"They're going to call us marauders...I'm sorry. I should've been here.
I promised you I'd never get back into one of those damn machines again. If you're looking down, I hope you understand.
You said it would be tough to start over, but I didn't listen. You said more would follow, and I thought they'd leave us alone.
I was wrong.
We left everything behind. Hell, getting here was just the beginning.
But there's no turning back. This is our land...
This...is our land.
And I will fight for it.
I don't know if there's any...'honor,' left on the Frontier. I don't know if there ever was.
I just know...
I'm gonna' make them pay.
-James MacAllan Journal Entry
Archive Quick Reference Guide
Spectres: They are produced by Hammond Robotics and are highly upgraded and weaponized robot soldiers.
Spyglass: Spyglass units handle logistics, navigation, deployment, and communication between all IMC forces on the Frontier.
Leviathan: Leviathans are gargantuan, lurching, hulking creatures, many stories tall. They inhabit their namesake planet, Leviathan.
Bish, Graves, Blisk, and MacAllan entries in "The Archive."
Danse stared at EV for fifteen minutes before finding the strength to approach her.
The rest of the squad had woken up and begun to pack. When they hadn't heard from Liera, he took it upon himself to check on her.
"Initiate?" His knocked on the cockpit.
"Please stand back." EV said.
He did, and EV lifted the doors.
Liera was still asleep, wearing what looked to be a respirator.
On either side of her were metallic brackets shaped like arms with triggers and buttons lining the handles. Below her were two foot holsters occupied by an empty pair of boots.
"Please remove the nebulizer from Pilot Lastimosa." EV requested.
He paused, "You want me to do what?"
"Please remove the nebulizer from Pilot Lastimosa." She repeated.
Danse hesitated. If he was going to remove the mask from her face, he'd have to step into the Titan.
"Can't you just…Wake her up?" He asked.
"Medical unit is low on reserves. To conserve energy, please manually remove the nebulizer from Pilot Lastimosa. Would you prefer a different language?"
"No." He answered hotly, "I understand."
Danse studied the door in front him. It was a panel covered in lenses, each one of them labeled "Field of View." The markers underneath ranged from one to twelve.
"Is that how she sees out of this thing?"
He gripped the arm of the chair, pulling himself into the hoard of complex technology that was EV's bowels. He almost hit his head on one of the levers that hung above him, a red one catching his attention. The faded letters read, "Eject."
"I wonder if she's ever had to pull it."
Refocusing on his task, he placed his hand on the nebulizer between its nozzles, pulling it under her lips. He was relieved to find a shallow breath pushing from her nose.
…
Liera clamped her arm as she ran, trying to lessen the red trail snaking behind her.
"Can't die yet. Need to buy…Sarah…time..."
Bullets flew passed her head, remedying her fading consciousness.
Her chest heaved as her legs pushed her forward. She wanted to turn around and fire back at the Spectres that hunted her.
"Pilots, all towers are down, I repeat, all towers are down. Watch out for incoming wildlife- they won't play favorites between you and the IMC." Bish said through her helmet.
She caught a glimpse of a Leviathan stampeding over the IMC's labs as she sprinted passed a window in the hallway.
"Great work, people." James broadcasted over the Militia channel, "We'll head to Demeter within the hour. It's time for the main event. MacAllan out."
Liera charged through a door, her shoulder slamming against the shined metal. EV opened the cockpit below, "Pilot, you have to jump."
She froze on IMC-branded rooftop.
"Pilot Lastimosa, hostiles closing in."
She leapt from the railing as another bullet tore through her.
...
Liera inhaled sharply, gripping her shoulder.
Paladin Danse hovered overhead.
She shuffled backwards, "What are you-"
"Your nebulizer." He said, "Your Titan asked me to wake you up. Something about the medical unit running low on power."
She noticed the mask dangling around her neck, "Oh…I…"
He pulled away from her, the scent of oil and testosterone still lingering.
