A fine dust hung in the stale air, illuminated by the floodlight on the Paladin's helmet as they cautiously made their way along the dark and narrow corridors of the Arc Jet Systems facility. The back of Paladin Danse's bulky power armor in front of her, obscuring her view ahead.
She made quick scans of the path behind them every so often as they progressed further into the facility. Not that a surprise attack would be of any consequence to the paladin, as encased as he was in armor. But she herself felt especially vulnerable and exposed.
Thanks to the noise the paladin made with every step, as his armored feet made contact with the sheet metal floors, stealth was something they'd lost the moment they entered the building.
The butt of her automatic rifle nestled snugly against her shoulder as she surveyed the path behind them once more.
"Shit", she hissed, stumbling forward, almost tripping over the severed leg of a protectron.
"What is it?", Paladin Danse turned, his light blinding her.
"Nothing, just more of these…parts", she replied, holding a hand up to shield her eyes as she kicked the piece of scrap to the side. "Could you get that light out of my eyes please".
"Watch your step", he said simply, before turning around and pushing forward.
"These 'synths' you mentioned, they're basically robots as well right?". "So why haven't we seen any…parts…or bodies?"
"Yes, the main fighting force that the institute utilizes, are essentially humanoid robots. They are the first and second generation models. Most are armored in plastic or metal skin, and vaguely resemble a human, but by no means can they be mistaken for one", the paladin explained as he walked. "Their tactics, AI and armaments are a cut above these protectron security drones. With enough of them it's unlikely they would have sustained much, if any, casualties while infiltrating this facility".
Suddenly, he held up a hand indicating for her to stop.
"Hold", he ordered,
"Problem?", she could just barely see an open room beyond him.
"A Security checkpoint", he explained as he scanned the room. His headlight illuminating file cabinets and data storage machines.
A security terminal sat on a large curved desk in the center of the darkened room, under a dim ceiling light.
"Clear", he stated before they cautiously entered, his light still scanning every dark corner as he made his way to a sealed hatch that likely led further into the facility.
She could hear his muffled grunts and the whirring gears of his armor as he strained against the hatch.
Power was still active in some parts of the facility after all this time, or, perhaps it had been brought online recently by this "Institute" that the paladin seemed so concerned by.
Lights still blinked on the server cabinets. Heat, and a low humming beneath her fingertips as she brushed the dust from the dials and readouts.
"Damn it, I was afraid of this", Danse growled. "We'll have to go back the way we came, find another way in".
"Why? What's wrong?", she asked, turning to face him.
"We're locked out. I can't force the hatch and I don't have the ordinance to blow it", he said.
"This terminal has power", she leaned her gun against the desk and crouched in front of the display. "We should be able to open it from here".
"Unlikely. For a facility like this, we'd need a scribe to bypass the heavy security and access the system", he explained.
Danse clenched his jaw in frustration.
Should he have brought Haylen and increased the risk of losing their base of operations?
No, he made the right decision. There had to be another way to breach the facility.
"I can bypass the security here", he heard her say, a-mater-of-factly, and he turned to see her behind the terminal. Her head barely visible over the display
"Really? You're sure about that?", he asked. His sceptical tone not lost on her.
"It looks that way. Give me a minute, I'll see what I can do".
"That's not good enough. The time it took to get here was wasted if we can't get this hatch open. It will take considerably more to double back and scout for another point of entry. If you can't give me a guarantee, tell me now and save us the time. Every minute we waste is another minute we risk losing our base of operations".
"I don't need the lecture, thanks. Castigate me all you want if I fail, but for now, be a good soldier and keep an eye out. Okay?", she replied without looking up, countering his brusque tone with her own thinly veiled condescension.
An audible sigh and a grunt could be heard, even under his helmet.
"So tell me more about these synths", she spoke up, after a few awkward moments of silence, punctuated by his heavy metallic footsteps.
He turned to her, a subdued green light on her face, and her brow furrowed in concentration as she scanned the display.
"If I'm right, you'll get a first hand look at them before the mission is over".
"Humor me", she stated flatly.
"What do you want to know?".
"What else can we expect?", she asked.
"Here? Nothing else. The Gen 2's are more than capable of leading an operation like this. They're likely here for the same reason we are. There's a high probability that they are the source of those energy readings Scribe Haylen picked up while modifying our radio tower", he explained.
"So you think they knew you were headed here and arrived before you did, to do what? Lay in wait? Take the transmitter for themselves? That's a bit overly paranoid, don't you think?", she added.
