Revised on the 7th of November 2017


Near the Forbidden Zone, Big Mountain Research Facility

2285

"GET THE FUCK OFF ME YOU MUTT!"

Parmley struggled against the snakehead muzzle of a Nightstalker, latching its fangs onto the muzzle of his Tri-Beam laser. As the tug-of-war between the man and the hybrid persisted, Boone was to the side trying his best to keep the rest of the Nightstalker pack from attacking the two floating brains they were escorting back to the Sink. Easier said than done. More so when he only had a bolt-action for the vicious pack encircling them.

"I just got this arm fixed!" Parmley exclaimed, slamming the weapon's stock into the Nightstalker to make it stagger back. Then quickly blasting its scaly head into a dozen singed pieces.

They knew Nightstalkers were present in the area but had no idea there were huge packs of them roaming around the facility. Quite a shock to just suddenly see a pack come from around the corner of a rock. Hearing the rattling of their tails long before they bared any fangs. Another nuisance they had to deal with while they were stuck in this godforsaken Pre-War facility.

"LOBOTOMITE, I REQUIRE ASSISTANCE!" Klein begged as a Nightstalker got ahold of one of his monitors. "WATCH THE PAINT!"

Parmley turned and ran over to the Think Tank, kicking the reptilian canine away, but it quickly regained semblance before hissing and pouncing at him. The Ranger quickly fired a burst from the energy weapon and disintegrated the creature, feeling the hot ash cloud around his body. He then grabbed Klein and began pushing him towards the horizon. Boone and Mobius followed suit, Robo-Scorpions covering their escape. Even those machines were having trouble with the pack.

"Goddammit, I do not want to go back to the Auto-Doc after this!" Parmley expressed, running alongside the others.

Boone was silent as he kept his eyes on the horizon, weaving through a labyrinth of misshapen canyons and crumbling rock. Seeing the white dome in the distance get closer and closer. He could hear the hissing and yips of the Nightstalkers that got past the Robo-Scorps not far behind them, not daring himself to look back. However, movement in the left corner of his eye made him catch a glimpse of something flashing orange in the distance. Coming over the hills towards all the noise.

"Oh, you're kidding…" he groaned, spotting five Cazadores fly over a hill and flap their orange wings to them. Big enough that they kicked up dust as they flew past.

Raising his sniper rifle, he started firing at the fast-moving bugs, the seasoned marksman able to quickly take down two of the large wasps before they could get closer. However, a Nightstalker came from behind and nearly pounced on him, but only to be tackled from nowhere by Rex and have its throat ripped out by the cyberdog. Boone took that as a cue to start moving again as the hybrids were still hot on their heels.

Feeling the sun beat down on their backs and hulls, their lungs and processors almost wanting to burst from the exertion of being chased across half the facility's cracked landscape. They were close to the entrance, but it didn't look like it would be long until the two of the Wasteland's most dangerous creatures would get to them, first. With all the energy they could muscle up, they bolted to the glowing, blue door for salvation. Thankfully, reaching it and hastily filing in. Boone was the last one to get in, but before he got half of his body through the doorway a large shadow cast over him.

"Boone!" Parmley exclaimed, eyes as wide as monitors.

The Sniper felt something pull him back as he nearly lost an eye to a stinger as large as a bayonet. Stumbling back, he watched as the Cazador was then shot with red beams and crumpled to the ground with smoking marks over its carapace. It was still alive and flipped onto to its feet only to then have a Nightstalkers sink their fangs into it start ripping it apart. The black-blue carapace spilling its green insides. The door finally shuts closed, the last thing they see is the body of a small Nightstalker howling as it is impaled by one of the other Cazadores.

The group finally had an opportunity to catch their breath, Boone and Parmley breathing heavily with Rex panting rapidly with his tongue hanging to the side. The two floating brains just floated there. Not seemingly exasperated by the confrontation. At least, physically.

"Well, that was…" Mobius paused, his grimy monitors twitching in thought. "Exhilarating! We should do that again sometime."

"No!" the Ranger exclaimed, glaring at the mad scientist as he leaned against his knees. "Let's… Let's just get upstairs. Veronica should be waiting for us."

As Boone looked around, he felt something warm and wet dripping down his right cheek. Bringing his hand up there, he looks down to see his palm stained with blood. He then felt a fiery pain sting across the across his cheek and begin to spread throughout the right side of his face. At least he knew only a small fraction of the venom made it through. Otherwise, he'd be convulsing on the ground. Still needed a quick visit to the Auto-Doc.