Something less pleasant tickled her throat.
"Are you alright?" Danse asked.
"Yeah, I'm," She coughed, "I'm fine."
"Pilot, vital diagnostics indicate abnormal blood radiation levels. Enabling air filter."
EV closed the cockpit. The filter released an electronic hum as it powered on.
"I take it nuclear radiation isn't as prominent in your native atmosphere." Danse observed, standing only a few feet from EV's ocular hub.
"No, not really." Liera answered through her speaker.
"Scribe Haylen has a stock of Rad-X. I'll see to it that you're administered the proper dosage." He said.
"Rad-what?"
"It's a medication that treats radiation poisoning. Until you become acclimated to your new environment, I'd recommend limiting your exposure as much as possible." He turned his back to them, "Get yourself together. We'll meet you out here when we're ready."
"Sounds good..." She answered.
Liera slipped her boots up to her calf and pulled the laces, watching him retreat through the doors of the police station.
Her heart raced in her chest, "Maybe I should've taken my psych eval more seriously…"
…
Recon Squad Gladius had been on the road for two hours. They'd passed fresh bodies strung by their necks, and old ones hanging outside of rusted vehicles.
Cambridge was decorated in death.
Even the birdsong seemed mutated.
Liera had seen cities collapse on themselves because of the IMC's interference, but nothing like this. It made her sick to think that they might have been involved in the bombings of the Commonwealth, followed by a conscious decision to continue their bad habits in the Colonies.
As if their actions weren't bad enough, it somehow made it worse.
The squad soon learned that traveling with a Titan made them a target. They'd had been ambushed by Raiders, Ghouls, and a small troop of mercenaries that called themselves the 'Gunners,' according to Paladin Danse.
Everyone wanted a piece of EV, and there was plenty of her to go around.
However, cleansing the area of "filth" didn't leave a lot of time for rest, and that was something Haylen and Rhys needed desperately.
"Sniper up top." Liera's called out as her targeting system locked on.
The team below ducked as EV's plasma cannon disposed of their assailant.
"Coward couldn't even face us on the field of battle." Danse looked up at the smoldering chunk of building, his voice distorted through his Power Armor.
"So much for 'clean and quiet.'" Haylen sipped from her canteen.
"Sorry. Titans weren't built to be subtle." Liera smirked in her cockpit.
"There's no reason to be subtle when you have that in your arsenal." Danse chuckled, "See anything else up there?"
"Negative. All clear."
They seized the opportunity to cross a bridge in open space, glad to be leaving Cambridge behind them. Liera noticed a pattern of bent telephone poles, flattened debris, and ripped telephone wires through the rear camera. EV had blazed a path through the city's infrastructure.
"Good thing no one's here to report property damage. Briggs would have a big check to write."
"We'll stop here and rest for a bit." Danse ordered.
EV and Liera continued to scan for hostiles, "Perfect time to fill us in on this 'Behemoth.'"
"It's mean, green, and the size of EV." Haylen sat at the base of a tree.
"Requesting information on combat tactics and known weaknesses." EV said.
"Up-close and personal. Might throw something explosive at you when you try to run." Rhys chewed on a piece of mutfruit next to Haylen, "Other than that, we don't know what they're capable of. We called the retreat after we lost someone."
Haylen sighed, "We've lost four good men to this godforsaken wasteland."
"I'm sorry to hear that." Liera consoled.
Danse utilized the downtime for a rally, "Don't be. Everyone who signs up for a recon mission knows what to expect. Our lives depend on our training, and on each other. Nothing else." He looked to the trail before them, "And despite our setbacks, I don't intend to give up and head home…or end up missing like Recon Squad Artemis."
Rhys slammed his fist to his chest in a salute.
"Someone's feeling better." Haylen smirked.
"Those Ferals only scratched me." Rhys said, "I'll be fine."
"Oh yeah? Is that why you were whining like a baby when I patched you up?"
"You must have me confused with someone else."
