Location: Cambridge Police Station and Prydwen
Spoilers: Danse acquisition and Initial BOS quests.
Warning: cursing
Away
Ferals. Why was it always ferals? One of her shots split the charging feral's head open like a can of cram dropped on concrete. Its brains painted the barricade behind it a pretty pale pink.
Macha, Wasteland Interior Decorator at your service. She snickered at her internal monologue, trying to lighten the mood. Behind the barricade, an intimidating looking man in power armor reloaded his weapon.
"Thank for your help civilian." His greeting was brusque and no nonsense. "But you should clear the area. This territory is controlled by the Brotherhood of Steel. We can take it from here. "
"Funny, from where I stood, it looked like you were being overrun. If my friend and I hadn't saved your ass, the only thing occupying this area would be more corpses."
"Don't expect gratitude from the Brotherhood." Hancock said. "They think they are better than the rest of the Commonwealth."
Macha raised an eyebrow at the malice in his comment. Who had pissed in his sugarbombs? He'd been irate the last few days, their normal joking and conversation spiraling into uncomfortable and strained silences. Things between them hadn't been the same since.. well.
The soldier's lip curled in disgust as he observed Hancock. The ghoul tipped his hat and gave a mocking half bow towards him. Macha felt the tension in the air become palatable even before the soldier's retort. "Keep that thing away from my men. If it goes feral, I will put it down."
Macha blinked in confusion, not understanding what he was referring to. They had killed all the ferals, hadn't they?
"Thing?" She questioned, stupefied.
"Your pet ghoul." He gestured to Hancock and suddenly it became clear. Instant dislike welled up inside her. Of all the- They had both just saved him and his crew and he was insulting John! Macha fumed, a muscle under her eye twitching. What a racist asshole!
Is it any differently than you treated him?Macha's inner voice queried. She felt ashamed when she recalled how she had acted. It was completely immature and she certainly was a bit of a hypocrite. After all, being a ghoul hadn't mattered until he kissed her. She couldn't blame him for being mad or even disappointed with her. She was disappointed in herself. Still, if this soldier thought she was gonna stand by and let him insult her friend, he had another thought coming.
"You're a ghoul!?" Macha gasped at Hancock in counterfeit horror, hoping he wouldn't take this as a further insult and realize she was just toying with this guy. "You mean all the time we have been traveling together, and you never told me?"
Macha watched as he struggled internally for a second, praying the chance to fuck with the Brotherhood would help bridge the gap her reaction had created. It was the closest thing she could offer as an olive branch at the moment; making fun of this bigot and attempting to restore their comfortable banter.
Finally, his ire at the Brotherhood won out. "Well I was going to get it tattooed across my forehead, but the lack of skin presented some problems."
Macha placed both her hands on her face like Munch's The Scream and wailed. "How could I have been so blind? The next town we stop by, I'll have to get some chalk and a chalk board. That way I can write a BIG sign that says 'ghoul' on it."
The soldier was not amused. "I see your taste in humor is a morbid as your choice in companions."
"Wow. Tough crowd." Macha snarked. This guy was really good at pushing her buttons. "I'm looking for a Paladin Danse. I was told he was recruiting for the Brotherhood. Know where I can find him?"
"He is. And you are addressing him."
Greatttttttttttttt! The bigot in charge was the recruiter. Further proof of the world's wicked sense of humor.
"We are too exposed out here and one of my crew is injured. You handled yourself well enough, for a civilian. Let's discuss this inside, before any more of your 'friends' make an appearance. I may have work for you." Without waiting for any acknowledgment, Danse turned on his heel and marched into the doorway of the Cambridge Police Station, leaving Macha and Hancock behind.
"Shooting ghouls with the Brotherhood of Steel huh?" Hancock's eyes narrowed at her in anger. "Let's hope this doesn't become a habit for you."
The comment stung and Macha flinched internally. "Hancock. I told you, this is just because they are the enemies of the Institute. Maybe they can help me find Shaun. We could use the tech and the resources. They have an army and are helping to clean up the Commonwealth. The enemy of my enemy is my friend."
"Yeah, by cleaning up, you mean killing anything that isn't human. The Brotherhood thinks all ghouls are monsters." He growled, twirling his knife in his hand. "I'll show them who's a monster."
"All I'm saying is let's give them a chance. This twatwaffle can't represent the entire mantra of the Brotherhood. Doesn't everyone deserve a chance at least?" She was referring to more than the Brotherhood, but if he understood that, he ignored her silent plea. She had even used a funny curse word, hoping to get a smile at least.
"I hope you know what you are doing, sister. The last thing the Commonwealth needs is one more member of the Brotherhood."