"Least it wasn't the eye," the Sniper rejoiced lowly, thankful that he didn't lose that important tool.


Veronica sat on the metal floor of the Think Tank as the body of one of the robots they had killed was laid out before her. Doing one of the things she does best: Taking things apart. The ex-Scribe always found herself at ease when stripping something down to its core components and reassembling it just as new. Sometimes tinkering with machines and seeing if she could do something differently. Or, better yet, taking a bunch of random parts together and using them to make something. It didn't have to be useful, but it just had to be something.

It made her reminisce about the times she'd craft something with Nathan, huddled around a campfire or lantern as they worked with each other. Nathan bringing the resources while she brought her wits. Though, her friend was certainly knowledgeable with his tinkering, too.

On the other hand, he might not be so knowledgeable about the humanoid machine splayed in front of her, its lifeless one eye to the floor. As she dissected it as best she could, she was met with things both familiar and alien. She did find wires, actuators, nuts, bolts, and mechanisms very much present in the robots she usually scraps for parts, but also found what she could only assume to be a very advanced circuit board system and some of the smallest microprocessors she's ever seen. Even with all the experience of the Brotherhood behind her, she couldn't draw a lot of accurate conclusions. Again, she could only assume.

"And despite all that…" she mused, one hand going to her chin while the other went to pet the sleeping form of Cooper, curled up next to her. "Why does its power supply seem… Weak?"

The mechanical sound of a door opening makes her and Cooper's ears twitch, making them stand up to see the rest of their group returning with the two remaining scientists.

"Welcome back," Veronica greets, going up to them but noticing her Sniper pal wasn't with them. "Where's Boone?"

Parmley looked around awkwardly, before looking back at the Scribe. Trying to maintain a neutral expression.

"With the Doc," the Ranger bluntly answered. "He's fine but… Shit's fucked outside. Like, really fucked."

"Ooookay," the Scribe responded, wanting to shift the conversation for their sake. "Forget I asked, then?"

The two scientists they escorted then hovered to the front, Mobius looking around with his broken eyes as if in awe. A very human emotion rushing through his wires.

"My, my…" he let out, scanning as much of the environment as his old scanners could. "It's been a long time since I've been to this facility. If only I could fully remember what it looked like before I left."

"AND I WISH IT LOOKED LIKE IT DID BEFORE I LEFT!" Klein exclaimed, looking around with his monitors in disgust. "UNBELIEVABLE HOW MUCH DISREPAIR THE THINK TANK HAS FALLEN INTO SINCE MY ABSENCE. ROBOT REMAINS SCATTERED ALL OVER THE PLACE. BULLET HOLES ACROSS THE WALLS AND CEILING. AND WHAT ARE THOSE DISGUSTING AMALGAMATIONS OVER THERE?!"

Everyone looked at the corner where Klein was expressing contempt.

"Uh," Veronica was looking at the sleeping hulls of the other scientists. "Those are your friends…"

Klein then revolved on his axis and stared at Veronica before turning back to look at the spot again.

"OH," Klein expressed, sounding rather quiet for the moment. "WELL, THEY STILL LOOK FILTHY. POSSIBLY SULLIED BY YOUR GRIMY HANDS. FRET NOT, THOUGH! THEY ARE SIMPLY IN AN EMERGENCY SHUT-DOWN STATE. MY COLLEAGUES SHOULD REACTIVATE AFTER I GIVE THEM THE ALL-CLEAR CODE."

"Please do," Veronica responded. "The faster we get through with this the better."

The two returning scientists then floated over to their catatonic colleagues as Veronica and Cooper rejoined Parmley and Rex.

"How're you holding up?" the Ranger asks

"Better, but still could use some improvement," she admitted. "At least you guys made it back and brought the much-needed help we need. Six Pre-War scientists in the same room at a top of the line Pre-War research facility? Couldn't ask for a better dream team to find Nathan."

"Only if Klein can really wake up his friends. I'm sure you're more of an expert in this type of stuff, but we might be here for a while if those guys are anything like those crazy eggheads. How is he going to get them to wake up, anyway?"

"I'm sure it'll be some complex initiation code and procedure that could take some time before we can see some result-"

Klein screamed, louder than he was moments before, which was saying something. "WAKE UP YOU NARCOLEPTIC INSUBORDINATES!"

