"Sound of the drums, beating in my heart! Thunder of guns, tearing me apart! You've been-"
Saturday, September 29, 2277
17:02 - Galaxy News Radio
Sentinel Sarah Lyons had seen a lot of things growing up in the Brotherhood. The desolate beauty of their ancestral bunker at Lost Hills. The eldritch ways of the Ciphers of Mesa Verde. The massive rad-storms of the former Great screams from the Scourging of Pittsburgh, which she insists don't still haunt her dreams. The endless mutant hordes of Washington, D.C.
The Sentinel, in short, has seen some stuff. Still, seeing the smoking corpse of a behemoth in the rain was a new one. She didn't let it slow her down as her squad fanned out behind her, though. There was work to do.
"Dusk, Colvin, check the perimeter." she barked. "Vargas, with me. Everyone else check on the wounded."
Lyons squinted against the afternoon sun, taking in the scene while watching her squad get to work. A slight incline of her head was the only indication she gave that she noticed her second coming up alongside her.
"Damn," he said, following her gaze. "What happened here?"
"I do not know." said Sarah after a brief pause. "But we're going to find out."
Sunday, September 30, 2277
09:06 - GNR Medical Bay
"You shouldn't even be awake, Stevens." Lyons said, shaking her head. "The medic-"
"The medic is an old nag and you know it, Sentinel," Knight Stevens said, sitting up a bit straighter in his hospital cot."Besides, if I had serious head trauma I wouldn't be awake. And someone's got to file a report, don't they?"
"Alright, guess I can't argue too much with that." the Sentinel said with a wry smile. "I want you focused on the facts, so don't worry too much about formality. And if you start to feel off, I'm leaving. That said.. What the hell happened out here?"
"Kid saved our asses, is what." he said with a snort. "We got cocky and it cost us. Damn near cost us everything. Since when do the Frankensteins have brains?"
"In my experience, they're always a little smarter than they should be." Sarah consoled. "Start from the beginning?"
"Me and Syd - sorry, that's Knight Forman - were on guard duty at the front doors. Things had been pretty quiet that afternoon - a few mole rats, sent a junkie running when they poked a head in. We were half an hour from calling it quits when Veronica and Julia came around the corner arguing about comic books."
"'Julia' being the 'kid' you were talking about?" Lyons put in.
"Yeah, the one with the sword," he nodded. "And Veronica's been around for a while helping Three Dog make repairs. A few minutes later, we got word a mutie raid was inbound."
"Do you think they might have been followed?" Sarah mused, tucking a blonde lock behind her ear. "Wouldn't be the first time something like that happened."
"Doubt it." Stevens said, shaking his head with a wince. "They came from different directions, and the muties definitely had another plan. They came in in a standard Mutie town-raiding pattern - bruisers charging in to try and distract us while the greens with guns pick us off. Was pretty easy to manage, since the Pride sees it so often."
"Where were Veronica and Julia during all this?" Lyons asked, making a note on her clipboard.
"Behind a wall. The kid didn't have anything bigger than a ten mil, and Veronica would have explained why using a sword is a dumb idea by now, so staying put and out of our way was a good move." Stevens let out a chuckle. "Wish all wasters had that much sense."
"Just as well she didn't, by the sound of it." Lyons noted, pointing at him with her pencil.
"Heh. Like I said, we mopped up the muties pretty quick - less than 15 minutes, I'd estimate. We were feeling pretty good about it, too - wiping out greenies is always a good time. Didn't occur to any of us it could be a trap." He sagged a bit in his cot. "Not until Veronica told us we were being stupid."
"It was Veronica who mentioned it? Or the kid?" Lyons asked intently.
"Veronica's the one who pointed it out - she said it was too easy," Stevens took a steadying breath before continuing. "Syd wasn't buying it, and I was skeptical, but it's hard to be too careful out here. I told Palmer to go have a look around, but by then it was too late. The behemoth threw a school bus at us and closed rapidly to melee range.I got.. Lucky, I suppose. The thing knocked me directly back and I hit the building next door. Overloaded my suit and I blacked out, but not for long. When I came to, my suit was still dead, but all Brotherhood personnel were down. And that stupid, wonderful kid was charging right at the thing."
"Suicidal, do you think?" Lyons asked dispassionately. "Or just nothing left to lose?"
"More the latter, ma'am. I've seen people give up in the middle of battle, this wasn't that. She had a plan, a crazy, desperate one, but a plan. She knew where to stab that fancy sword and how to get up to eye level. If she just wanted to save herself, she could have snuck out the back. Instead she planted herself between us and death and called down God's own wrath upon its ugly head."