She frowned, not liking his tone. He had never questioned anything she had done before. He was always supportive about her choices with the Minuteman. Having his anger directed at her left Macha feeling drained. This is for Shaun. She reminded herself.
"Even if I join, it doesn't mean I believe the same things they do, John." She told him. "It's just a means to an end, that's all. For my son."
Hancock practically growled. "Alright. But the twatwaffle better watch his mouth before I gut him."
"You say the sweetest things."
Macha waited for him to say something cocky and witty and flash her a smile. Like 'It's part of my charm.' Instead, he just put his knife away and started up the steps toward the doors.
"You comin?" He called over his shoulder. He turned his back on her and went inside without waiting for her.
"Yeah." It was all she could think to say. She stood outside for a bit and scratched her arm. A pit had opened in her stomach and she felt sick without knowing why. Must be the chems. She thought as she grabbed a bottle of Buffjet. She spilled a few into her hand and swallowed, then after a moment took another handful and then another. Just the chems. I'll feel better in a bit. Once this kicks in. Gonna need it to deal with Paladin Danse. She thought as she tossed the empty bottle into the night and headed inside.
Her dislike of Danse grew more and more each passing minute. The man was arrogant and while she supposed that was a necessary quality for a leader, it came of more as narcissism than confidence. She was grateful of his explanation of synths and their ongoing struggle with the Institute, but the way he talked about eradicating them seem more like genocide than protecting people. Nick was a synth and a good man, and the thought of someone like Danse blowing him apart just because he a synth infuriated her.
The Institute itself was another matter all together. A company that kidnapped small children, murdered people and replaced them with robots. It sounded like something out of one of the Sci-Fi holotapes that Nate had loved to watch. She could almost hear the cheesy voice over from the narrator. Attack of the Metal Men from the Institute! Duh duh duhhhhhhh! It sounded crazy, and she couldn't disparage the Brotherhood for wanting to put an end to that at least.
"Are you listening, recruit?" Danse interrupted her thoughts.
"ArcJet systems. Deep range transmitter. Kill metal men. Got it." Macha really had tuned out most of the things he had said. He was less annoying that way. That.. and things were..kinda.. fuzzy. Maybe... maybe she had taken too much Buffjet.
"Well, that's a condensed version."
"Isn't that why they call it a briefing?" Macha snickered.
Danse sighed. "Stick close and follow orders. Even you should be able to do that."
Danse took off towards the back of the station. Macha's drugged brain watched him bound around in the power armor and compared it to a kid in a bouncy house. He ran with this odd gait, like he was springing forward with each step. Is that what I look like in my armor?
Macha thoughts began to bleed into something indiscernible. They were running. And then there was more running. Then they shot at something and all the while Danse would not shut up. It was Brotherhood this and Brotherhood that. It reminded her of her neighbor -what's her face. The one that would always show you pictures of her kids and tell you lengthy stories about how successful they were, regardless of whether you wanted to hear it or not.
Macha blinked in surprise when she realized they were in an elevator. When had they gone inside a building? She was just running and shooting on auto pilot. Danse was still talking, appearing loathsome to share the elevator with Hancock. Macha accidentally brushed Hancock's shoulder with her own and gave him a grin. Confusion and pain accosted her when he pulled back and just gave her a curt nod of his head. This is what you wanted Macha. Remember? Just friends. You know he cares about you. At least he is trying to be respectful about your personal space and not touch you. He's still by your side, despite it all, helping you with something he obviously doesn't agree with.
She didn't have time to finish her thoughts. When the elevator doors opened, laser fire rained down upon them. Macha took cover behind Danse and squeezed off a few shots. From there, it was a blur of motion and gun fire. They made their way through the facility, a tide of destroyed synthetic men in their wake.
They made it to the control room as Danse was overwhelmed by synths while she restored axillary power. Macha smashed the Engine start button and gaped as the engine primed and flames roared out from the Core, frying the attacking synths.
"Whoa." She gasped as the chems caused the fire to spark and flare in different colors. Reds, golds, purples, greens; a host of phoenixes rising from the ash and flying free.
"Holy shit! Are you OK?" She asked the crouching Paladin. He had taken several shots and the full brunt of the flames.
He waived off her concern and with the deep range transmitter secured, they left the building.
"Well, that could have gone smoother." Danse commented as they exited.
"Smoother?" Macha was slightly offended. She had rocked back there, even with as high as she was. "They are dead, we are alive. I'd say we did great."
"That was sloppy. We were caught unaware more than once because you weren't paying attention. That is unacceptable. However, your extra gun was the edge we needed."
