Chapter 36: Black and White

"There is a wide, yawning black infinity. In every direction, the extension is endless; the sensation of depth is overwhelming. And the darkness is immortal. Where light exists, it is pure, blazing, fierce; but light exists almost nowhere, and the blackness itself is also pure and blazing and fierce."

~ Carl Sagan

The glare of the lights rendered the rows of seats nearly invisible to his eyes, a peripheral blur that made it impossible to tell how many were there. It was a good tactic for people new to the limelight, it made them focus more on their performance than on the audience. But Dean wasn't a newcomer, he liked to see the audience, to revel in their rapt attention. He altered the tempo and energy of his performance to influence the audience the way he wanted, it's what made him the best performer the world had ever seen.

"I'd sacrifice anything come what might…"

It was coming back to him, the rising energy of the performance, the vibration of the sound reverberation through the theatre, it all came together and transported him back to the past.

"For the sake of having you near. In spite of the warning voice that comes in the night and repeats, repeats in my ear."

His voice was a bit off, but the gravitas was still there, damn how he missed this!

"Don't you know, you fool! You never can win! Use your mentality, wake up to reality!"

He could almost hear the hush in the audience as they became further enraptured by his performance, it made his heart swell with the rising tide of emotion he could almost imagine rippling through the audience.

"And each time I do just the thought of you! Makes me stop before I begin, 'Cause I've got you! Under my skin… and I like you… under my skin!"*

The singular applause shook him from his reverie and reminded him that he was not in fact playing to a sold out theatre. He peered past the stage lights, trying to make out the shadow that seemingly detached from a wall and strode confidently down the aisle.

"I can see why they called you the incomparable Dean Domino!" The courier congratulated.

"What the hell are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be taking care of security?" Dean demanded.

"Oh, I did a bit more than that, Dean." The courier stated meaningfully.

"I don't know what the hell you're talking about, you smug bastard, but if you think I'm going to stand here and listen…"

"We found Vera."

That shut Dean up. His mouth simply hung open while his protests died in his throat. His mind whirled with the implications. If they had found Vera… and the Courier decided to confront him here, that could only mean.

As if reading his mind, "She was broken at the end. She didn't want to go through with it, did she Dean? She didn't really love Sinclair, but she didn't want to betray him either. I can't help but feel sorry for her, ya know? All that talent and fame, and in the end, while the world burned around her, she died utterly alone, enslaved to chems and to your thirst for vengeance."

"And what of it? My plans and yours aren't mutually exclusive!" Dean shouted, wracking his brain to salvage the situation. If his plans failed now… it would mean that years of scheming and waiting were wasted. His pride just couldn't countenance that.

"My team is already in place for the next phase. Christine received Vera's voice key and has gained us access. My operative is already down there."

"You are going to shut me out! You son of a bitch! You lousy wasteland piece of crap!"

Before he could continue the tirade, rough hands grasped each of his arms and lifted him off the ground. His curses sputtering out, he looked to either side on the verge of panic, trapped in the iron grip of both Brotherhood Paladins.

"Don't worry Dean, you'll get what you've been dreaming of. Once we get Elijah, the vault is all yours. Minus a percentage for my friends and I naturally. But most of it will be yours."

Dean's face was the very definition of paranoid suspicion, and he had every right to that feeling. Truth was, Courier Six had every intention of keeping up his end of the bargain, after all, his reputation as a courier depended on his word being kept.

"Warning. Security systems re-engaging in one minute." The adjutant called out, her voice sounding oddly faint as if coming from a great distance. She had reported that her processing power was being diverted more and more toward the battle with the NCR, so the courier wasn't the least bit surprised that she was unable to keep the holograms off their backs for much longer. It was long enough though, for they had everything they needed.

"That's our queue fellas. Let's meet up in Vera's room. That's where the elevator is." Paul turned to Dean, "You think you can manage to be civil or do these men have to carry you the whole way?"

Dean Domino grumbled something in the affirmative, his blazing eyes clearly the mirror of some future planned treachery to pay them all back for this indignity.

Paul smirked to himself, this ghoul had allowed vengeance to fester in his heart for centuries over a perceived slight to his ego… if left alive, what manner of scheme would he invent for the very real insult he had visited on the erstwhile entertainer?

