"So? What do you think? Got your own room and everything. Got a roof, plenty of sunshine. Other kids to play with, and you don't have to eat mushrooms all day," RJ asked Duncan. They'd arrived at their new house the day before, and Duncan was still exploring every nook and cranny he could find.
"It's pretty cool," Duncan said flatly.
"Yeah," RJ agreed, trying not to sound totally heartbroken and crushed, "Pretty cool."
There was a cheer and a holler from outside, and RJ peeked out a window. A Vertibird with the Minutemen logo on the side was landing in the field outside, and the other settlers were waving their hats in greeting.
"Hey, Duncan! C'mere!" RJ opened the door, "Ever seen a Vertibird up close?"
"Yeah."
"Have you ever been in one?"
The boy's eyes lit up. There we go.
RJ joined the small crowd in the back, as a few Minutemen stepped out of the Vertibird, including General Nora herself, who was wearing her General's outfit, all blue and stuffy. Her T-45 Minuteman custom Power Armor remained in the Vertibird. Nora herself kept dark, short hair that was starting to turn an early gray. She shook hands and took pictures with people in the crowd; one person actually held up their fussy toddler for her to kiss as she struggled through the crowd.
"How about a kiss for my kid, too?" RJ asked, offering Duncan forward. Duncan glared at his father as the betrayal was so offered.
"Of course," she leaned over and kissed Duncan on the cheek. Duncan scrunched up his face.
"And what about me?" RJ offered his cheek. Nora slapped it instead, causing RJ to emit an, "Ow!"
"How are you, MacCready?" she asked.
"Little sore. Little disappointed. Pretty tired from my trip, too," he replied, "This is my son, Duncan. Duncan, this is Nora. She's the lady who found the cure that made you all better."
Duncan went from his annoyed, scrubbing-the-cooties-off-his-face to absolute wonder, "You're the Vault Lady?"
"I sure am."
"Cool! And you have a Vertibird and-" Duncan saw Dogmeat at Nora's side. RJ didn't know Duncan's eyes could get that big as Duncan yelped, "And you have a fluffy!"
"Yep, that's my fluffy."
Duncan was immediately transfixed by Dogmeat, who lavished in the attention from the human puppy.
"I knew you were a big deal but you're a straight up celebrity these days, Nora. You've got quite the welcome party here. Don't let it go to your head now, it's already just massive."
"I'll put some ice on it, maybe that'll help with the swelling."
"I dunno, you might just need to let some air out."
"Well we couldn't use you to do it, you're not sharp enough."
"Ouch! One of these days I'll get you."
"You're a good shot, MacCready, but not that good," Nora reminded him.
"True enough. Why don't we head up to my house, and we can talk? Duncan! Stay with Dogmeat, he'll keep you safe, OK?"
"OK dad! Get the stick, Dogmeat!"
"So congratulations on the girl," RJ said as they walked up the hill.
"Yeah, Preston and I are really excited. The surrogate is a little nervous, but we have her in Vault 81 right now. She'll get the best care there, especially with Curie overseeing things," Nora said.
"Preston, huh? Always pegged him for being too much of a tight-ass to get the job done. Or did he need to be pegged to loosen him up first?"
"I thought you were trying to get rid of your filthy tongue?" she glared down at him, though smirking.
"Hey, I didn't cuss, did I? I'm just saying. It didn't have to be him," he reminded her. There was a pause, as her expression melted to one of a hard neutrality.
"In a lot of ways, it did. When you asked me, Robert, I had…A lot going on. I couldn't. I was barely keeping things together with Piper, and with the war…" Nora rubbed her hands.
"No, I know, I…Probably shouldn't have asked when I did. Especially when I had to go get Duncan."
"We had responsibilities. No, more than that, I think, we had other loves that…We couldn't compromise on. I had the Minutemen and the Brotherhood, and you had Duncan. I think it would have been fun, I really do, Robert. I wish we'd had the time," Nora lamented.
"Well, we're alone now?" he offered. She smiled, tucked her hand into the breast of her coat, and pulled out a switchblade, which she opened with a definitive 'click.'
"Not that alone," she pointed out, and she handed the knife to him, hilt-first. MacCready took it, and looked it over.
"What's this?"
"A gift someone jabbed into my desk after slipping past my guard, along with a spooky note. You've been further around the continent than I have, I was hoping you would recognize the snake symbol. I was thinking some kind of mercenary or raider gang. I needed to bring this to someone I trusted, I couldn't risk a general inquiry about it. I think it's from the Capital Wasteland," she explained.
"How do you figure?" he asked, holding it up to the light.
"Just something that was in the note. I'd explain but it's one of those 'need to know' sorts of deals, and I don't want to color your memory with details."
"I'm not a big fan of secrets, Nora."
"Oh I love secrets. That's why I try to find as many as I can."
"That explains why they call you 'Nosy Nora' then. Yeah, I recognize the snake."
"Who's it from?"
"A gang in the Capital Wasteland called the Tunnel Snakes."
"What are Raiders doing in my offices?"
"No, I didn't say Raiders, I said gang. They're more like the Atom Cats than the Forged, just without the Power Armor. Their leader is a barber in Rivet City. Damn good haircuts. The guy's name is Butch Deloria, he was a Vault Dweller up until Vault Town opened up. The Tunnel Snakes control chunks of the DC metro, which allows caravans to move through them safely. They're good guys, but I don't see why they would be up here in the Commonwealth."