"Paranoid? Negative. When dealing with the institute, there's no such thing. We've yet to determine how they obtain their intel, but they're always a step ahead. They're always where they need to be, when they need to be there. They're monitoring us somehow. I've had enough encounters with the Institute to know this is no coincidence".
"I see. So what else do they have besides the Gen 1's and 2's?".
"Hm?", he stopped his patrol and turned to her once more.
"You said the Gen 1's and 2's are capable enough to do something like this, and we shouldn't expect anything beyond that. You're implying this "Institute" has more at its disposal than just these robots".
She was almost tempted to look up from the terminal when the paladin didn't immediately answer.
"Gen 3's are...indistinguishable, from you and me. They're used primarily for infiltration and espionage".
"Indistinguishable?", her fingers pausing for just a brief moment over the keyboard.
"Skin, blood, bone. We've yet to find a reliable method to scan for them, and that's what makes them so dangerous. From post-mortem examination of suspected Gen 3's, our scientists have discovered synthetic components embedded throughout their bodies, including their brain", the paladin tapped his helmet, but her eyes were fixed to the display.
"Really...?", her dry tone indicating her divided attention. "Disregarding the implants, they sound pretty human to me…"
"They are abominations!", Danse cut her off. "Perversions of…", a heavy metallic click from the hatch, ending his tirade before it could begin.
"Done", Leona pushed herself to her feet and nodded towards the door.
"Try the handle again", she instructed, but the paladin didn't budge.
"There's no way you broke through their security that fast", Danse insisted.
His tone difficult to decipher, made all the more difficult since she couldn't see his face.
A slight shrug of her shoulders.
"Beginners luck", she muttered, before stooping to retrieve her rifle.
'It should have taken even a skilled scribe at least twice that long to breach the security systems of a facility like this', the paladin thought as he made his way to the hatch.
'Was she lying? Were they deliberately let in?'
'Or…'
The Paladin looked over at her before turning the hatch. She held her rifle at the ready and nodded at him to open the door.
The deafening screech of scraping iron echoed off the walls as he opened the hatch to reveal a darkened room.
Severed electrical cables hung from the ceiling, providing brief sparks of light and highlighting, if only for a moment, two humanoid shapes in the darkness.
"Initiating combat subroutines. Eliminating hostile organics"
The unmistakably robotic tones accompanied by eyes that glowed with cyan light, as the two shadowed figures turned to face the door.
"Contact!", the paladin shouted and opened fire. His bulky, armored frame, crowding the hatch and denying her a clear shot.
Bursts of blue laser fire crashing against his armor.
An errant shot slipping through the doorway, almost hitting her in the head and scorching the wall behind her.
"Shit!", she growled as she ducked behind the desk, a few more stray shots flashing overhead and peppering the wall.
It took a few seconds, but the paladin finally breached the adjacent room, drawing their fire away from her direction, allowing her a chance to glance over the table top.
A frantic dance of red and blue light lit the darkened room beyond. The paladin's unstable headlamp throwing the scene into even further chaos.
She pushed herself to one knee. Her cheek pressed against cold steel as she used the table to steady her rifle, and took aim through the scope.
Pale, skeletal, mannequins.
Vaguely humanoid robots were nothing unusual in her time.
And while the technology certainly existed to more or less reasonably mirror a human being back then, it was never done, not even to this degree. And for good reason.
Warm breath leaving her lips as she pulled the trigger. The brief illumination of laser light in the darkness, allowing her the opportunity to land a burst of three shots to the head of her target.
A rain of sparks followed the synth as it crumbled to the floor, just as the paladin dropped the other one in a smoking heap.
"Clear!"
Danse looked her over as she stood in the doorway and peered into the darkness. Her backpack in one hand and her rifle slung across her chest. She appeared unhurt.
"Meet the institute's lap dogs", he spat as she entered, and crouched over one of the bodies. Her fingertips exploring the broken chassis.
Sparks of light from the overhanging cables barely enough to provide a clear examination of the body.
"Is your headlight down?", she looked up at him.
"Hm?". "Looks that way. Must have taken a hit in the firefight", he said.
"Were they aiming for it?", she asked, while rummaging through her backpack.
"Possibly. As I said, even the gen 1's are a step above a typical security drone in both intelligence and tactics. Do not underestimate them".
"Fair enough", she retrieved a pair of goggles from her pack and equipped them, giving the body at her knees another pensive once-over.
"My helmet is equipped with night vision capabilities, do you have a flashlight or…", he began.
"I can see", she interrupted, turning to him as she stood and threw on her backpack.
He watched her for brief moment while she adjusted the straps on her pack and checked her rifle.