"You're referring to the lightning?"
"Yeah." Stevens nodded. "Never seen it in person, mind, but I know the theory. Bright flash of light, thunderclap, scratch one behemoth. Rain started up just as the body hit the ground."
Stevens let out a large, extended yawn. "Didn't catch much after that. Just as well, I'm more beat than I thought."
Lyons nodded, tucking her pencil into the clip. "That's fine, Knight. Rest easy, I've got what I need."
Sunday, September 30, 2277
10:02 - GNR Recording Studio
"Saw it just fine from up here, oww!" Three Dog howled. "I thought ol' Three Dog was about to meet his maker, but that Vault kid got him to come down here instead! I've seen a lot of shit out there in the wasteland, but that has got to take the cake."
"You do know you're not on the air right now, right Three Dog?" Lyons note, chuckling at him from across the small table. "Besides, you sound pretty impressed with someone who almost got herself killed."
"You know me, Sarah, I love a flashy introduction!" he laughed, before sobering. "Seriously though, if I could have five people with that kind of grit, the Good Fight would be over in a week. Most people just look out for themselves these days.. Maybe it's just the view from up here, but a bit of righteous crazy is just what we all need right now. If she doesn't get killed, that kid's going places."
"You make it sound so simple." Sarah mused, sipping a Nuka-Cola. "If all it took is 'righteous crazy', we'd have won by now."
"I would never say such things about my stalwart protectors!" Three Dog protested, the twinkle in his eye undercutting his sincerity. "But you're going about it wrong too, I think."
Sarah raised an eyebrow, and he continued. "Don't get me wrong! You and your brothers in steel are doing good work out there - damn good work. But when's the last time someone was happy to see your squad arrive? When's the last time you traded for anything with someone besides your own quartermaster? Shoot, how many new kids have you recruited lately?"
"I don't have that information to hand, exactly.." Lyons hedged, but Three Dog wouldn't be deterred.
"It ain't enough, is it? It's never been enough. DC's problems are bigger than any one of us, but they're not bigger than three of us, and they're sure as hell not bigger than all of Brotherhood being as big as two of us can make a dent, but you're still alone. You can save people from the muties, but you can't save them from themselves."
"And you think someone who charges at giant green mutants is going to do better?" Sarah asked skeptically.
"I think that if we're all going to come together, we're going to need a symbol. Something to show us what can be done, surprise us out of our complacency. Hell, it's why I started this station in the first place. And beating the boogeyman by summoning fuckin' lightning?" Three Dog spread his hands in an expansive gesture. "That's one hell of a symbol."
"So it's about having the right kind of crazy." Sarah snorted.
"You said it, not me." Three Dog grinned. "But name one thing worth doing that doesn't."
Lyons' response was cut short by a knock at the door. "Sentinel. The Vault Dweller is awake."
"Thank you, Colvin. Oh - one last thing." Lyons said, pausing on her way out. "About Veronica - did she say where she came from?"
"Thought she was with you." the amiable announcer said. "Least, that's what Forman said. Why do you ask?"
"No reason. Thanks for the drink, Three Dog."
Sunday, September 30, 2277
10:42 - GNR Outpost Medbay
"Ugh, I feel weird. Why do I feel weird?"
"That'll be your body being surprised it wasn't crushed into pieces." Lyons quipped, walking in. "I'm Sentinel Lyons, with the Brotherhood of Steel. Would you be able to answer some questions? I realize you've been through a lot, but we've got a lot of injured people and not a lot of answers."
"Ngnh." Julia said eloquently. "I think I'll be okay so long as I don't move anything other than my face. What do you want to know?"
At a nod from the doctor, Lyons began. "We did get a general outline of what happened. The battle began as a super mutant raid, but turned out to be a distraction so the behemoth could come in and cause some heavier damage. Then you charged at it with a sword and managed to kill it."
"I did?!" Julia yelped before wincing. "Ow. I mean, I did? I thought I might just be able to stun it for long enough for people to get away. How did I kill it?"
"The specifics aren't clear yet," began Lyons, tucking a blonde lock of hair back into her bun, "but all of our witnesses agree on one thing. Right after you stabbed the behemoth in the eye, it was struck by a massive bolt of lightning. Then it died. Then it started raining."
"That doesn't make any sense." Julia noted.
"I agree." Lyons deadpanned. "But I saw the lightning myself. My squad was en route from Chevy Chase when it went down. The other details have been corroborated by several different eyewitnesses. What's more, we tested a sample of the rainwater - it was pure. Extremely minimal contaminants or radiation of any kind."