He had no time to ponder them though as they met the rest of the time, sans Jacky, back in the sumptuous suite once occupied by Vera Keyes, her long decayed body carefully laid to rest on the oversized bed.

Now that Christine was imbued with Vera's voice, she had activated the elevator which took them into the belly of the casino, where the confrontation with Elijah would likely happen… in fact, the courier pinned his plans on it.

They moved out, Maxson in front with Cass, Veronica, Christine and one of the Paladins followed a short time later by Dean Domino, Sophia and the last paladin. Dog/God was too large to fit in the narrow ducts they found themselves in and in any case, his merging had purged him of his memory. His only emotion toward Paul and the team was a sense of gratitude without any context, so they had moved on without him, not fully trusting the super mutant's dubious sense of appreciation.

Jacky had moved ahead of them, and had done her work well to disable security holograms and other dangers as they proceeded. She left markers for them to guide them along the path. Those markers came in handy, for Paul noted that billowing masses of toxic 'Cloud' existed even down here, and made otherwise good paths nearly impossible to traverse.

They crept along in silence, the only sound the resonating clang of the paladin's power armor against the steel ducts and catwalks. Jacky left a note for them pinned to a wall with a combat knife. Approaching it carefully, Paul scanned the contents and chuckled, passing it back to Cass at her curious look.

"Worker complaining about safety issues and that the big boss was seemingly oblivious to them… What a surprise." Cass muttered, tossing the note aside.

Paul smiled in reply and continued on, noting how many emitters were scattered around the area and internally grateful that their collars were no longer susceptible to their interference. Having to deal with the speakers would have complicated and slowed their progress immensely.

"Sir." Summers murmured quietly as the group finally approached the vault. She held a holotape in her gloved hands and glanced in the direction of a skeletal corpse next to a duffle bag.

Curious, the Courier inserted the holotape into his Pip-boy and began reading it aloud for the benefit of the others.

"Vera.

If you're reading this, I know what you and Dean had planned tonight on the eve of the Gala event. I loved you very much, and whatever possessed you to choose Dean's arm over my hand is beyond me. Whether it was greed or lust, it had led you here and will forever keep us apart. I hope it leaves you as empty as you left me. As much as you sought what was inside the Sierra Madre, now it will keep you. The door was sealed, the elevator has left, and not even your voice will unlock it. This casino was my gift to you, and now you will be its heart for all time.

Sincerely,

Frederick Sinclair."

The courier shrugged and fixed a look on the clearly uncomfortable Domino. The man seemed distressed to discover that Sinclair had known of his plans and that he had made plans of his own… to trap them here in the heart of the casino. His shoulders slumped in defeat and he took the holotape that the courier pressed into his hands with nerveless fingers.

"Well, we may as well see what Sinclair put down here, eh?" Cass interrupted their milling uncertainty.

Jacky tapped the vault door and it obligingly opened, revealing a room that had the entire team gasping in awe.

As if an altar to Old World decadence and greed, a small mountain of shining golden bars greeted them and invoked in even the humblest among them visions of the fabulous wealth represented.

"Adjutant?" Veronica called out, as if to thin air.

"Adjutant online." The AI answered flatly.

"Report on the battle?" She asked hopefully, biting her lips in anticipation. Christine came up to her and took her hand in his own, a gesture met with a sigh a rolling eyes from Domino.

"Brotherhood and Terran forces have routed the NCR brigade. Estimate 8% casualties on allied forces and 32% casualties on the aggressors. 440 NCR soldiers have been captured in addition to their flag officer, Brigadier General Cassandra Moore. She is now in Brotherhood custody."

Veronica whooped, driving her free power gauntleted fist into the air, "Ad Victoriam!"

The others smiled and offered words of congratulations and relief, the other paladins coming to attention and repeating Veronica's salutation with enthusiasm.

As the revelry continued, Maxson directed his attention to the terminal in the room, "Adjutant, if you have enough processing power to spare, can you hack this terminal and perform a scan of any security protocols in place?"

"Scanning… Security protocol discovered. Failsafe subroutine located in 'Sinclair Account' files. The program is designed to lock down the vault. Disabling…"

"Please copy all data and scrub it for malicious logic. I want you to save it to the Brotherhood archives for future study."

"Acknowledged."

The courier was about to turn to the others when another terminal that had gone unnoticed, suddenly activated. He turned in surprise to see the smirking face of Elijah himself.

