Finding Peace & Glory Chapter 10
AN1: What's this? Another chapter in less then a day!? Madness I say! Yes its true though! I got bored so here we go for more lovey dove stuff finally. R&R please!
==2 Hours Later – Railroad HQ==
Nora listened to the Railroad's leader, Desdemona, outline recent events for the secretive underground group in the past few weeks. As well as giving her a run down lesson on their current contacts, codes, signs used, and introducing her to the various major inner circle figureheads around the HQ. Finally though, after two hours of back and forth cramped walking, and talking shop, Nora had time to herself working on weapon and armor maintenance. Despite her spoken desire to get moving out to the Railroad's former HQ at Sloecum Joe's restaurant, Desdemona and Deacon had both said given current known patrols of Gen 1 Synths that night, that it was too risky to make their move right now.
"..Go get some rest and orient yourself to HQ. It's small but I think we got a lot we can offer each other, Wanderer.." she said referring to Nora's Railroad code name. Sadly Nora's suggestion of, Sarge, Ice Cube, Mrs. Chills, and after a bout of sarcasm 'Backstabber' were all turned down. Still most of her names and Desdemona's growing irritation when denied had gotten sly chuckles or amused looks from a few around the underground HQ.
Now finishing up her work on cleaning her six-crank laser musket, 10mm pistol, and Danse's old laser rifle. She had begun to move on to her scavenged or bought heavy combat armor when Glory came up to her. "..No rest yet huh?" She said leaning on the armor bench.
Nora shrugged a bit, setting to work on her armor cleaning. "..It's barely past 2000 hours by my reckoning of the day. Usually I'm not in bed these days till 2200 hours." Then chuckling, "..and also as usual, then back up by 0500. Of course, Dezzy says Deacon will be the one coming with me to that old HQ of yours to retrieve those supplies and what not. He made it clear I'm not to disturb him till 0700 though the lazy git." She said with a grin.
Glancing over to where Desdemona was smoking yet another cigarette and glowering having heard the 'Dezzy' comment, Glory returned the look grinning good nature to Nora. "..What can I say for all his skill Deacon ain't a morning person. Frankly given your show on the Freedom Trail today you did pretty good. For a human that is." She said. Glory figuring now was as good a time as any to break the reality of what she was to Nora.
Nora paused in her cleaning of the under lining of the heavy combat plates to look at Glory a moment, "..For a...human?" She said furrowing her brow then her eyes lit up some, "..you're a….a Gen 3 then?" she said.
"..As built and programmed as one could be.." She said waiting to fully see how Nora might taken this sudden revelation.
"..Well I guess that would explain a lot, how you handle Song so easily without a weapon's mount or Power Armor frame at least.." She she trailed off a bit, "..Look um...if I said anything up till now that, like, you know was offensive or…..or like in destroying those Gen 1's with Danse. I'm sorry you know?"
Grinning a bit back Glory said, "..Don't worry about it, truth is till just now I wasn't sure I would ever tell you. But now that we're working together I figured you ought to know. Does this change anything?" She prompted then.
Returning to her armor cleaning albeit at a slower, thoughtful pace, Nora considered her feelings. "..No, I guess not. I mean like I said before, you helped me get too and bury Nathan. You helped the Minutemen and I clear out the Castle with nary a request for payment. And…..and well you got me hooked up with those here who can help me take down Kellogg and hopefully get to Shaun. As I said before those all mean more to me then anything else.." Then sliding the last of the plate's into her carry pack she looked to Glory more naturally, "..Plus you're fun to be around and don't treat me like only I can solve all your problems and that your helpless like so many others."
Smiling a bit, "..Well….that's not entirely true right? I mean I did use your connection and leadership to the Minutemen to open up help to our caravans moving Gen 3's around up north and helping those with memory wipes find homes relatively safe and secure. And though my offers to help you were genuine they were also technically ways to test you for coming here.." She said.
Nora shrugged, moving over to where she had been given a cot for the night in one side hallway. "..Maybe, and don't think that didn't cross my mind. But the efforts you put yourself through were just as risky as those I was in at the same time. From what I see had something happened to you during those 'unauthorized missions' as Puff Puff Dezzy said earlier, this place would go up shit creek without a paddle." She said easing herself onto the cot to gaze up at the rough brick ceiling for a silent 20 minutes as Glory walked off to some other side hall behind a clothed covered locked fence. Soon though the sound of return footsteps drew her to turn onto her side to find Glory had laid down on an empty cot across from her and turned to look at her in return.
Evidently reading her thoughts then glancing at the cot, Glory spoke, "..Before you ask, yes I sleep. But it's more to recharge internal storage cells and 'digest' taken in food and drink for that task then actual need like you do."
"..I uh….was it that obvious on my face?" Nora replied embarrassment sneaking onto her features again as she ran a hand over her short cropped raven black hair.
"..It comes up eventually by everyone, like you knowing what I am, I figured I'd get it out of the way now." Glory commented.
"..Has it….I mean uh..." But yet again Nora's uncertainty got the better of her on how to approach this topic, which was unusual given her usual outspoken self she reflected. True it shouldn't be much different then approaching a different culture, race, or minority back in pre-war times which she never had problems with, yet here she was a little over 200 years tongue tied.
"..Go on, I promise I won't get offended Nora." Glory said then.
"..Well, uh were you always uh..." Nora gestured to Glory's full body figure.