"Unless the Institute replaced you with a Synth overnight, I'm pretty sure it was you."
Liera sighed, "Still don't know who this 'Institute' is…"
"They're a group of scientists who went underground when the Great War started." Danse explained, "Spent the last few decades littering the Commonwealth with their technological nightmares. It's unacceptable."
"Why would they want to replace humans with their Synths?"
"Hostile takeover." Rhys growled, "They'd see the New World run by machines- a world that will never come to pass if the Brotherhood has anything to say about it. If they want to check the Commonwealth, we'll be the balance."
"Well put, Knight." Danse nodded.
"I hope you have the same vigor when the IMC shows up…"
A pulse of gunfire and shouting beat from the heart of Cambridge.
Danse turned to the trail leading farther away from the city, "Let's get moving."
The team continued towards south Boston.
…
Another hour passed. The barren twigs of the forest rolled like an ocean of bones. An occasional creak of wind slipped through EV's joints, muffling Liera's external audio.
Something twinkled high above the skeletal wilds.
"EV, check that out." She said.
"TERRAIN ANALYSIS COMMENCING
Scanning…"
EV's words typed in front of her, "VIABLE SATELLITE ARRAY NEARBY"
"An array? Out here?"
"Brotherhood of Steel Distress Pulser detected." EV said through her speaker.
The team halted.
"What's that?" Rhys asked.
"A distress pulser similar to Scribe Haylen's detected in the immediate vicinity." EV pointed, "The signal is coming from that satellite array. Enclosed device detected. Transmitting decrypted data:"
"This is Farris," An exasperated man's voice broadcasted from the cockpit, "It's been…two hours since the Paladin left. My leg...I can't stanch the bleeding. Bullet must've hit an artery. Brandis...if you get this...I hope you make it back to Astlin in time. There was nothing you could do for me. Get to the bunker up north. You'll survive. That's all that…matters..."
Danse's helmet twisted towards the destination in question, "They must have come to the satellite array for the comm system. Probably trying to send word back to the Prydwen…They've been presumed dead for years…" His voice was coarse, "Shortly after they arrived, we lost contact with them and they haven't been heard from since…Well, until now."
"The Brotherhood never sent a rescue team?" Liera asked.
"We don't have the resources or the manpower to conduct a rescue mission of that scale. If a patrol is lost, all we can do is honor those who gave their lives in the line of duty." He shifted, "But if they're nearby, we have a responsibility to find out what happened to them."
"Well, we've located the signal," Haylen said, "Now we just need to survey the area and establish a search pattern."
"We might not need to. The tape mentioned a bunker. If I'm correct, it was part of my original mission brief." Dance left the trail and headed north, "Let's check it out."
"Paladin Danse, the satellite array may be our only means of establishing communications with the Frontier Militia." EV said.
"Then we'll hit it on our way back." Danse marched on, "If Paladin Brandis is still alive, we need to extract him immediately."
Liera sighed, "Right..."
…
Danse was surprisingly agile off the beaten path. Liera hadn't expected such a high level of mobility from his suit of armor.
"He's like a cat in that thing." She remembered her pet she'd left at home, "I don't think Dusty would like it here very much.""Knight Astlin…" He whispered, "She was in my company, years ago. Best marksman I ever saw." He took a deep breath, "What a loss."
"And Scribe Faris. He was wounded, couldn't walk." Haylen seemed disturbed, "Brandis always was a survivor, but to just leave a Scribe alone like that…"
"Don't worry, Haylen. We'd never leave you behind." Rhys winked at her.
She blushed.
"They all wound up alone, and at least two of them got killed…Damn it." Danse scolded.
"He broke the first rule of small-group tactics." Rhys's hands tightened around his rifle, "Stick together. Always stick together."
There was an eerie silence that followed until EV's alert chimed, "Land minds detected."
The three Brotherhood militants below paused.
"Definitely Brandis. He loves blowing shit up." Rhys smirked.