"I see my faith in you was not misplaced." Elijah began.

The courier looked around… thankfully Elijah seemed unaware of the others in the room and the courier gave a subtle hand signal for them to remain quiet while he addressed their target.

"That's right. I've gained access to the Vault here. Feel free to come down."

"I regret that I've had to collar such a useful ally," Elijah actually sounded somewhat contrite, "but you'll forgive me if I don't rush down there into your forgiving embrace. I've waited a long time for this… I can wait a few moments more."

"Really? You think that once you show your face that I blast that fucking smirk off your face or something? I did consider it… but I'm not clear of this place yet and that's all I want, to be free of this fucking deathtrap."

"Oh come now, surely you must feel a thrill at unlocking the treasure at the heart of the Sierra Madre! The Heist of the Centuries! Not just money, but technology. Power enough to remake the Mojave as I see fit. You could join me. You are one of the most resourceful men I've ever known… and considering my past association, that's saying something."

"Join you? So you're not here for just the treasure?"

"Do you really believe that I went through all this for some trinkets? Oh no, my dear Courier. The true worth of the Sierra Madre is not in the material riches held in that little room. Think of it, a legion of indestructible holograms under our command. The Cloud… a weapon of mass destruction that leaves buildings and technology intact. We could scour the wasteland clean of its infestation of pathetic squatters and remake it however we wanted!"

Someone gasped in the background, and the Courier grimaced at the unintentional sound, mentally crossing his fingers that Elijah hadn't heard it.

"You don't agree?" Good. He didn't hear it, but he took the look on the Courier's face as distaste for his plans.

"The Cloud is rather non-discriminate. With as much as I've experienced it, I can't help but wonder if you are a little crazy to think you can control it."

"I CAN!" Elijah announced triumphantly. I have data from Big Mountain, where the toxin was first developed, unintentionally of course. With the data from here, I know I can control it!"

Maxson nodded, "I don't doubt your scientific prowess, Elijah. But there are people I care about out there. You can't blame me for being concerned for them when you discuss unleashing the Cloud on the Mojave."

"Of course, but as I said, it IS controllable. We would be safe, along with whatever associates you want to spare." The man smoothly assured him.

The courier took a long moment, as if considering the offer, "I agree. If anything, to keep from being on the wrong end of the Cloud when you unleash it."

Elijah nodded, "Very wise. I knew you were smart enough to see which way the wind was blowing. Very well, I will meet you down there and we can begin our preparations!"

The screen went out and the courier whirled to the others, forestalling the budding storm of protests from the Brotherhood members.

"Shut up. We have to work fast. He's coming down here and we need to be ready for him. Spread out and hide as best as you can. Once he gets within reach, wait for my signal."

Veronica breathed a sigh of relief that the Courier had only been humoring Elijah's proposal, "What signal?"

Paul smiled, "What else? Ad Victoriam."

He stood in the doorway of the vault and tried to steady his breathing as the aged man, still bedecked in his Brotherhood robes rounded the corner from the elevator. The force field winked out at his approached, his smug smile punctuating his command of the technology.

"Courier Six." Elijah greeted.

"Elijah." The courier answered tersely.

The man came to a stop a few feet from him, his face screwing up in confusion at the cold reception he was receiving. Comprehension and the accompanying anger dawned on him, his face twisting in an expression of hate.

"What is the meaning of this?!" He roared, raising his rifle.

His shock was complete as the rifle sparked and flew from his hand, the casualty of the pinpoint accuracy of Cass's shot. He howled as hot shards of metal pierced his hands and chest, though his rage burned unabated through the agony. He made as if to pull a secondary weapon from his robes, a plan which died in its formation as Veronica barreled into him, her power fist crashing into his shoulder.

He slammed into the wall and he struggled to rise despite the ruin she had wrought on his arm and the bleeding cuts on his hands. He was nothing if not tenacious. He even managed to roll up onto a knee before he was slammed in the face with the staff end of a cosmic spear, a scowling Christine following up with a fierce drive into his sternum.

He fell onto his back, fighting to make his lungs draw air even as Christine's boot was planted on it, the business air of the spear hovering inches from his eyes.

He gasped as his lungs finally worked again, his eyes flicking wildly as he made a mental count of the Courier's allies.