In an instant, the sleeping scientists began to reactivate into a dazed and confused fervor, their monitors flashing to life to scan the environment. Twitchy and uncollected.

"Whoah! Wha-? Where am I?!" the Think Tank with a large mouth monitor exclaimed.

"We have been awakened!" another one exclaimed, almost sounding like an old narrator from those Pre-War holotapes. "Free from the clutches of the mechanical monstrosities!"

" [#-!-#] !" the one with the green tank "said", sounding more like a radio frequency with too much static.

Parmley just looked at Veronica with a deadpan gaze on his eyes. The ex-Scribe nervously laughed, before she palmed her face and let out a groan in regret. Her enthusiasm about the chances of finding their friend dwindling by the second. Through the cracks of her hand, she saw a violet haze wash over her and opened to see another Think Tank float up to them and scan them with those monitors. A bit too close for comfort.

"We have guests!" a feminine voice spoke out from the brain, seeming enamored with the beings in front of her. "Living, breathing, and organic guests! Oh, and even little-little teddy bears! Quadrupedal, pointed snouts, and fur!"

She lowered herself to get a closer look at the dogs, Cooper backing away and snarling while Rex stared at her with an inquisitive tilt.

"LOBOTOMITES, MAY I INTRODUCE YOU TO 0, BOROUS, 8, AND DALA, RESPECTIVELY," the Chief Researcher listed, before facing his colleagues. "THINK TANK, MAY I INTRODUCE YOU TO VERONICA, REX, COOPER AND… PARMESAN?"

"Parmley," the Ranger corrected.

"YES, AND THEY ARE HERE BECAUSE A FRIEND OF THEIRS REQUIRES ASSISTANCE. THAT FRIEND BEING NATHAN BRIN."

Even if they were mostly machines, the fleshy humans could see them visibly react to the news. Dala seeming distraught upon hearing.

"What? My-my little teddy bear?" she questioned, getting even more uncomfortably close to the fleshy ones. "Is he in danger? Do his wounds need to be sewed up? Does one of his enemies require vivisecting?"

"We don't know," Veronica answered, bringing all their scanners onto her. "He could be in danger. He could be in a fight. All we do know is that he is missing, and it most likely involves your tech."

The scientists all looked at one another, hard to tell if it was uncertainty. Well, it was hard to tell anything at all with those literally static expressions.

"Sorry if this sounds somewhat critical," 0 spoke up. "But what makes you think that?"

"This dog here," Parmley spoke up next, crouching down to Cooper. "Is his. And I found him all by his lonesome. When I asked where his owner went, he led me to your satellite. And a bunch of bodies surrounding it."

More uncertain murmuring and beeping between all of them, only proving to make Veronica more anxious.

"Well, dog is man's best friend," Borous stated, sounding confident in his manner. "Not to discredit cats or exotic birds, of course. If they still exist. However, that still leaves us with the question of where our missing person has gone. Or if he will ever turn up, again."

"That's why we're here," Veronica stated, stepping forward. "We think he used your teleportation device but somehow ended up where he shouldn't be. Is there any way you guys can discern where he possibly could've gone? Anyway you can help us?"

More murmuring erupted between them. More worrying.

"Maybe…" 0 honestly answered, trying not to be too harsh with the truth. "Possibly? Not too sure…"

"If his Transportalponder malfunctioned, there's no telling what happened," Dala admitted, sounding not too enthused about it either. "Despite the resiliency of his thick, muscular, outer layer of skin, there are so many variables that could've ended in a less than assembled body. As morbid and explicit as it may seem."

"It is possible but not likely!" Borous announced next. "Your friend could be anywhere in the world, from Massachusetts, Moscow, to even Beijing! He might not even be in our Solar System – floating through the deep, dark expanse of a cruel Universe, his molecular most likely fractured in a billion different pieces! Or, in a completely different dimension altogether! Where the laws of physics could be incomprehensible to even the brightest minds still existing on this Earth. I could only pity what terrible fate has befallen Nathan Brin, what insufferable torture he may be suffering through. A possibly greater pain than Atlas having the world on his shoulders!"

After that small tirade, they all just stared at him in a mixture of disbelief and shock. Veronica almost seeming horrified by all the nasty but still scientifically probable ways Nathan could be dying of, right now. Parmley just stood there, cringing as he observed her. Even the dogs were unamused by that lecture as they kept their muzzles closed and their tails motionless.