"Pilot, my chassis is too large to safely navigate through them. Causing an explosion could compromise the structural integrity of any underground facility. I recommend that you embark."
"Goddamn it. I don't want to go out there again."
EV leaned over, opening the cockpit, "Tagging locations on your HUD. Proceed with caution."
She climbed out, rifle in hand, "Alright, Paladin Danse. Point the way and I'll lead you around the mines."
"Outstanding. Scribe Haylen, Knight Rhys, watch our six. EV, contact Initiate Lastimosa should you engage." Danse ordered.
"'Initiate Lastimosa.' That's gotta' nice ring to it."
"Request confirmed." EV answered.
Danse pointed towards a stone pillar with an unfamiliar symbol spray-painted on it, "That's our marker."
"Alright. Stay close." Liera instructed.
"Understood. I'll tell you when we're close to the entrance."
Liera strategically worked her way through the hazardous clearing. There were at least a dozen explosive traps waiting for them.
It was just her and Danse, now.
"So," She said, "How worried should I really be about Elder Maxson?"
"As I said before- he'll appreciate your honesty."
"The look on the others' face when you said that wasn't very hope-inspiring." She admitted.
"I'm recon too, buddy."
"Elder Maxson is a brilliant tactician, a formidable warrior, and possesses an idealistic vision for the future of the Brotherhood. He single-handedly re-prioritized us from the ground up, and put us back on the path to glory." Danse grunted, shaking something snagged from his armored foot, "He believes that, in order to keep the Brotherhood strong, we have to bond as Brothers and Sisters. That being said, he's understandably particular when it comes to new recruits."
"'Particular.' Got it."
"If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear." Danse warned, "And as your sponsor, it will be my duty to travel with you throughout the Commonwealth to ensure that our ideals are being upheld."
"You're my…what?" She asked.
"I recruited you into the Brotherhood. Under Maxson's guidelines, that makes me responsible for you, and your actions." He huffed, "Not to put too fine a point on it, but if you screw up...We go down together."
"No pressure." She grunted.
"You should feel pressured…" Danse sighed, "I sincerely hope you appreciate how much of a chance I'm taking bringing you into the fold so quickly."
She smirked, "Likewise."
He thought for a moment.
"A fair assessment. Discussing your mission also put you at risk, no doubt." He lowered his voice, "This is the holdout site. Stay vigilant."
Liera lost sight of EV through the dead forest. It made her nervous.
She heard something to her left, aimed at the source, and waited for EV's sonar locks to find it.
A crouching man was outlined in orange behind the base of a tree.
Liera's raised her left fist, the hand signal for, "freeze." Danse halted.
She lowered her hand towards the ground, and they crouched in unison.
"I haven't used close quarter combat signals in four years…Bear with me, Danse." She looked down her sights, aiming her rifle at the highlighted man. Her arm extended parallel to her barrel, pointing at the tree with her thumb facing down.
Turning her head, she cupped her eye and held up one finger. Her left hand formed an "O," sliding up and down.
"Suspect sighted in that direction. One, armed with a shotgun."
He gave her a thumbs up, pointed at himself, pretended to pat his head, and pointed at her.
"Got it. I'll cover you."
Liera kept herself low as her active cloaking device initiated. She wound through the trees, flanking the man who kept trying to peak around the trunk of his cover.
She pressed her Hemlok to his skull, "Identify yourself."
The black barrels of his shotgun turned swiftly.
She slung her rifle as her knuckles came down on his forearm just above his wrist. Using the momentum to her advantage, she gripped the gun, pulling it from the man's grasp.
Liera pumped the shotgun at him, "Back up!"
The man laced his fingers behind his head, walking three paces backwards. He had white patches of hair above a wild beard. He wore a dingy jumpsuit and a brown, bulky contraption on his wrist.
Liera scanned for any more land mines, "All clear."
"Who are you? Who sent you? How'd you get here?" The man asked her.