"Hmm. Any of them former members of the Brotherhood of Steel?"
"I don't think so, why?"
"The note said that Elder Maxson couldn't be trusted."
"So it was an obvious statement?"
Nora rolled her eyes, "How do I get in contact with the Tunnel Snakes from up here? How do I find this guy? What do the Tunnel Snakes want?"
"The Tunnel Snakes want to look tough. You show them the proper respect, and they'll respect you. They're egotists. Their motto is 'Tunnel Snakes Rule.' Seriously."
"I've heard you say that line before."
"Yeah it was kind of a joke. I never expected to encounter them again. If they're up here in the Commonwealth, it's because something has forced them to leave the Capital Wasteland, and while they might be great at fighting in tunnels, they're totally lost in the open."
"So check caves, tunnels, and the T, then?"
"Yeah, if you want to spend the rest of your life looking for them. Best way to find the Tunnel Snakes is bait them out. Butch in particular. And I know just how to do it, too. It's gonna sound crazy, but trust me. He won't be able to resist."
Nora leaned back, grinning, "I'm listening."
"Well, you been needing a haircut? Because like I said. Damn good haircuts."
"Piper, I can't air this."
"Come on, Travis, you've aired my stories before!"
"Yeah, but I've never aired a hit piece before, either. I'm not your editor, Piper, but none of this is substantiated. It's all speculation, and if I air this, the Brotherhood's never going to talk to me again, and they're the reason I can reach the Woo."
"Ugh! Fine!"
"Piper, before you storm out-"
"What."
"Do you want to…Talk? Like, as a friend? Because it seems to me that you need one right now."
Piper scowled at Travis, considering his offer, and slid into one of his chairs. He offered her a Nuka-Cola, which she took, and chugged.
"You're on a rampage, Piper, writing about everything that ruffles your feathers. Don't get me wrong, people love being informed, and you're a great read when you're angry, but you're angry all the time, and it's really showing."
"Have I been that transparent?"
"Might as well be your main headline: Local Reporter Pissed Off At World."
She snorted a laugh, "Yeah, I've been pretty on edge."
"Come on, Piper, you saved the world. You've got so much to be proud of! This is about Nat, isn't it?"
She frowned, "What did you hear?"
"Well, your sister decides she doesn't want to be a reporter anymore, and goes off to be a Squire with the Brotherhood. When I heard about it, I thought you'd be thrilled, I mean, she's being taught by Nora, she's with the brightest minds in the world. She's safe, she's being fed, and taught how to take care of herself."
"She joined a cult!"
"You're in a cult! So is Nora! You both joined the Children of Atom!"
"That's different, that was infiltration. We were tricking them; the Children of Atom are dangerous maniacs that need to be stopped. The Brotherhood is, too."
"The difference is that the Brotherhood has Power Armor, and the Children don't. And unlike the Children, the Brotherhood actually do good for others. They've done good for me. They can do good for you, too, and for Nat."
"Thanks for the Nuka Cola," Piper rolled her eyes, standing.
"All right, all right, I'll stop evangelizing. Think of it this way: Of all the things Nora has done, she's usually made the right decision. She's not someone that lets herself be led. She does things her way, and she bowls everyone else over that doesn't go along with it. Some people get mad, but she's usually right anyway. Am I wrong?"
"No."
"So how is Nora being part of the Brotherhood any different from her leading the Minutemen? Or sitting on the Diamond City Council? Or anything else she has ever done? She didn't join a cult, she joined the largest army on the East Coast, not to destroy it, but to lead it in a way she saw fit. The Brotherhood didn't recruit her, she recruited them!"
Piper glared at him, but didn't interrupt.
"And Nora would not have taken in your sister without making damn sure that Nat was taken care of-hold on," he turned to his station and flicked on the microphone, "That was 'Maybe' by the Ink Spots. To those familiar with the history of the Institute War, you might know the name of a particular soldier who fought on the frontlines. With little more than his wits and his rifle, he went from a mercenary running in Goodneighbor to one of the greatest heroes of the war. Well, he had to go back to the Capital Wasteland to take care of someone, but he's back, folks, with his little boy. Well, I've been saving this one for you, a new record, sent up from Three-Dog at Galaxy News Radio. When I heard it, I thought of you. Welcome back to the Commonwealth, MacCready."
Travis slid in a holotope and a new song played, 'Ain't Seen Nothin' Like You' by the Four Freshmen.
"Where was I? Nat. Nora allowed Nat to become a Squire because she wanted to make sure her friend's little sister was not only the best Sister in the Brotherhood, but she was taught right. So that the people you've been writing about don't get to her, that Nat become the kind of Knight in Shining Armor that you'd be proud of. That's all Nora wants, and that's all Nat wants."
Piper sighed, "When did you get so sanguine and wise?"
"I shot someone. It was pretty enlightening."
"You're a stinker."
"I think that's the lake."
"No way."
"Listen, Piper. Take my advice: Get laid, then contact Nora directly. Don't let things come around. Go out and make it happen, reach out to Nat and just…Be her big sister again. Stop being mad at her. At Nora. At yourself. If you don't, you'll end up destroying yourself, and everything you've built. They don't want that. Neither do I. You bring me the best news articles," he picked up the transcript she'd written for him, "Usually, anyway."
She snatched it, "All right. Well, I've got another piece for you, then."
"Yeah?"
"You ever heard of a gang called the Tunnel Snakes?"