The visor she wore was streamlined, flat and opaque, slightly larger and bulkier than a normal pair of tactical goggles.
The Brotherhood had access to a wide array of military and civilian hardware, but he did not recognize the model.
"That's some advanced tech. Where did you get your hands on…"
"'Communications and Control' is on the third floor", she interrupted him once more. "We should probably check there for your transmitter".
"I…", he began, but again she cut him off.
"Along with the elevators, most sections of the facility have been shut down to save power and there's structural damage on the second floor stairwell", she explained, moving closer and showing him her Pip-Boy display, while cycling through several schematics. "There's a bac…"
"Hold a moment", Danse held a hand up to stop her. "How did you come by this intel?"
"Terminal", she jabbed a thumb over her shoulder towards the other room.
"I find that hard to believe", he stated flatly.
"What do you mean?", she tilted her head, questioningly.
"When did you have time to break into the system, unlock the hatch and make a copy of these diagnostics?". A hint of suspicion in his tone.
'How much did he really know about this woman?'
He had to admit, her showing up to help them outside the station when she did was oddly convenient, despite their short range distress call.
The fact that anyone would show up, much less help them, was in itself uncharacteristic of a typical wastelander.
She was too well geared for a typical wastelander.
'Or was she a mole sent by the Institute?'
'A Gen 3?'
'How could she not have heard about the Institute until now?'
"Was she gathering intel on them?'
'Leading him into a trap?'
"Why are you making this an issue?", she asked, raising an eyebrow at him.
He said nothing, but continued to stare her down behind an expressionless helmet.
She sighed. "Bypassing the terminal lock wasn't particularly difficult. I spent most of my time running through building diagnostics and floor plans. "Unlocking the door was a non-issue once I had access to the system. Now are you done with the interrogation? Because like you, I'd like to get this over with and leave as soon as possible"
He detected no indication that she was lying. But then again, what did he really know when it came to these wastelanders.
He wanted to question her further, but this really wasn't the time or the place.
He could either trust her, or he could part ways here and now, and attempt to complete the mission on his own.
She was undoubtedly a proficient markswoman. And if she was indeed not working for the institute, and was genuinely able to hack the security that quickly. It would mean that she was very highly skilled when it came to computers.
A skill he may need again before the mission was over.
She waited, looking up at him. Her eyes hidden behind her visor. But with her pursed lips and tense jaw muscles, her irritation was clear.
"Very well. Show me what you have", he finally broke the silence between them.
"Good", she brought the Pip-Boy up once more. "There's a backup generator on standby on the lowest level, here. If we can get it running, we should be able to take the lifts to the third floor, to Communications and Control".
"Power is down in these sections, and automated security is set up here, here and…"
More dark, narrow corridors. Once again the bulky armored suit of her companion made it almost impossible to see the path ahead, or to find cover, should they be attacked from behind.
There were several small offices along the corridor as they pushed forward, and she made it a point to do a cursory scan of every one they passed that wasn't rusted shut.
"We're coming up on an open room. Be on alert for possible ambush", the Paladin advised.
"Got it", she replied. Her field of view largely dominated by his armored back.
Dying ceiling lamps fizzled with the inconsistent power, and red emergency lights barely illuminated the darkened room as the Paladin lingered on the threshold, scanning for movement.
And then he saw it. The head of a synth peeking over an upturned table, and another behind a file cabinet…and another….and another. Clearly expecting the darkness to hide their presence. He had no idea if there were more in hiding.
"Stay behind me, we have…". His words cut short as the first bolt of blue light illuminated the room. The synths no doubt realizing they'd been discovered, and opting not to wait until they ventured further into the room.
"Fall back!", the Paladin shouted as a torrent of laser fire descended on their position.
She gritted her teeth and braced herself as they slowly backed up into the corridor. All she could do was stand behind the bulky power armor as Danse returned fire. No room or opportunity for her to return fire herself.
The Paladin's power armor was the only cover available in the narrow corridor, but it was not enough. She could feel the searing heat from bolts of stray laser fire as they flashed passed her body or peppered the ground beneath her feet.
'Why did I agree to this!?' She was going to get shot. It was only a matter of time before one of the bolts breached the Paladin's frame.
The synths had no choice but to break their cover to get a better vantage as the pair retreated further into the narrow corridor.
"Keep moving! We need to draw them out!", Danse called over his shoulder, but there was no reply.
"Leona?", he chanced a glance over his shoulder at her silence, fearing the worst , but she was nowhere in sight.
"Damnit!"