"I asked you, first." She answered coldly.
"Paladin Brandis?" Danse asked as he approached them, "It's me, Danse."
"Saul…Johnfield…Danse?"
He sighed, "Yep. That's me."
"No...no, no, no, that can't be. Why...Why are you here?" Brandis panicked.
"I was dispatched to the Commonwealth on a recon mission, Paladin. Just like you." Danse remained calm.
"You…found me? How?" Brandis shuddered, "I've...I've been alone. For so long..."
"We found Farris's distress beacon. It led us here." He looked at Liera, "Lower your weapon, soldier."
She did as she was told.
Brandis's arms relaxed, his hands falling to his side, "I...I tried to go back for them. There was nothing I could do, not alone. But...I had hoped…" He twitched, looking around, "Please, come. Come inside. It's not safe to talk here. They're…everywhere. Listening. Waiting." He hustled back to the bunker, holding the door open for them.
"You turned invisible." Danse mumbled as they followed Brandis, "How did you expect me to watch your back?"
"I didn't." She handed him Brandis's shotgun to prove a point.
"I don't care how self-sufficient you are." He scolded, "No more flying solo. It's reckless."
"Fine. Sorry." She rolled her eyes behind her helmet.
"I don't want your apologies. I want your compliance."
"Not my fault you can't keep up…"
The two continued inside, following Brandis down a flight of steps.
The bunker's walls were funneled to form a choke point, and reinforced with Brotherhood of Steel-branded metal. There were numerous shelves and desks, all cluttered with an assortment of rusted items.
"Object of interest." EV wrote across the screen.
Something became highlighted on Liera's heads-up display.
"I've collected a lot over the years." Brandis explained, "Technology. Odds and ends. If you see anything you want, take it."
"Where did you find a Pipboy?" Danse asked, eyeing up the brown cuff on Brandis's arm.
"It was on a Raider. Was, a Raider. Now, dead."
Liera slinked over to investigate a crate tucked in a corner. She retrieved a broken hard drive, blowing away the layer of dust that clung to it.
"Come back with us. You're still a member of the Brotherhood, Paladin." Danse reasoned.
She stayed out of the conversation and kept her back turned to them. Her data knife's sensor introduced itself to the dingy vessel in her hands.
"What? No, no, I couldn't. Not after everything that's happened." Brandis seemed on the verge of insanity, "I... can't. It's been too long. I... I wouldn't be of any use."
"That's not true. No one knows the Commonwealth better than you. We need your help." Danse removed his helmet, his voice fading into normalcy, "It's time you reported in."
Brandis's feeble arms shook from his weight as he lowered himself onto a chair, "I'm...I'm not myself. Would they even take me?"
"You'd be placed under observation until you're fit for duty." Danse shifted in his Power Armor, "The Brotherhood will honor the memory of your team. Shouldn't you be the one to tell their story?"
"HMD-ENGR" blinked on the data knife's LED screen.
"Transmission received." EV wrote, "Code verified: Hammond Engineering. Unusual time signature detected. Decrypting…"
"No, it can't be…or could it? Have I been asking the wrong damn question this entire time?"A voiced screeched through her speaker. A man's voice filled the room, "After many decades of setbacks, scientists have discovered a way to fold space and time."
The grainy recording shifted to a woman who sounded like a news anchor, "Deep space explorers have discovered a dense zone of habitable planets, and everyone's calling it a new Frontier." She paused, "Dr. Hammond, now, as I understand it, the IMC's refueling facility here at Demeter is vital for travel between the core and the Frontier."
A voice crackled and waned, the previous man returning, "This is journalist Williams, reporting. Decades-long tensions exploding into all-out war on the Frontier today. The group calling themselves 'The Militia' have conducted numerous raids on IMC garrisons."
Liera's heart skipped.
"Vice Admiral Graves," a female news anchor, different than the first one, began, "You and Captain MacAllan have a long history of successful operations against the Militia. What do you think made him turn? Why did MacAllan betray you?"