His shock was almost comical at the sight of both Veronica and Christine standing grimly over him. They both stepped aside as the Courier walked in between them to reach down and haul the former Elder to his feet.

"I don't know how you managed this, but I will make you pay for this betrayal." Elijah spat.

"No, Elijah. I have stayed true to my purpose… unlike you." The courier answered calmly.

"Elijah, I hereby place you under arrest for treason." The courier stepped back and couldn't help the chuckle that escaped his lips at the look on Elijah's face as two paladins stepped to either side of him and grabbed him roughly.

The satisfied look on both Christine and Veronica's faces complimented his own, and he didn't bother to hide the smug look on his face as the former Elder's face crumbled.

"Make your way back to the surface, I have one last detail to attend."

The others filed past him, Cass pausing to squeeze his arm while she went.

Paul turned back to the vault and let his eyes wander over the treasures within. Dean stood with his back to him, stroking a gold bar and seemingly completely oblivious to the events that took place mere feet away.

In his head, Dean was fully aware of what was happening and was busily coming up with a plan to use their distraction to his advantage. He toyed with the notion of luring them back into the vault and finding a way to trigger the security protocols to lock them in.

"That won't work." A soft voice hissed in his ear. He jerked back, his heart suddenly hammering in his chest at the sudden shock. That damned woman re-materialized right next to him, a knowing smile on her face.

"Go ahead Jacky, I'll be up shortly." Maxson called out, stepping aside so that Jacky could squeeze past him through the door.

Dean's raptor gaze never left the Courier, his eyes beginning to narrow as the courier idly checked his hand for an imagined speck of dirt.

"You're going to get your wish Dean. This vault and everything in it is all yours. Though I did help myself to a souvenir." The courier held up one of the heavy gold bars.

He looked at the ghoul sheepishly, "Surely you don't begrudge me just one? Anywho…"

The courier took a single step back, "Adjutant, initiate lockdown."

Dean howled and sprang for the exit, but found himself sprawling to the ground as pain blossomed in his knee. The courier blew the smoke from Maria's barrel, the pistol that he had taken from Benny after he had killed him. Dean growled in agony and reached out, making a commendable though futile effort to pull himself across the floor. He looked up at the courier, his face becoming obscured by the descending door. He tossed something inside, the object clattering to within reach of Dean's reaching hands.

He recoiled, but realized that it was a stimpack, which he greedily grabbed and plunged into the meat of his thigh. The pain dimmed almost immediately and he breathed in relief… when the sudden thud of the vault door closing made him expel his breath in sudden panic.

The courier walked away, slowly enough to hear the muffled banging on the vault as Dean pleaded and cursed at him from the other side. He stepped into the elevator and smiled gratefully that Cass had waited for him.

Without preamble, he took the redhead in his arms, kissing her with unfettered passion while his free hand brushed against the elevator controls. The doors closed and drowned out the ghoul's hysterical begging and with a bump, began to ascend to the surface.

The vertibird stirred up dust as it awaited the team just outside the gates of the Sierra Madre. Sophia stopped to look back before boarding and raised a hand in farewell at the super mutant who had elected to stay there, a kingdom all his own to rule over.

The adjutant announced that to the group that she had completed the lockdown protocols, and that all security holograms were now active, though the courier made sure that they would not react to Dog/God's presence.

Activating a preset frequency in his Pip-boy, the courier had to actively work to keep the anger from his voice, "Sierra Madre is ready for you. Leave the super mutant alone and he should not bother you as you work."

He took a breath to control his temper, "Just know that I hold you partly responsible for this. I will expect regular status reports as you work to dissipate the cloud and help the Ghost people."

"You don't dictate to me penis hands!" Dr. Klein replied.

"This is SCIENCE! Our SCIENCE! I can't wait to begin studying it!" Dr. Borous added.

"Oh you shut up, I was talking!" Klein retorted hotly.

"You will do as I tell you or the next time we meet, I am going to use my penis hands to rip your brain right out of your case! I'll stick you in Dr. Mobius' lab where you can sit quietly and watch him conduct research until you turn to dust!"

Klein gasped, "You… you wouldn't!"

"Try me."

"Oh, um, well. The Think tank will get to work right away. We're sending some lobotomites to collect samples now."

The courier broke the contact, his tenuous grasp on his patience worn thin by the ethically challenged brain jars.