"Uhm… Borous?" 0 said, nervously laughing. "I think you might've gone a bit overboard with the hyperbole. Eh, just a smidge."

His pathetic attempt at laughter echoed throughout the silent laboratory, almost as quiet as the graveyard near Goodsprings. But amidst all this silent commotion, one floating brain decided to speak up.

"My goodness, how far we've fallen…" Mobius stated, sounding more than disappointed with how much things were in disarray. More out of hand than the maintenance of his body. "To think that Big Mountain was once the precipice of scientific research in the world. I thought things would improve when Nathan came into our little, experimental bubble and shook things up greater than the nukes did. Yet, no one here seems capable of reacquiring their sensibilities, again. If you had them all in the first place."

The Think Tanks stared at Mobius, their expressions still difficult to read but it wasn't hard to guess they weren't feeling at least a twinge of shame for what they have devolved into. That was until another question then popped into their dome heads as they looked at their fellow Think Tank.

"Wait… Mobius?" 0 questioned. "What are you doing here?"

"HE'S HERE TO DO WORK," Klein declared with an irate tone, making everyone focus on him. "AS SHOULD ALL OF US BE DOING. IN THE FIVE OR SO MINUTES IT TOOK FOR ALL YOU TO ASK QUESTIONS AND GENERALLY BE INCOMPETENT, WE COULD'VE SPENT THAT TIME DISCERNING WHERE NATHAN WAS TAKEN TO AND COORDINATE OUR EFFORTS IN TRYING TO BRING HIM BACK. NOT JUST FOR US, BUT FOR HIS FRIENDS WHO HAVE JOURNEYED SO FAR AND SO WIDE, BUT HAVE BEEN FORCED TO ENDURE YOUR SECOND-HAND STUPIDITY. IF ANY OF YOU ARE ANY BIT OF THE GENIUSES YOU SO CLAIM YOURSELVES TO BE, THEN GET TO YOUR STATIONS! FOR WE ARE GOING TO SAVE THE LOBOTOMITE! WITH SCIENCE!"

"Well, we still have to figure out where he is, first."

"I AM FULLY AWARE OF THAT, 0. DO WE NOT HAVE THE INSTRUMENTS TO CATALOGUE THE TRANSPORTALPONDER'S ACTIVITY, INCLUDING DESTINATION DATA?"

"I don't think we do-"

8 joined in on the conversation, announcing himself from across the lab as he looked at something. Already ahead of everyone else. " [*$(^=)#] !"

"Oh, we do… How 'bout that?"

"EXCELLENT. A SMALL MICRO-STEP CLOSER TO HELPING OUR FRIEND. EVERYONE, TO YOUR STATIONS! THERE IS SCIENCE TO BE DONE."

The Think Tank then dispersed, going to separate areas of the laboratory, and interacting with the advanced, high-end instruments at their disposal. For once, Veronica felt relieved about their mission. Mobius then approached her and the rest of the gang and addressed all of them with his grimy, but still attentive eye-stalks.

"I hope we find the gateway to our mutual friend, soon," Mobius wished, sounding not nearly as driven as Klein. "The scientific method, while it brought us many wonderful things, does not yield those results instantly. It may be a lengthy process to figure out how Mr. Brin got from here to wherever he is now, but we should reach it eventually. Science still has proven the impossible innumerable times."

"Thanks for that," the Scribe said, a warm smile gracing her face. "I really needed that. You guys aren't so bad after all. I bet you have tons of stories of Nathan."

"Oh, quite! But maybe you don't have to listen to me as we could have Nathan back here in just a manner of days!"

As soon as he said that, something literally exploded on the other side of the room, they turned around to see 8 running around with fire all over his metal body and the ruins of the computer he was examining. The same computer that logged where Nathan's Transportalponder brings him to.

" [#$(^=)#] !" he tried to scream, the flame not going away.

As they watched in shock, Parmley noticed an old fire extinguisher next to him and grabbed it, proceeding to chase the indiscernible bowl all over the lab.

"Wow, no wonder that computer exploded!" they heard 0 exclaim, looking at a different monitor. "The data that it was transferring is insane! Just where did Nathan go?"

Veronica and Mobius then exchanged a few uneasy glances.

"Erh, give or take," he admitted to her after witnessing that.

