person up the mountain. The synth here may not be affected by the fog but I don' think the gulpers or trappers will be too picky about a gettin' a little iron in their diet."
"You'll be compensated appropriately for the extra work, I can assure you." Captain Avery replied.
"That's not necessary," Nick interjected. "I can pay the man for our safe escort. You don't need to trouble yourself."
The old man coughed, drew a silver flask from his pocket, and took a long pull from it. "I don' care who's payin' me as long as I get paid. You an' the cap't can settle the particulars on yer own. We leave at first light tomorrow. Weather's suppose to be good enough where the fog won' be too bad, but I'd encourage the lass here to bring some extra Rad Away."
"Thank you." Captain Avery replied.
Old Longfellow touched his two fingers to his forehead in a mock salute. "Evenin' all." He left and made his way back to the bar whistling a jaunty tune.
"Longfellow's the best guide you'll get on this island. Follow his instructions exactly and I'm confident he'll get you to Acadia unharmed." She replied. "Now if you'll excuse me, I've got to notify Yukon's family that he's been lost to the fog."
Captain Avery left them alone as night descended on the town. The blue lamps that were spaced through the area seemed to be chasing the dense fog away. Nick felt pretty confident that if they stayed within the city, they'd be safe but he could hear the sounds of creatures that lived in the fog. The idea slightly terrified him.
"Nicky…what did we get ourselves into?" Piper murmured.
Old Longfellow was a taskmaster. The jovial, rough man they met the night before was now as serious as the grave.
"Yeh both need to keep up with me no matter what. If yeh fall behind or get lost, I ain't comin' back lookin' for yeh. Follow my orders exactly and do what I say when I say it." He commanded.
After an unpleasant evening of sleep in a bed that was damp from ocean's spray, Piper was feeling a worn down and was far more loose with her comments than she should've been.
"Don't worry about us. You just let us know if you need to slow down at all."
Old Longfellow scowled, "I'm old lass, not an invalid. I was born and raised on this island and I've been outrunnin' the fog far longer than you. If you make it to the top of the mountain and yeh haven't asked the Gods for death at least once, I'll be surprised. The simple travel up has killed men twice yer size. Don't be so cocky."
Piper was about to interject but Nick frowned and shook his head. "We're ready when you are Longfellow."
The journey up the mountain was nerve wracking. They encountered two large groups of cannibal locals that Longfellow called trappers, and a glowing gulper ambushed them as they were forced to wade through a swamp to get to the small path. By the end of the jog, Piper was cold, wet, and sweating through her clothes, while Nick could feel his skeletal hand seizing up with rust thanks to the saltwater in the air.
"Well, here we are." Old Longfellow remarked as they reached the summit. "Welcome to Acadia. It's a fine place, no matter what that prick Allen Lee says, but still be careful."
"You're not comin' in with us?" Piper asked.
The man chuckled, "No. I guide people to their destinations, I don't mettle in things I ought to not meddle in. If yeh ever need my help again, have Captain Avery radio me. I have a small homestead nearby."
Then the old man looked at Piper exclusively, "Or if yeh get lonely and want a stiff drink and good conversation. I can prove to yeh that I ain't as old as I look." His voice trailed off suggestively.
"Never gonna happen old man." Piper said.
Longfellow shrugged and then saluted them before jogging back down the mountainside like a man half his age.
"Gross." Piper whispered to herself.
Nick took a few deep breaths and observed the derelict observation building. There didn't seem to be any guards or any signs of life from the outside, but Nick still wanted to be careful.
They approached a nondescript green door that led to a large concrete building. He knocked twice on the door and then stepped back to put his hand on his pistol. If anyone came out and tried to give them trouble, he wanted to be ready.
After several minutes, nobody responded so Nick knocked again.
"You gotta be kidding me." Piper mumbled irritably and threw the door open. "Yoo hoo. Anyone home?"
"Piper what the hell?" Nick hissed.
"Hey there?" She called out. "Can we speak to the man or woman of the house. We've come from the Commonwealth and we're looking for a woman named Kasumi."
Nick's synth vision detected movement inside the building but the figure wasn't giving off any heat signature. The figure's silhouette wasn't built like a robot that he'd seen before and the only other humanoid creature that lacked a heat signature were Gen 1 synths.
Just then, a light tenor voice addressed them both. "You know, when I first climbed this mountain above the fog, I thought to myself, now here is a metaphor worth taking in. You've entered a place of clarity. Understanding. Peace. While you're here in Acadia, synth kind welcomes you, as long as you welcome us. Please come in."
Nick walked into the building first and went down the hallway and into the main room. He stopped so suddenly that Piper ran into him.
"Jesus Nicky, what the —" Piper fell silent as she too took in the splendor.
The room use to be a Pre War observatory. Large windows stretched across the wall and up to the domed ceiling. The large open glass paneling let in the midday light which casted the makeshift laboratory in a golden glow.
Computer screens and terminals were attached on every wall and a metal spiral staircase encircled a central cement pillar in which a peculiar-looking figure stood.
"Welcome travelers to Acadia." The figure announced.
Nick felt his processors speed up and he felt a vague throbbing on the back of his head. The synth before them was tall and broad-shouldered but had seen far more wear and tear than Nick had.
Plastic tubes protruded from his back, head, and shoulders, while tubing encircled him shoulders and forearms. The synth was bare except for some cloth that wrapped around his waist and legs to act as rudimentary pants.
"Look … synth … uh … sir. All we want is Kasumi Nakano returned to her family." Piper said. "We aren't looking to cause trouble."