"..Like this? For the most part yeah. I don't recall much of anything before I figure I first 'came alive' for all intents in a brightly lit white room. I recall a man in a white lab coat informing me my designation was 'G7-81' I'm surprised they didn't brand it into me." Glory said shaking her head in disgust, then sensing likely Nora's coming question, "..And before you ask no I don't know where the Institute's HQ, seems they memory lock that sort of information but…..well….now and then a little flash of my year and a half there comes to me. What little I do recall was….well there's no other term for it but hellish slavery conditions. Mining, construction, ….other things. I put up with that for a year and a half when I got out of there and was rescued by Desdemona and the Railroad. The other three Gen 3's I was with took memory wipes like most, but I begged Desdemona to let me train, and work for them. Six months later there wasn't much here in the Commonwealth that I concerned myself over as a 'Heavy' for the Railroad." She said.
Nora nodded a bit, "..After seeing you fight I believe it.." Then she trailed off again unsure how to phrase other questions. "..God I was one of Boston's best lawyers, public speakers, and I was a damn good platoon Sargent too. Now I can't seem to form a coherent thought to carry a conversation with you." She said with a huff.
Smiling a bit, "..Don't worry about it, Nora. So since it seems you know a bit about me, but I only know even less about you mind if I ask something?" She asked.
"..Yeah sure, why not? Seems only fair." Nora said.
"..If it's not too painful to ask what was pre-war life like?" She said.
Rolling off her side Nora stared up at the ceiling for a moment. "..Honestly? It wasn't the paradise some Ghouls you likely heard say it was. Honestly? If you ask me it was just like it is now, just flashier, and with its own tooth and claw struggles of day to day life. From food/water rationing, fossil fuel rationing for some things yet, nuclear waste disposal pile ups, corruption and greed. It was all there like it is now just in different forms. But at least now, everyone is just honest on how fucked up everything is. Back….back then if you tried to do that you just made your life hell. So you smiled….you got up each day, went off to work with a smile, then came home to only do it all over again all in your 3000 horsepower Corgevetta family car, and your shiny white house with a picket fence. And let's not forget us women then had to settle down with a proper husband and pop out babies to eventually grow up, live the lies, and likely end up fighting 'The Reds' for good old Uncle Sam and the US of freaking A." She said sighing then trailing off.
"..Do you miss it?" Glory asked softly.
Nora turned back on her side facing Glory again, "..At times like this? When the memories come up? I miss the only the things that made the hell that was my life give purpose.." She answered.
"..Nathan and your baby Shaun." Glory filled in, Nora nodding.
"..Nathan saw things like I did. Hell our joint service together is what drew us together. I loved him because no one else I had met understood the truth like he did. But we were trapped in a way, broken from service, broken from the things we did fighting 'The Reds', knowing how fleeting life was becoming here on the old mud ball of a planet we call Earth. But what else could we do?.." Nora sighed, then smiled a bit softly at the memory dredged up, "..So one wild day of outdoor park sexy time later and I was pregnant with Shaun, where nine months later he was all that mattered to either of us. Then…...then all this." Nora said falling back on her back again on the cot resting her left arm over her eyes to hide the falling tears.
"..Nora, I...I know I can't begin to understand how you might feel right now. But I'm sure I don't also need to tell you that you are not alone. As much as Piper may say how great you are for the Commonwealth, or Preston will say you're the miracle the Minutemen need, or even Desdemona and….and well even me will say how much we need your skills. I...and I'm pretty sure Piper and Preston at least wouldn't begrudge you for feeling as broken as you likely do." she said
Nora interrupted her by softly saying, "..I'm pretty broken Glory, if not for Shaun being out there somewhere by this Institute, and Kellogg needing to suffer for what he's done to Nathan. I...well I don't think anyone can fix me." She said rolling to have her back face Glory moving up to the wall as her body shuddered in restrained sadness and sorrow.
The moment of long silence in this small shadowed side hall was broken by Nora, hearing what sounded like Glory getting up, "..Probably to go to that other room she went too before.." Nora quietly thought, but then she felt the cot bend a bit as a comforting heavy weight came up behind her on the cot. Not turning, Nora barely felt herself say in question, "..G...Glory?" feeling confusion at the Gen 3 female Synth's presence.
"..Sleep Nora, no matter how broken you may think you are, you are not alone. You got my word that we're going to find Shaun, and if you'll have me when the time comes I'll be there to bring Justice to Kellogg for what he did.." she said gently putting an arm around Nora to comfort her gently close.
Nora remained tense for long minutes, Glory sensed, and initially didn't reply to her words spoken. But slowly it seems the close bodily comfort lulled the pre-war woman to relax and begin to drift off to sleep. Glory's audio receptors picking up the softly spoken words of. "..I would.." before Nora's breathing settled. If more words were to be spoken none came for the rest of the night, nor did anyone else in the underground Railroad HQ disturb the pair. For once in her almost 3 years of life now Glory felt she had a sense of purpose other then rescuing her own people from the grasp of The Institute and working with the Railroad, she had something more, she had a friend.
AN2: R&R please! And maybe its just me but did anyone else ever get the feeling Desdemona while a decent leader and having the purpose of treating Synths as 'equals' never seemed to show that to Glory other then being 'an asset'? I mean I guess it'd be needed given their line of work but seriously come on Dezzy!