The realist approach would be their safest approach.


Watchpoint: Gibraltar, Mediterranean

2076

An orange haze hung over the peninsula as it was well into the afternoon, many places in Gibraltar turning on their lights in anticipation of the night – the Watchpoint very much being one of those places. Of course, not nearly as noticeable as the lighthouse shining a scant few kilometers from the shore.

The day was not over yet for Overwatch, but many still present on the base took the few hours they had left in their shifts to relax or to catch up on some important business not explicitly related to saving the world. Nathan was doing a bit of both, secluded to his quarters, and writing onto pieces of paper on his desk - a green hue glowing onto the white sheets because of the Plasma Grenade he was holding in his left hand. His desk was an organized mess at best, paper and pencils were strewn about, a half-disassembled M1911 to the side, and a coffee mug that's been there since the morning. And, of course, the presence of an advanced explosive on his desk which possibly violated a policy or two regarding ordinances. However, he had the computer online and a few holographic windows opened. Results from his attempt to explore more of the Internet and immerse himself into this world's technology.

It was… Surprisingly simple to explore. Granted, it was nothing like a terminal or holotape where there were only a few select files he could explore at a given time, but through his own sense of wandering and some help from Athena (he didn't have the heart nor patience to ask for assistance from Hana) he found a lot of interesting sites along his path. A lot of them seemed mundane, like online encyclopedias about history or cooking videos about rubbing sauce into a chicken, but others were more intriguing. Online holovid libraries, many dedicated to small household pets for some reason. Galleries of images with people, animals, places, and even just food. And mountains upon mountains of advertisements, learning that they long transcended beyond billboards in this world. All this info was daunting but intriguing. Wasn't a big fan of some of the music though, as his Pip-Boy played to the tune of a guy "goin' under".

"Maybe if I search hard enough," he said, more willing to procrastinate than write notes about the bomb on his desk. "I'll find out where my Transportalponder is."

He typed the letters into the holographic keyboard – rather proficiently – and clicked "Search", only to be lead to a page about transportation for endangered turtles.

"Eh, could only get so far," he said, despite fully knowing it was going to lead nowhere. He pivoted on his chair. "You probably saw that coming, did you?"

Bastion, who was sitting on the floor behind him, looked up at him in thought before letting out a hum. The Omnic had a bunch of books spread in front of him. Just random books Nathan nicked from wherever, one or two from his world. Most from around the base. Not a lot of people seemed to be using them, anyway. He wasn't sure if Bastion could read the words or just liked looking at the pictures.

"Watcha' lookin' at?" He scooched to take a closer look at the book Bastion was currently examining.

"Chk eet ut," reading robot replied, grabbing the book with his good arm and handing it to him.

Grabbing the book, he looks at the cover to see that it was old but still in good condition.

"'Mythologies and Legends of the Old World'," he read aloud, perking an eyebrow.

He opened the book and flipped through the pages before randomly landing his finger on a section.

"'Stories of Ancient Greece'," he read off the page again, before listing off a series of names with each flip of the page. "Archimedes. Euclid. Helios. Odysseus. Poseidon… Ganymede?"

There was a section of the chapter dedicated to this figure, accompanied by an old art piece showing a person being kidnapped by a giant eagle. The Wastelander's eyes glaze over the paragraphs with intrigue.

"Considered one of the most beautiful mortals and kidnapped by Zeus," he paraphrased as his eyes kept moving. "Used as a symbol of a sexual relationship between an adult male and a young boy."

Nathan visibly cringed in disgust, releasing the book from his grasp and letting it fall flat to the floor.

"Zeus'll fit right in with all the psychopaths, then," he then said with disdain as unpleasant thoughts came to mind, mainly of targets he's killed. "Fuckin' child predators."

Chirping made him cast his gaze up to Bastion holding the bird on his metal hand, looking at his friend attentively. Nathan watched as the two "chatted", the robot beeping to the bird's cheeping. He still wondered how the two became friends and why the feathered critter didn't just fly away from the sight of the hulking machine, or biped in this base. That thing just did not have a skittish bone in its body. And if he believed what he sometimes overheard in the halls, the two were making a name for themselves. Well, one of them had a name, at least.