His good humor was restored by looking at his beautiful woman's face as she smiled at him from across the vertibird, and even more by the downtrodden look on Elijah's face as he sat in between the implacable paladins guarding him.

The briefing room was completely quiet, every officer having the good sense to not gain the attention of General Oliver. He was in the same position he had been in when he first read the urgent message passed to him. The message that was still clasped in a white knuckled grip. The message that reported the defeat and capture of BG Cassandra Moore.

Finally, after enough time had passed that an officer felt reasonably sure she could slip out without notice, the General stirred. The officer in question managed to slip out before anyone could stop her or think to join her, for General Oliver's animation was… emphatic.

"Someone had better explain this to me, right fucking now!" He roared, the volume enough to actually make the scattered papers on the conference table to vibrate and dust to waft from the ceiling.

A man cleared his throat, the General's hot glare falling directly onto him. The officers all moved aside, happy to have the negative attention fall on someone else.

This man bore scars the likes of which rendered him uniquely ugly and at the same time, lent him a singularly noble countenance. His stripes bore witness to years of service with his boots in the mud leading NCR troopers into the thickest fighting. If there was anyone in the room not impressed by the General's outburst, it was Sergeant Major Kendrick.

He stood, as was right when addressed by a senior officer, or in this case, captured attention. He scattered some papers around and looked up at the General, "They scared the shit of the boys, sir." He said frankly. An officer somewhere in the room audibly groaned at the man.

"Elaborate." The General ordered simply.

"They used combined forces tactics to compensate for our greater numbers. They used weapons of war effectively to contain the brigade and then took out the leadership to prevent cohesive command and control. Their front ranks decimated the more experienced troops in the vanguard before our superior numbers could tip the scales. Then they pulled out the mother of all robot scorpions to scare the shit out of the conscripts we had left. In short, we sent a herd of sheep into the jaws of a wolfpack."

The General was strangely calm when he asked, "What could Moore had done differently?"

"Honestly sir, it was going to be a clusterfuck no matter how we looked at it. They had air superiority, and aside from tactical mistake by one of the pilots after they took out the artillery, they used their asset and then moved on. They had some kind of specialist with superior stealth technology. We could have maybe turned things around, slogged it out and probably even won, but we'd have twice the casualties at least. We got Caesar about to jump our shit at the dam and the Brotherhood would have every reason to ram their boot right in our ass while we're duking it out with the Legion."

"So you're saying that I shouldn't have ordered BG Moore to engage the Brotherhood at all?"

The tension in the air was palpable, the officers visibly sweating at the implied threat in the General's tone.

"Yep." The noncom answered simply. Had these men and women been made of lesser stuff, surely one or more of them would have fainted dead away at the nearly insubordinate answer from the NCO.

General Oliver shook visibly for several moments before taking a long and profound breath, "You're probably right, Steven. The Brotherhood was just as likely to sit out the conflict with the Legion as interfere according to our intelligence. I thought that we couldn't take that chance. If I had known then what I know now about their capabilities…" He stared long and hard at the Intelligence officers… who were doing their level best to shrink down into the floor where they stood.

"As it is, we'll have to deploy several battalions to our flank to guard against a retaliatory Brotherhood assault while fighting Caesar. Oh and more good news? President Kimball is on his way."

SGM Kendrick grunted, "The President is coming here? Why?"

"Because I invited him… because this theatre of operations is important to the politics back west. Because his Presidency is riding on us securing the Mojave and the use of the Dam for our citizens. Take your pick."

"Better get ready to kiss some serious ass, sir." Kendrick said gruffly.

General Oliver shake his head in reluctant agreement.

Across the Colorado River, dark snakes wended their way from the east, sinuous lines of men and material streaming from Legion territories to join Caesar's already impressive force.

The man once known as Edward Sallow took the first pain free breath he had taken in… well, it had been a long time. He stood with a ghost of a smile flanked by Legate Lanius and several of his officers. A young centurion bowed before him, the massive man genuflecting before his commander while he awaited the pronouncement which would literally determine his life.

Caesar glanced over at the Centurion's father, the wise and indomitable Medes. He smiled at the obvious pride and affection in the man's gaze as he too, patiently awaited Caesar's words.

"Rise, Diomedes, son of Medes." He commanded.