Macha wasn't sure that if that was a compliment or insult. She noted Hancock was completely left out of the conversation. It was like Danse was pretending he didn't exist. Was the man really that dense? Hmmm... dense instead of Danse. Paladin Dense. Macha decided henceforth in her mind he was Paladin Dense and she didn't really care about his approval. She tossed him over the transmitter, willing him to get to the recruiting part so she could get a few pieces of tech and some useful info on the Institute and be done with this.
"I have a proposal." Danse continued. "Despite your unorthodox methods and.. your freakish choice of a traveling companion, the mission was successful. I am.. against my better judgment, going to sponsor you for recruitment."
"Great. It's been an honor." She said sarcastically.
Either Danse was dense or her sarcasm went over his head.
"Meet me back at the police station." Was all he said before he took off.
"So. You are really going to do this?" Hancock said, shaking his head. "You know, if you really wanted someone to boss you around, you could have just asked me."
Macha's response was automatic and without thought. "Kinky, John. Didn't know you were into BDSM."
Macha closed her eyes in self reproach and briefly considered shooting herself in the head. That was flirting. She had just flirted with him after telling they should just be friends. Oh goddammit. She was a hypocrite and a tease.
When she opened her eyes, he had lit a cigarette and had smoke rising out of what was left of his nose. Like the dragons in old fairy tales, the smoke curled from his nostrils, his face lit by the flame of the cigarette; old and dangerous, a creature out of lore. His dark eyes pierced throughout her, weighing her until he finally responded. "I'm surprised you know what that is."
Macha's face darkened and she turned from him and tucked a stray piece of her auburn hair behind her ear. He was taunting her. It was the same thing she had said about the gala and dancing.
"Court got interesting sometimes." She shrugged as she walked back to the station.
She didn't see the twitch of Hancock's lip as he did his best to recall he was upset at her and tried not smile.
"We are going to flying in that?" Macha could barely contain her excitement as she pointed to the Vertibird. All the dread of hearing Danse say that Elder Maxson was planning on going to war was drowned out by the whirling blades of the aircraft. What would it be like to see the Commonwealth from the sky? She looked at Hancock, hoping to share the thrill with him, but he was too busy holding his tricorn on his head to keep it from flying off in the wind.
Without waiting for an answer to her question, Macha hoisted herself up into the Vertibird. She turned and offered Hancock a hand up, figuring he'd need to help if he was going to hold onto his beloved hat. He hesitated when he saw her outstretched arm, fingers splayed in offering. The seconds ticked by and Macha felt some of her excitement diminish as he stood there. After what seemed like forever, he took the offered hand and joined her in the cabin.
Macha squealed in delight as the Vertibird became airborne and the world below her dwindled. Hands on the grips, she maneuvered the massive Gatling gun around, trying to get a feel for the controls.
"I suggest you aim with care when shooting. We don't want any mishaps with locals." Danse's voice sounded over the intercom.
No shit, Sherlock. She felt like saying, but she kept her mouth shut and just enjoyed the view. It was both tragic and beautiful at once. She could see the skyline of the city stretch on for miles. Skeletons of buildings, weathered and collapsing, rose toward the heavens as if imploring for aide. The water that appeared brown close up, looked blue from this vantage point and sparkled in the sun. The rusting hulls of boats dotted the blue and if she squinted hard enough, she could pretend there was life below like there once was. Cargo ships bursting with goods coming into port. A family on a Sunday cruise on their way to one of the outlying islands for a picnic. A tug boat chugging along towards it's next destination.
Paladin Dense was saying something not dick for once about the view and then quickly changed it into a conversation about battlefields and tactics. And this cleansing he kept referring to sounded rather extreme.
"Must have been nice to be able to get in one of these and jet off wherever you wanted to go. You think that's why they called they drug Jet?" Hancock asked, shouting about the din of the blades.
Macha attempted to speak and promptly ate half her hair as the wind whipped it into her open mouth. Spiting it out, she fought the wind and wrangled it into a bun. She thought she caught a smirk cross Hancock's face as she wrestled with her tresses. Was he laughing at her? Her hair had been in her eyes and she couldn't tell. Hair secured, she finally got to answer. "I always thought it had something to do with the Mile High Club."
"What's the Mile High Club?" He questioned.
Shit. Why had she said that? She had stupidly expected him to know what that was. Of course he didn't know, and that was exactly a topic she did not want to broach with him. "I'll tell you later."
No, she wouldn't. She was just going to hope he forgot and never asked her about it again.
Macha grabbed onto the overhead handle as the Vertibird docked on the Prydwen. The aircraft shook a moment and then stilled. Metal grated as a ramp was lowered before her. Macha beamed as she jumped onto the deck. This was going to be awesome.