Looking back at his desk, he picks up a spare paper clip and gets up from his chair. The man approaches the two, who look up at him, and he holds out his right palm. Almost instantly, the yellow bird jumps up onto his hand and spots the paperclip. Taking it in its beak, it then flies over to his nest by the window and sticking the metal piece among twigs and sticks. Making its home sturdier with manmade materials. The Californian then walks up to the window and looks out at the horizon. Unlike him, the bird didn't seem to mind being from far from home.

"Well, I'm not calling you Zeus, that's for sure," Nathan stated, tapping the feathered friend on their soft head with one finger. "How 'bout we do some exploring? See what else there is on this rock?"

"Doo doo veeooo?" Bastion inquired.

"I don't think so, but I've been cooped up in this base for long enough. You have, too. Don't worry, we'll be back before anyone even knows we were gone."

"Uh, Mr. Brin?"

Nathan closed his eyes and silently cursed himself, forgetting that privacy wasn't always an option when the base he was trapped had a literal A.I. overseeing it. Always.

"I'm sorry for eavesdropping, Mr. Brin," she apologized. "But I couldn't help notice what you were planning with Bastion. Now, this is clearly against protocol."

"You can save the rest, Athena," he lamented, trying not to sound irritated. "I know you're gonna try and-"

"You didn't let me finish. As I was saying, I was listening to your conversation because of security reasons. Security that can help ensure the safety of everyone under my care in Watchpoint: Gibraltar. Another way I can also ensure the well-being of the personnel is that I monitor their vitals, for any medical anomalies that warrant concern. I've been monitoring your vitals the past few days and noticed your stress levels are at a higher than acceptable levels."

"…Wait, you've been scanning my body?"

"Please try not to get too upset, Mr. Brin. I only mean well. As such, I might turn a blind-eye if you and Bastion were to leave and go out to see the peninsula for yourselves. I believe it could be very beneficial. Your stress levels are of concern."

The Courier almost didn't believe it. Even if tried to hide all her talk behind technicalities. He would've imagined someone like her to be deadest in the rules.

"What's your angle?" he questioned, still unsure of the gesture.

"No angle," the Watchpoint A.I. answered sincerely. "Just looking out for the people under my care."

"What about Bastion?"

"I have been surveying him for weeks and I doubt he will cause any trouble – if at all. Do keep him out of sight, though."

Nathan just stared at the ceiling, trying to fish for a response in his head. She has been friendly to him the entire time he's been stuck here, so it wasn't like this was out of nowhere.

"You're… Very trusting," the Courier observed. "Thanks."

"No problem, Nathan," Athena replied, sounding pleased. "Just be back before midnight."

"Can do. Come on Bastion, let's see what this place is like."

Beeping excitedly, the large Omnic tromped out of the quarters just behind Nathan. Eager to explore more of the world and see new sights. His small friend's colorful wings fluttering after him.


Gibraltar was a small place, given the circumstances. A small British territory that had a population that didn't even break into the fifty-thousands, even during the Omnic Crisis, it would be a surprise to see it bustling with activity across its streets and ports. Tourism and commerce was where the true value behind this small peninsula was, aside from the other use the international community once had for it. But, if one wanted to find some good food or have a fun time by the beach, Gibraltar isn't a bad place to be. Another reason many Overwatch agents considered Gibraltar a cozy post to be stationed at. Watch the ocean and enjoy some kebabs. Which Lena was currently doing as she walked on the streets in a yellow t-shirt and jeans, arms locked with a taller woman in a red beach dress and a sun hat over her red hair.

"I always love coming here," the redhead said with a bright smile on her face, looking around the street market they were walking through. "The food. The beach. The weather! And another reason to spend the day with you."

A glum look overtook her pale visage for a moment, but only a moment.

"I'm starting to miss those days more often."

"I know, Emily," Lena said, adjusting her grip on a backpack that was slightly glowing blue through the zippers. "But you know how work's been. Trying to be heroes and all. You should see how the big guy's been taking it, recently."

"Has it been that bad?"

"Not particularly, but every now and then I tell him he needs to relax but he just says," she proceeds to makes her voice as deep and guttural as she could to imitate the Gorilla. "'But the work I am conducting is of the utmost importance and could be critical to our success!' Or some nonsense like that."

That elicited a short giggle from Emily, Lena joining her until it died down.

"That was a great impression," she complimented, a smirk still on her face. "How are the others handling it?"