The man rose tall and powerful, a fitting soldier of the Legion, and even more than that… the perfect harbinger of the doom about to befall the NCR.

"Novac is yours. I wish to look to the east and see the columns of smoke rising from that shithole of a town by this time tomorrow.

Diomedes nodded and gave his Caesar the Legion's salute, pride shining in his eyes. His father, with a nod from Caesar, takes the young man from the command tent and walks with him for a time. They pass other soldiers as they walk through Fortification Hill, women scurrying out of the way and men rising to offer the pair a salute.

Medes finally broke the silence, placing a hand on the young man's shoulder to stop him, "My son, tomorrow you will face your first battle as a Centurion. How do you feel?"

Diomedes considered his answer for a moment before answering, even looking around to ensure that they were out of earshot of any other soldiers, "I do not fear battle father, but I must admit to some… anxiety, over commanding others. I trust in my own skill at arms, but am I also skilled at judging the ebb and flow of battle? Can I inspire my men to great feats as you and vaunted Skypio have done? I fear that I will not conduct myself as well, that I would fall short somehow and disappoint you."

Medes smiled reassuringly at him, "I have raised you to consider all things, on the battlefield and off of it. It would be remiss of you to not give some weight to your feelings on the eve of your first command. But do not give it more weight than is due, for you will have experienced men with you to aid you in this. Listen to their council, but remember, you are in command. Have what fears you wish, but outwardly, you will be every inch the man appointed by Caesar himself to lead this attack."

Diomedes leaned against a weapons rack and stared off into the darkening night, "I wish I could purge myself of these doubts and head into battle as fearless as you."

Medes barked a laugh, his eyes full of mirth at the irony. "My son, I have never gone into battle without a measure of the same fear you feel now."

"Truly?" Diomedes was astonished.

"Truly. But I take the same advice I give to you. I judge my fears, use them as lessons to keep from being too proud and thus blinded, then I bury them beneath the weight of my duty. You can let fear become your master, or you can master your fear. Any man who does not fear is no man at all."

"Careful!" Diomedes hissed quietly, "Ears could pick up on your words and carry them with greedy tongues. Skypio, Lanius or even mighty Caesar would not be pleased to hear you speak of them thus."

Medes laughed all the more at this, "Son, It is of them that I speak! Excepting perhaps Lanius, the others acknowledge their fears as well. I have called Lanius a fool many a time for his boasts of fearlessness."

Diomedes hardly dared to breath, "And what did the Monster of the East do?"

"He challenged me! He wanted to see what my 'fear' was worth in single combat."

"Did you… did you defeat him?"

"Oh no, he thrashed me, all the more because I channeled my fears into a weapon and used it against him. It was not the glorious one-sided fight he thought it'd be. He was shamed that an old man like me was able to stand against him for so long. He may not feel fear, but he feels embarrassment! The beating he gave me was well worth it! I was celebrated for months after the fight. To the Legion, I may have fallen, but it was I who defeated his ideology that day. He has grown far more cautious since then, do not doubt!"

Diomedes saw his father in a new light, for though he had always looked up to and admired the old man, he now saw that others in the Legion held his father in the same light. That he would so willingly speak the truth of his wisdom to powerful men like Lanius and even Caesar himself! And that he was still held in such high esteem! In that moment, he accounted his father the bravest man he had ever known.

"It grows late, you should see to your men and seek your rest. Have you any message for your mother?"

Diomedes scoffed at the notion, "A message for mother? Of course not!"

He trudged away but paused at his father's voice.

"I will give her your love."

Diomedes paused for a long moment, and to Medes' eyes, looked like the little boy he once was. He looked over his shoulder but did not meet his father's gaze. He nodded once, tersely, and Medes knew that his lips trembled ever so slightly.

The sun broke over the east with glory, for the majority of those who rode in the vertibird. For Elijah, he rode to his doom and he knew it. For him, the sun may very well be rising on his last day.

The others refused to speak to him as he asked about the vertibird and the odd changes to the Paladin's power armor. At last he gave up and looked morosely at the desert flying by beneath them.

They slowed as they approached Hidden Valley, 'Of course, Nolan as them huddling in dark holes.' Elijah thought.

His scathing opinion of the former head paladin were cut short with shock, however, as the valley came fully into view and the formerly omnipresent dust storm was not in evidence.