This was dreadful. Almost everyone of the people she had met were militant extremists that boarded on genocidal. Elder Maxson was passionate about his cause, yes, but she saw a bit of maddness in him as well. He gave an eloquent speech, seeming calm and in control for one so young.
Macha had first thought he was incredibly handsome. Rugged and dark haired, the scar across his face only heightened his features instead of detracting from them. Now here's a man I can get behind, she thought. Or in front of .. or under.. I'm not picky. But then he started talking and saying how he was going to save humanity from it's worse enemy ..itself. His good looks lost some appeal after that.
Macha didn't see how killing more people and going to war with the Institute would save anyone. It just seemed like more death and destruction where innocent people would die. They were talking about using the Commonwealth, her home, as their battlefield. The very one she was trying to piece back together. One settlement at a time. Good, hard working people that just wanted to live in peace would get caught in the cross hairs of their war.
"I care about them you know. The people of the Commonwealth." Maxson said.
"Care about them?" Macha said incredulously. "You are talking about going to war."
"The Brotherhood is here to prevent a war by starting one of our own."
That made about as much sense as using a Deathclaw as a babysitter. "Yeah. I'm sure the guys that pressed the buttons all those years ago and nuked the fuck outta the world said the same thing."
"Good. You care about this plant. It's time to take responsibility for it. Our war won't reduce the world to ashes. You've already shown great promise. Paladin Danse tells me you are a bit unusual, but he's given his support. I'm naming you Knight within our ranks and a suit of power armor with the title. Wear it with pride."
Well, at least she was getting some spiffy armor, but holy shit she was not okay with this. It reminded her of another 'cleansing' she had read about in history. The Holocaust. Where a deranged man had wanted to wipe out all but some very specific types of people. Hancock was right. They really did want to cleanse the Commonwealth of anything non human, sentient or not.
Macha gave Maxson her most charming smile. They were needed at the moment. She still had to find Shaun. So, she would watch and she would wait, but the second they stepped out of line and messed with her people she was going to take these fuckers down. "Ad victoriam, Elder Maxson."
"Ad victoriam, Knight."
Macha explored the Prydwen, hoping to find some redeeming factors. So far, she had been met with nothing but failure. In one part of the ship, they had openly dissected a synth. Macha looked at the metal construct lying on the operating table and imagined what would happen if they got their hands on Nick. Nick who had selflessly risked himself to help her locate Shaun by linking with a psycho's mind. Nick who was a better man than most; more human than human at times. It filled her with rage.
Then there were the comments about Hancock. Ever corridor they turned down, someone had to make a racist remark.
"Keep a tight leash on that freak." A guard snarled. "You are putting us all at risk by bringing that creature here."
"Why? He's not contagious. Afraid you may develop a fetish for period clothes and a good fashion sense?" She shot back, her fists balled up. She wanted to punch that guy but knew it would only break her hand and serve no purpose. It's like they were brainwashed. Or all raised to hate anything different. Yes. Some ghouls were evil. But so were some people. Ghoul. Synth, Super mutant. It didn't matter. There was good and bad in all of them.
It weighed on her; each nasty comment a reminder that she had been no different. She had treated him this way too. Maybe not as extreme as these people were, but enough to warrant disgrace.
She could see it bothered Hancock as well. He kept reflexively reaching for his knife and stopping just short of pulling it out. Instead, he just stood there and scowled, his body language daring-hoping almost- that anyone would make a move and do more than just talk shit.
The final straws of her patience were wafting away in the wind and by the time she made her rounds to Knight Captain Cade, she had enough.
"I'm glad you finally stopped by for your exam, soldier. Ready?"
"Sure. Where do I bend over?" Came her snarky reply.
"This isn't that kind of exam." Cade replied, fetching a note pad and pen. "Just a few basic questions. Have you been exposed to large amounts of radiation as a child?
"My dad used to yell at me for sitting to close to the TV."
Cade looked confused and flipped through a few sheets of paper. "Wait? You're a Vault dweller? You are probably the healthiest person here. Sorry I missed that. Let me make a note in your file."
Her file. Like a few pieces of paper could sum her up. They were already cataloging her to make sure she fit into their neat little group of qualifications. With each scratch of the pen, her annoyance grew.
"Have you ever been in contact with anyone with any communicable diseases?"
"Yes. I've been know to get a bad case of dance fever when I hear a good song."
"Dance fever? I've never heard of- oh... you aren't being serious. This must be that-" He flipped more pages. "...morose and macabre sense of humor Paladin Danse commented on."