"I...I remember hearing this. I was 6, I think..."
White noise deafened them before her voice returned with clarity, "Short on fuel and supplies, and I quote, 'The First Milita Fleet is unlikely to survive their next encounter with the IMC battle-group in pursuit.'"
A harsh man's voice cut through the broadcast, "All personnel, this is Vice Admiral Graves. We have a rare opportunity to destroy an entire Militia fleet. We know these terrorists are almost out of fuel. The desperation will make them unpredictable."
"It's…it's a briefing, back when Admiral Graves was IMC…""Do not underestimate them. They cannot run far, and they will most likely hit a fueling facility in the next few hours. Spyglass will fill you in."
She retracted her visor, looking up to Danse, "The Fracture refueling raid…they knew we were coming…I was there, Ryan had-"
"Initiate, what are we listening to, exactly?" He interrupted.
Liera raised her hand, silencing him as a robotic male began to speak, "Titan Pilots, you will be assigned to dropships at all potential targets at the Yuma system. A heavy rotation will be maintained at all sites. At the first sign of Militia forces, you will deploy to the ground and ensure the air-defense turrets remain online."
Vice Admiral Graves regained their attention, "You are cleared 'Weapons-Freed' for this operation. Stay vigilant. Graves out."
"Piecing together fragmented data." EV announced.
"In space, fuel is life, and the Militia fleet is running low." The engines of a dropship muffled Graves as he addressed the field troops, "Only seven planets in the Yuma system can replenish a fleet of that size. Victor is one of them. We've set up turrets like this one, just in case the Militia decides to pay this site a visit."
Rocket-propelled stabilizers fired as the ship began to lower. Liera was familiar with the sound.
"Bravo, give me a sitrep." Graves ordered.
"Turret online and operational, sir." An operator responded through the IMC channel, "Vice Admiral Graves, Zulu Three shows multiple jump signatures three clicks out."
"Blisk,' Graves commanded, "Tell Riggs to get his squad on the deck- Now!"
"Fucking Blisk…I'll rip your throat out, one day…"More ships sored by, rendering Graves inaudible.
"Sir, our forces have assembled at rally point Alpha." Blisk answered.
"Pilots," Graves continued, "Today, you have a chance to establish peace on the Frontier. Make it count!"
"Repairing corrupted files..." EV said.
"All units, be advised. The turrets are online for Alpha, and the Redeye's taking major damage." Blisk warned through the guns firing in the background, "Pilot, there's a hardpoint in that building. Get in there, and patch me in."
"Yes, sir!" A man responded.
"Is this…A Pilot's personal log…Broken, but..."
"Fast-forwarding to stabilized segment." EV interrupted.
"Hmph, we didn't even kill half their fleet. Fifty-four ships destroyed. That's it." Blisk seemed displeased.
"How many of those ships were civilian?" Graves asked.
"Today's civilians are tomorrow's Militia, sir. What did you want me to do, wait?" Blisk sneered.
"Start a search. I want that fleet found. Graves out."
"Transmission: Concluded. Playing back personal voice recording." EV said.
"MacAllan…it's been fifteen years since you left us. I'm sticking my neck out giving you these dead drops, but…I had my chance to fight on the right side of history. Should'a left with you on the Odyssey. Now, all I can do is hold you to your promise." The man's recorder clicked, and EV's feed went quiet.
She stood, "Paladin Brandis. This hard drive- where did you find it?"
His gazed followed her, "On the back…What color tape?"
Liera flipped the item over, "Blue."
"In the ruins…the Commonwealth Institute of Technology." He coughed, "We found it after we cleared the place of…Synths."
"It's registered under 'Hammond Engineering.' Do you either of you know who they are?" She begged, "Please, I promise I'll explain later. This is important."