"Isn't that how rain usually works?" Julia frowned. "It's definitely been long enough since the War that any fallout in the air would have, uh, fallen out."
"How rain usually-" Sarah cut herself off with a curse. "Vault dwellers, ugh. Rain doesn't 'usually' because it doesn't rain here. If you told someone in Megaton about water falling from the sky, they'd assume you were on Jet. Freshwater availability is one of the main things keeping settlements together, and the main factor inhibiting population growth in the region."
"Wait, it rarely rains or never rains?" Julia asked, sliding gingerly upward to a sitting position in the bed.
"It hasn't since we arrived twenty years ago." Lyons told her. "As far as our Scribes can tell, it hasn't for decades before then, either."
"But that's - ow - that's not how rain works!" Julia protested, wincing.
"It is here." the Sentinel said with a shrug. "More immediately, it's part of why this battle will have ramifications. You defeated a giant invincible monster with a sword, by calling down a bolt from the heavens, and your victory was then anointed by a deluge of miraculous water."
"Anything would sound impressive if you phrase it like that." Julia pouted.
"I didn't phrase it that way." Sarah countered, crossing her arms. "It was one of my own men. I can only imagine what insanity is spreading through the rumor mill with that at its core."
"I. But. We. You?" the Vault kid sputtered before sighing heavily. "It's not against the law to accidentally start a religion, is it?"
"It's against Brotherhood regulation, but since you're not a member, I think we can let it slide this time." Lyons teased gently. "Also, since it's a ridiculous game of telephone, I doubt anyone will be able to pin it on you specifically. You should be fine while out and about."
"That's a relief." Julia said, sagging in the medical cot. "What happened to the sword, anyway?"
"Near as we can tell, it shattered from the sheer amount of current going through it." she said, shaking her head. "Some of the men are on the hunt for bits of it as keepsakes, but nobody's found anything larger than a finger. You won't have to worry about that."
"That's also a relief." Julia said around an enormous yawn. "Think that's about the limit of my awakeyness. Anything else you wanted, or..?"
"Just one last thing." Lyons asked. "What are you planning on doing next?"
"Gonna go save Dad.." Julia muttered as she dozed off once more.
Sunday, September 30, 2277
11:30 - GNR Outpost Brig
"Finally!" Veronica said, sitting up from her corner. "Where do you get off locking me up like this?"
"I'll answer your question with a question." Lyons said, moving to block the door with her power-armored bulk. She wasn't a particularly large woman, but power armor and a death glare was more than enough to make up the difference. "Who the hell are you and why are you pretending to be one of my Brothers?"
"Hey! I haven't-" Veronica protested, but Lyons cut her off with a sharp chop of her hand.
"Yes, yes, you've been very careful not to claim to be a member of the Brotherhood," the Sentinel said caustically. "But here you are, in the depths of one of our outposts. Everyone seems to trust you, hell, they go out drinking with you. You follow Brotherhood protocol instinctively, your stance is Brotherhood, you walk like one of us. But I've never heard of you. I make a point to know everyone in the Elder's service and I don't know you. I don't know what you're trying to pull here, but I will find out."
Veronica shook her head. "I can't tell you that, Sentinel."
Lyons took a step forward. "Oh, I'm pretty sure you can."
"Not if it's under a Code Navarro-level seal of secrecy, I can't," Veronica retorted.
"...you could have heard that phrase anywhere." Lyons paused, before steeling herself. "And it doesn't matter anyway. We just came a hair's width from losing an entire outpost. And here youare in the middle of everything, screwing around. No, you will tell me what's going on here or I'll-"
"You'll what, Sentinel?" interrupted a gravelly voice from the hallway.
"Elder!" Sarah said, snapping to attention. "I was just-"
"You suspected this woman of trafficking in Brotherhood secrets, I take it?" the Elder mused, stroking his thick grey beard.
"Yes, Elder."
"In that case, I will forgive your zealousness. Such a thing would be nearly unthinkable." he continued. "However, Veronica has my full trust and confidence. Her activities are known to me, and she has my blessing. Veronica, you may go."
Veronica hurried for the door, pausing before leaving. "For what it's worth, Lyons, I truly didn't have anything to do with this. Not beyond the obvious."
Dismissing Veronica with a wave, Sarah turned toward the Elder. "Just what is going on here, Elder? I don't like being kept in the dark."
"You don't have to like it, Sarah." the Elder chided. "You just have to follow orders. Trust that I know what I'm doing. Be sure to have your report on this incident on my desk by 1900."
"Yes, Elder!" she saluted enthusiastically as the Elder departed, leaving her alone with her thoughts in the darkened cell.
"Just what are you up to, Father?"