"Wait, he judged me on my humor? Nuh uh. That's incorrect. Paladin Dense- I mean Danse- does not have a sense of humor and therefore cannot accurately measure one." Macha tried to take the pen and clip board away from him to amend the note. "He meant to put witty and delightful. Make sure to fix that too."
"Well, I'll just mark that as no." Cade said, jerking the clipboard and pen out of her reach and scribbling again. "And lastly. Please answer honestly. Have you ever had sexual relations with any species considered non human?"
Hancock, who was leaning against the far wall snorted at this question. Don't look at Hancock. Don't look. Just think of something clever to say. Her mind blanked and she came up with nothing. Nada. "People," She cleared her throat and lowered her voice so he couldn't hear. "People can do that?"
"Why yes. Not anyone we want in our ranks of course. But there have been … cases."
"Cases?" Macha was really curious now. Her eyes flitted to the terminal behind his examination table.
"That's irrelevant. I'm just gonna put down no since it's obvious by your answer you didn't even know that was possible." More note taking. "Last question. Would you have any trouble pulling the trigger on an enemy of the Brotherhood, whether human, formally human or machine?"
That was a tricky question. Despite the Brotherhood's dogma, she wasn't about to go blow someone's head off without a damn good reason. She picked the safest answer she could. "If my life is in danger, I'll do what it takes to protect myself and my friends."
"An acceptable answer." Cade said, putting his pen up. "Now if you will excuse me, I need to get this report to Elder Maxson."
Cade left the room still shuffling through papers. Macha moved the second he left. She cracked her knuckles and attacked the terminal, digging through line after line of code. "Hancock, watch the door and let me know if he's coming back."
"I can do that. What are you looking for? Something to blackmail someone with?"
"Something like that." Her fingers flew across the keys, eyes scanning for the password. There. Got it. The terminal yielded to her hacking and Macha started digging through the personnel files of everyone on the Prydwen.
Thank goodness they keep such excellent records, she thought as she pulled up files. Finally, she hit pay dirt.
Subject has complained about rash on inner thigh and groin area. Examination revealed radiation laced boils and pustules along genitalia, thighs and buttocks. When lanced, pustules leak irradiated fluid burning the skin further. Symptoms are concurrent with STD from intercourse with a ghoul. Patient has-
Macha pressed the escape key on the terminal and exited the file. She had seen more than she wanted to. Changing the terminal back to its original settings she put the chair back and passed Hancock on the way out.
"Find anything good?" He asked.
"No." It was the most honest answer she could give.
"Get that thing off the ship. It's stinking up the place."
Macha ground her teeth. Was it really too much to ask for? Just to be able to walk by one- just one- member of the Brotherhood and NOT have them say something like that.
"That's it." Hancock said. "Time to put an end to this."
He had been more than patient, taking their jibes the entire time he was aboard, but he had apparently reached his limit. Hancock was already reaching for his weapon and Macha saw the Brotherhood soldier click the safety off his minigun. They were gonna kill him. Right in front of her, just mow him down, like he was nothing.. like he was a feral.
"No. No. No." Macha pleaded, stepping in front of John and in between him and the soldier. She grabbed his arm. "Don't do this. Please."
"What's going on here." Paladin Danse clunked into the room. "I thought I told you to keep that thing under control."
"He was just leaving." Macha said, staring Danse down. She had to get him off the ship. This was too volatile. She should have listened to him. These were not good people. If they killed him.. she'd never forgive herself. She had to protect him but she need their tech and their help. This was the only way to get both at the moment.
"Good. The sooner it leaves the better. We have work to do anyways, Knight." Danse ordered.
Hancock took his arm back from her, pulling the sleeve of his coat over the exposed flesh of his wrist. He couldn't keep the disappointment and anger from his voice. "You're going to go with that tin can?"
"Just keep away from me you filthy ghoul. The Knight and I have Brotherhood business to attend that doesn't concern the likes of you."
"Don't flatter yourself crew cut. You ain't my type." Hancock retorted.
"Only for a bit." She tried to reassure him. This felt like rejecting him all over again, and in a way it was, but she knew if he stayed here they would hurt him. "Meet me back at Sanctuary. I'll be there soon. I promise."
His gaze hardened. "Fine by me."
"Make sure it boards a Vertibird and gets off the ship." He ordered one of the guards.
"His name is Hancock" Macha hissed as she watched the guard escort him to the Vertibird that was powering up. She watched as the soldiers loaded Hancock into the aircraft as the blades began to spin, hoping he would look back at her; give her some sign he understood why she was sending him away. Macha followed the Vertibird as it flew off and disappeared into the night. He didn't look back.