"Oh, they're all fine, I guess," her Overwatch spouse sort of answered. "Angela's getting her feathers ruffled but manages to keep it all in shape, Reinhardt's as loud as ever, Mei's been feeling a tad better since Lijiang, and Jesse's still acting like a knobhead. A lovable knobhead, though."

Lena smiled as she recounted about some of her friends, thankful that they were faring a bit better than her furry friend. The couple went along further down the road, merrily touring among the vendors and shops. There were a few interesting figures among the crowds. Street performers, eccentric old merchants, or people in brightly dressed clothing. There was one man near a vendor serving kebabs, and they would've walked by if that man and the bird on his shoulder didn't seem familiar.

"Nathan?" she questioned aloud, going through the crowd and alerting the tall man to their presence.

"Oh, Oxton! Hey," he said, turning around to face them with kebabs in hand. "Wasn't expecting to find you here. Who's your friend?"

Lena just stared at him for a few moments, her eyes switching between him and the bird. Nathan's expression also changed as he instantly knew what she was thinking, and was starting to have second thoughts leaving the base. However, her girlfriend nudged her with an elbow because she thought she was being rude.

"Oh, uh, sorry 'bout that, love," Lena quickly apologized, snapping back to the moment. "Emily, this is Nathan. I've told you about him. Nathan, this is Emily. My girlfriend."

The Pilot's eyes darted between the two, her girlfriend rather oblivious to her jittery movement as she was preoccupied with introductions.

"Howdy, ma'am," Nathan greeted, nodding to Emily. "I'd shake your hand if mine wasn't greasy."

"That's all right," Emily replied, eyes scanning over him. "So, you're Nathan, huh? It's nice to meet you, and she didn't tell me about your pet bird. It's so cute! Can I pet it?"

Lena was quick to intervene.

"Uh, I don't think that's a good idea, love," she warned, her eyes darting around the surroundings as if they were looking for something.

"Why not?" her lover questioned.

"Nah, it's fine," Nathan interjected, coaxing the feathered friend to his finger before bringing it down to Emily. "Here, hold out your finger."

The redhead does as she's told, one manicured finger extended in the air. The bird looks at it, before hopping on without a second thought. Emily lets out an adorable noise as she begins to pat its little head.

"What is its name?" she asks, enamored by the critter.

"Ganymede," he answers with a smirk.

"I love that name! It suits it so perfectly. Oh, you're so adorable, ya' know that?"

As if it understood her, Ganymede responds with a little song and made her snicker more. As this was going on, Lena forcefully grabbed Nathan by his arm and dragged him to a nearby alley. He wrestled his arm from her surprisingly strong grasp and looks at her to see a worried fury in her eyes.

"Are you bloody mad?!" she questioned, narrowing her eyes as she looked up at him. "Where's the Bastion?"

"Out of sight," he answered, crossing his arms. "I told him to stay put. In fact, I was just gonna head back to him until you two came along."

"But did you really have to bring it outside? With the sun still up? If someone spots Bastion, there is going to be an Omnic-hunt for him across this entire rock, and if that happens, it will lead the authorities to us and everything we've worked for will be a bust!"

"I know what I'm doing."

"Do you, mate? Do you really? Taking a Bastion unit around for a walk might as well be the equivalent of parading a tank through a village. At least, it doesn't have its gun limbs on it or that might make the problem worse. It'll be like sticking flares to it."

"Oxton-"

"But no, let's just let the terrifying symbol of the Omnic Crisis roam around the area and risk not only its life but everyone else's as well. Taking him out for a walk?! Creating a security risk is what you did!"

"Oxton-"

"And of course, this had to happen while Emily is visiting. I just hope to God that she will never get wrapped up in my work or it'll be-!"

"Oxton!"

Lena snapped out of her tirade, the Brit then realizing how it was so unlike to lose her temper that easily and so quickly. She sighed heavily and palmed her face, pinching her nose before opening her eyes and looking up at Nathan.

"I'm sorry, Brin," she started, her head clearer now. "I've just been stressed out lately. Just promise that all of you will be back before anyone here or at base notices."

"That was the plan, and I didn't intend on deviating from it," he reassured. "Besides, Athena was the one who gave me the go ahead."

"Did she?" the Pilot questioned, genuinely surprised that she let them go exploring. "Why?"

"I dunno. Pity, I guess."

Oxton then heard Emily calling out to her, turning around to see coming into the alley.

"Lena, are you there?" she calls out at the front of the alley. "Where've you gone?"