Danse grumbled, "Hammond Engineering was an umbrella over privately owned corporations. They were more interested in turning a profit than helping mankind. They put the last nail in the coffin with their environmental irresponsibility. The Brotherhood deems them accountable for putting the gears of the Great War into motion."
"Vault-Tec, Mass Fusion, RobCo Industries, ArcJet Systems, Poseidon Energy…" Brandis rattled on, "If only we knew then, what we know now…"
"What did each of those corporations do?" She searched Danse for any sign of understanding.
"Vault-Tec developed fallout shelters. Mass Fusion led the industry in nuclear fusion technology. RobCo built war machines. ArcJet studied space technology, and Poseidon Energy had deep pockets in mining and oil refinement." His brows pinched, "What does any of this have to do with that recording?"
Liera traced the engraved logo with her thumb, "The founder of the IMC was Doctor Hammond, former CEO of Hammond Engineering. EV recognizes this motherboard as at least a hundred and fifty years old, but...Part of these recordings were from only a few years ago." She studied the relic, shaking her head, "I…I was there…We all were…"
"Drained us and left us to die. Bastards."
"Danse…" She looked up to him, "We have to get that satellite array back online. I have to tell Commander Briggs about this. Something's off."
"The Revere Satellite Array?" Brandis asked, "That's…that's where…" He cupped his face in his hands, "The Brotherhood won't take me back, Danse. Not after everything I've done."
Liera turned her attention to Brandis, "Your commanding officer sent you here with no knowledge of what you'd encounter. Previous training isn't easily applied in that situation, and adapting is even harder. Believe me, I know…" She continued, "If Elder Maxson is half the man Paladin Danse claims he is, he'll understand."
"Commander Briggs would…" That gave Brandis pause. His eyes were forlorn, "Unless I go back, their sacrifices...everything we went through...it'll be forgotten. I...I can't let that happen."
"I need you to get your shit together so I can leave, old man."
"We need to restore the satellite array and secure the Boston Airport as per orders from Elder Maxson. Will you help us, Paladin?" She asked.
Brandis looked to Danse, "You've a good Initiate under your wing." He pushed himself to his feet, "Alright. I…I will. I'll come with you. Allow me to gather my belongings. I will meet you outside." He saluted the two of them, "Ad Victoriam."
Danse's fist met his chest, "Ad Victoriam, Brother."
Liera mimicked the motion, but remained silent.
Danse beckoned Liera to follow as he climbed the steps leading out of the bunker. He opened the door, extending a polite hand gesture, "After you."
She walked outside into the windy Boston air.
"I'm going to hold you that promise, and I have a lot of questions." Danse's elbow rested on his helmet, "But you handled yourself honorably back there. You've earned my respect, soldier."
Liera was taken off guard by the commendation, "Uh…thank you. Ad Victoriam…I think?"
"'Ad Victoriam' means, 'To Victory.'" Danse explained, "In our eyes, defeat is unacceptable because we're fighting for mankind's future. Our rallying cry is more powerful than any weapon you could ever carry. Don't ever forget that."
"Ah." She frowned as she was reminded of home, "We have something like that. More of a mouthful, though."
"What is it?" He looked at her curiously.
"'United, we stand. Divided, we ambush.'" She grinned.
"That's rather…menacing."
"We have to be." Her eyebrows pinched, "Look, I may not be from here or meet your high standards, but…" She shook her head, "Earth deserves a fighting chance just like any other planet. I'll do everything I can to give you that."
He didn't say anything.
Liera coughed, her lungs wheezing as she closed her visor, "As long as Earth doesn't kill me, first…"
"I'll do everything I can to make sure that it doesn't." He wasn't being sarcastic in quoting her.
He seemed…frightened.
"Ready on your mark, Paladin." Brandis closed the bunker door behind them, slinging a large military duffle over his shoulder.
"Let's regroup and form a plan." Danse ordered, "Oh, and Brandis?"
"Yes?"
Danse handed him his shotgun, "Don't shoot the giant robot."