He leaned dangerously over the edge, one of the paladins grasping at his robes painfully and jerking him back into the cabin. But his brief view was enough and it stunned him into silence.

Hundreds of people scurried below, some moving materials into other bunkers while multiple vertibirds and other aircraft he did not recognize lifting off from the busy compound. A massive hangar door yawned open like a desert beast swallowing the buzzing flies of the aircraft moving in and out constantly.

The vertibird landed with a sharp clang of steel and he was rudely shoved from the open cabin door, stumbling a little as his robes caught on the edge of the doorway. He scowled back at the Paladins and turned while straightening his robes.

He froze as he looked up and saw the guard that awaited him.

Nolan and Hardin stood at the front, their faces alight with fierce pride at finally having him in custody. Flanking them were more knights and paladins than he remembered there being even when he was the Elder.

There had to have been hundreds! All glaring at him with hatred as they paused in their work to watch the traitor being marched toward his uncertain future.

He was forced to a halt before the new elder, Nolan having aged quite a bit since Elijah's sudden departure at Helios One years ago.

Elijah affected a smug expression and opened his mouth to speak.

Bright lights burst in his head and he found himself lying on the floor, his head ringing and feeling as though his jaw had been dislocated. He spat out a tooth and a gobbet of blood while struggling back to his feet, his legs uncertain.

Hardin grinned at the Elder and turned to fix Elijah with a triumphant glare. So, Nolan had hit him, I bet he had waited a long time for that opportunity. Still, Elijah didn't intend to let Nolan have this moment completely unspoiled. He opened his mouth to speak again… and again found himself on the ground.

"I can keep this up all day, traitor." Nolan announced. "Let's see who last longer, eh?"

In the end, Elijah had to be carried to his cell, for McNamara was as good as his word. Every time Elijah made to speak, Nolan knocked the former Elder down. Before he blacked out, he heard the smug man tersely order that he be dragged to holding pending his trial.

He came to an indeterminate amount of time later, the dull fluorescent light feebly trying to light the bare metal of his cell. He knew that he was not alone down here, as he heard scuffling and coughing from the cells adjacent to his own. Through the bars of his new accommodations he could only see bare metal… nothing to distract the eye from the soul numbing torpidity of this confinement.

He sat up and looked with interest as a woman entered his field of view, hesitating at his cell before turning to face him. She was lovely with pale skin and honey blonde hair tied back in a serviceable ponytail. Her gear fascinated him more than her attractiveness however, and he couldn't help but look over her kit while calculating in his mind what purpose the various items could be for.

He didn't have long to wait, as she lifted a gauntlet and played a green scanning beam over him. He felt a tingle and breathed a sigh of relief as the pain in his jaw finally abated. So, a medical device of some kind. She turned to examine some display, her face outlined in an amber glow as she concentrated. He could tell that her focus was disjointed though, as her eyes constantly flicked to him. Finally, finding her courage, she looked up and fixed him with empathic blue eyes.

"Tell me, monsieur. Why did you betray your order?" her eyes seem to plead for some answer that would make sense to her… perhaps she wrestled some internal demons of her own?

He tested his jaw, "I have no interest in assuaging guilt from my captor. Whatever you have done or intend to do, you will have to live with the consequences. You will get nothing from me."

"You betrayed everything your people believed in to sit here alone in this cold cell and you think to insult me?" She shook her head, "I only wish to understand, monsieur. What led you to abandon your beliefs on a fruitless search for… for what? What were you even looking for?"

"Oh, you think I betrayed my oath as an Elder of the Brotherhood of Steel? Is that what they say? They are the traitors! I kept true to our purpose. I was on the cusp of controlling technology that would have made us supreme!"

"Made you supreme." She whispered.

"Same thing." He smiled.

"You would have killed your own people for your mad quest for power?" She gasped.

"Stupid fool. You must make sacrifices for the greater good."

"What greater good? You would have killed everyone!"

"Yes." He answered simply, his smile firmly in place.

Sophia walked briskly away, horrified at his answer. Still, she had to wonder… was she any better?

A/N: Dead Money arc over at last and now we head into the end game. I don't think that this story will have much more than 5 chapters left to it. At the end though, I will have an epilogue that will read much like the slides at the end of New Vegas to give you guys some closure about some of the people and places. Thanks for reading and as always, I welcome feedback.

* Under My Skin - Frank Sinatra