"Oh, I just needed to talk to- Woah!" the brunette exclaimed as she dodged out of Ganymede's way and watches them fly to the other end of the alley. Nathan nowhere in sight, now.

"Bye-bye, birdie! What were you saying, Lena?"

"I was saying I just needed to talk to Nathan about work. It was rather urgent."

"He looked like he left in a hurry."

Lena turned back to look at the far end of the alley, seeing nothing but brush on the other side.


Bastion had his single, blue eye locked on the horizon beyond the beach. Watching the sun finally dip beneath the blue waves and create an orange aura in the sky. This prompted the Omnic to let out a whir as he slowly drifted his head to the side. His metallic head rotated as bushes to his left began to rustle and saw Nathan come back with a six-pack of beers and some kebabs, Ganymede not too far behind – the bird finding its place on a metal shoulder.

They found a spot among the brush, far enough away from the beaten path yet with a good view of the beach as the vegetation gave way to open like a window. The seclusion was the most attractive part about this place. The only people they saw were on the beach, either taking in the sun, going for a swim, or playing some beachside sports. However, the Californian was content with cracking open a cold one and immediately downing about half of it. A refreshed sigh escapes his lips as the bottle comes back down and he just sits there next to the Omnic and Bird, the beer hanging lazily from his hand and the kebabs next to him simmering in the foil.

The next couple of minutes are silent, the only noises they hear are the crashing waves in the distance and some sounds of people mingling. Between Bastion's whirring insides and Nathan occasionally munching on a kebab or drinking, not much was being said between them. They reveled in this silence for a while, watching as the horizon continuously got dimmer and dimmer the more the sun fell beneath the sea.

"Krrz zoo chechiiu?" the Bastion broke the silence, his blocky head craning down to Nathan.

"No, I've seen my fair share of beaches," the man answered, looking Bastion in his eye for a moment before looking back at the orange sky. "Not a lot of them were ever this clean, though. Or had nearly as many tourists. The lack of a sickly green haze is also nice. Though, they weren't always bad."

"Vee?"

"Yes, this is back in the Wasteland. You still believe me on that, right?"

The robot answered with a crisp nod of his head and a chirp. The Wastelander went back to watching the sunset. Well, it would still be a sunset if the sun was still visible, not just the light still coming over the horizon. It still felt a bit warm, the man working to mend that by taking another chug of the cool liquid and polishing it clean. He then took another, hearty bite from a kebab and munching on the flavorful piece of moist meat. Feeling it go down as easy as it came.

"Something about this, though," he mused, eyes fixed on the sunset. "An old ranger I knew called it a 'different feeling'. I guess it does, but he was stationed at a resort in front of a lake and I am in a completely different Earth. Maybe that's why it feels different."

"Koocheeoo doo boo vee hoo wop?" Bastion further enquired, now looking at Nathan to see his response.

"… I guess… I'm nowhere closer to getting home. Nowhere closer to even finding the Transportalponder. And my 'contract' with Overwatch might be indefinite unless that ape, or anyone, figures something out."

Bastion looks at him, trying the gauge the situation the human had told him before the gaze of his one eye drifted a bit lower to see the six pack of beers. With his one arm, he reaches down and grabs one by the neck. Wrapping his metal fingers around it and the metal clinking against the glass, he methodically holds it up and brings the bottle up to the man.

"Veeroo Weeeer!"

Nathan looks at Bastion and the bottle, before smirking and graciously taking the frosty beverage from the metal hand.

"Thank ya' kindly," he says, using one of the edges on his Pip-Boy pop the cap off, then taking the metal circle in his fingers and examining it. "Nevertheless, it'll take all the alcohol and bottlecaps in the world to help me think clearly. Maybe a fine-looking gal, too. Until I can get back to the corrosive madness that is the Mojave Wasteland. But now?"

He reclined backwards, resting his back against a conveniently shaped rock and caressed the beer in his hands. Watching the sky become darker, seeing a few fires flare up around the beach with people gathered around them. He looked to see Ganymede picking at the scraps of his kebab, the tiny orange beak having trouble cutting into the meat.

"Now, I can just rest a spell," the Courier says, taking another swig before resting further into the rock, then shutting his eyes. "And wait for whatever they have in store for me."

The waves crashing on the beach, people laughing around campfires, and Bastion's mechanical body, all became white noise as he laid there.