The synth nodded and smiled. Nick noticed that the thing's face looked remarkably like his own.
"Of course. You have journeyed a long way, but I regret to inform you that I cannot honor your request. Kasumi is here and she's safe. You're welcome to see her if you'd like. But before you do, I'd like to ask you this question out of idle curiosity. Do you think Kasumi is a synth?"
Piper glanced at Nick. The Synth Detective narrowed his eyes. He felt like he was being played. "It doesn't matter if Kasumi is a synth or not. We're just here to bring her back home."
The synth chuckled lightly, "I beg your pardon but the question of Kasumi's identity is relevant to everything. How can we truly know where we belong in the world unless we know what we are: human or synth?"
Nick sighed and shook his head. "Look pal, I don't got time for riddles. Who the hell are you anyway? You look like a Gen-2 synth but you don't act like one. Now we've been hoofing it all across the Commonwealth chasing after long-dead rumors of a synth matching your description. I've only seen one other synth with a face like that and a mind of his own, and I only see him when I look in a mirror. So before we answer any more questions, how about we start with a name."
The synth was taken aback and then he leaned forward to peer closer into Nick's face.
"N-Nick? Is it really you?" He asked.
"DiMA." Nick breathed. His hunch about the synth's identity had been confirmed. It felt like a part of his mind that was locked away had finally opened up. Of course the synth standing in front of him was DiMA. How could he have forgotten what DiMA looked like?"
"I can't believe you're here. How did you find me?" DiMA asked.
"It wasn't easy." Nick replied. "Most people who knew you are long dead now. I managed to follow an old lead to an all ghoul settlement and one of them told me about a place called The Island. By coincidence, I have a case that I'm trying to solve which brought me here."
DiMA's expression fell, "Yes, as we just discussed. So this clearly isn't just a social visit."
"Hold up. Hold up. Hold up!" Piper exclaimed in exasperation. "Nicky what the hell is this synth talking about? How does he know who you are?"
Nick shook his head. He didn't know how to explain their relationship. "It's a long story Piper. Some of which I ain't even sure of myself."
DiMA stepped in. "Allow me to explain. Nick and I were created by the Institute many years ago as an experiment in how our brains could process individualized human personalities. Nick was given his personality while I was allowed to develop my own."
"Nicky i-is that true?" Piper asked.
Nick frowned and nodded. "Allegedly…"
"Allegedly?" DiMA asked. He didn't sound mad but rather concerned or inquisitive.
"Do you not remember Nick? Do you not remember what happened to you … to us?"
"I have a couple sides of the story so why don't you tell me yours and I'll see if they corroborate." Nick said.
"Nick, you and I were the first synths. We're prototypes capable of independent thinking and judgement. The scientists in the Institute wanted to know if we could handle independent experiences and judgements. And — and …" DiMA faltered and Nick saw true sorrow on his face, "… And with you, they wanted to try transferring an entire personality into you. They gave you so many different ones at first but none of them stuck. I saw you wake up over and over again not knowing who or what you were. I couldn't let them do that to you anymore. We were the only two prototypes they made and so I literally saw myself in you. Your pain was my pain and I knew that we had to escape."
Nick and Piper were silent for a moment. Nick's heart thudded in his chest. He didn't know if he felt vindicated or horrified at DiMA's account. He had gone to the direct source but he didn't feel any better knowing that the reports of his suffering and of DiMA's gallant rescue had been true.
"Does my story corroborate other versions you've heard?" DiMA asked.
"Your story seems to match up to what I've listened to from your holotapes. Granted, I didn't listen to them all, but —"
"— Holotapes?" DiMA interrupted, "You've listened to my tapes? But … how?"
"In the Institute. A scientist named Dr. Binet gave them to me." He remarked. "I went back there two weeks ago —."
"— So you know exactly what happened … what I had to do to you to help you escape. I — I had no choice Nick. You were my brother and the things they were doing to you … to us … it was unconscionable. But then again … why would you go back there? Were you captured?"
Nick shook his head, "No, I … It's kind of hard to explain."
"Nick is dating the new Institute Director." Piper interjected.
Nick's jaw clenched and he glared at Piper.
"Oh stop Nicky." She admonished. "Your side of the story is really not that complicated and he seems to be on the up and up, especially if he's your brother."
"I have many questions about what your friend has just said." DiMA remarked.
"Yeah, well my friend has a big mouth." Nick interjected, "Look, I can explain but truth be told we're both dead on our feet. Can we please just talk with Kasumi so I can justify the wages that her father paid me to find her?"
DiMA nodded and beckoned them both to a nearby metal door. "Katsumi is through this door. She has been a wonder at repairing some of the broken technology around here. She's an intelligent young woman, and if you don't mind me saying, she seems happy here. She is in a place with her own kind."
Nick noted the words "with her own kind" and pushed the door open. Before Piper and Nick went through the door, DiMA's skeletal hand touched Nick's shoulder.
"After you have talked with Kasumi, I would love to sit down and catch up with you Nick. I am not asking you to forgive me for what transpired in the escape. But I have always imagined what it would be like to see you again, brother. I'm glad that you found me."
Nick nodded and followed Piper down the hallway. After two weeks of travel through the Commonwealth with Piper at his side, Nick felt a sense of professional pride that he was able to chase the trail of a 150 year old case across the ocean to a remote island, but he also felt nervous about reconnecting with a synth who he barely knew.
DiMA seemed to be trustworthy but there was something nagging at him that he couldn't put his finger on.
No matter what it was, Nick knew to never ignore a hunch.