'He knew it! He should have trusted his gut'
He swiped at the switch on his helmet, switching on his radio.
"Leona! What's your position?!", he shouted. "Answer me damnit!".
But there was only static.
Searing bolts of light crashed and sizzled on his armor as he returned fire, finally landing a headshot on a synth that dared to stray too far from cover.
'She led him into an ambush. Delivered him right to them' .
'How could he have let this happen?', he berated himself.
'His judge of character was never this badly off'.
"Push forward!", Leona's voice blared through his radio, cutting through his thoughts.
"Leona! Where are you?!"
"I'm in the room! Get back here!", she shouted.
His immediate thought was that she was attempting to draw him back in. But that notion was quickly put to bed when one of the synths taking cover behind the doorway, crumpled to the floor in a hail of gunfire and sparks. The others turned immediately, taking aim at an unseen target.
"Damnit!", the Paladin growled and charged forward.
She could clearly hear the heavy fire-fight raging in the hallway behind her as she navigated through the darkened side offices.
Hunched over on the balls of her feet, she moved at a hurried pace on high alert, her visor allowing her to navigate the dark with ease.
An eye on her Pip-Boy, and the schematics she lifted from the terminal, providing an alternate route around the battle.
Before long, she found herself in an office adjacent to the battle. The thin walls doing little to muffle the noise.
She kept low, hugging the wall next to the doorway and chanced a look into the other room.
She was on the second floor. There were stairs leading down into the lobby they'd been attacked from, immediately to her left. A synth stood at the top of the stairs, a mere three feet from where she hid.
She stared at the back of the robot, transfixed. Parts of its casing, its skin, had fallen away, revealing valves and wires, and the metal endoskeleton underneath.
It fired at the Paladin as he slowly backed away from the room and further into the corridor.
Another synth directly in front of her, further away,behind the railings that overlooked the floor below.
The synths below had broken their cover. Four of them huddled on either side of the doorway, taking shots at the Paladin.
She was going to have to act soon, before the Paladin retreated too far, forcing the two synths on the second floor with her to move.
A deep breath as she leaned back against the wall and readied her rifle. One more quick glance into the other room to confirm her targets.
In one quick move she brought her rifle up, and opened fire at the synth directly in front of her, behind the railings. A barrage of gunfire cutting into its head and torso, making short work of it as she stepped through the doorway.
The synth to her left, whirling around to face her before the first one even hit the floor. Only to be met by a boot to the chest that sent it toppling down the stairs.
"Push Forward!", she flipped the switch on her chest and shouted into her radio.
"Leona! Where are you?!", Danse demanded.
"I'm in the room!", she brought her rifle up when one of the synths below turned to face her. A few well placed shots sending it toppling to the ground.
It was enough to get the attention of the remaining synths, and they turned in unison, opening fire as she dashed back into the adjacent office.
"Get back here!", she shouted, with her back against the wall.
"Raaaaarggh!", she heard Danse shout in the other room. His thundering footsteps reverberating through the metal floors.
Chancing a glance from behind her cover just in time to see him charge into the room below, ramming into two synths with the force of a freight train that sent them flying back into the upturned desks and office furniture.
One of the synths crashing into a steel desk with enough force to warp and fracture the metal, cutting a short path through the debris before it screeched to a halt, kicking up a mass of dust and paper sheets in the process.
The blinking emergency lights bolstered in its fight against the darkness by flashes of red, as the Paladin opened fire.
This was her chance, with the synths attention diverted from her…
She brought her rifle up, but as soon as she stepped through to doorway, metal fingers latched on to the barrel of the gun from her left.
Her head snapped to glowing eyes and skeletal features. The sight was surreal enough to give her a moment's pause.
It was the synth she'd kicked down the stairs.
'Shit!'
'She'd been careless'
Her momentary shock allowing it to grab her by the neck, lifting her to her toes.
Its emotionless face, tinted green from her visor as it stared up at her.
She was forced to relinquish her hold on the rifle, to try and pry the fingers from her neck.
Such surprising strength from the synth's seemingly flimsy frame.
The realization that it was probably capable of snapping her neck, fueled her immediate response. She grabbed the knife from her belt and jammed it into the side of the synth's neck, missing her intended mark of its head.
Sparks erupted from the breach in its neck. Its head spasming violently, as it tossed her aside.
She hit the floor hard, skidding across and rolling to a stop on her stomach at the foot of the railing.
A glimpse of the Paladin on the floor below, as she pushed herself to her knees, and drew her sidearm, firing five shots blindly into the synths torso.
It staggered back against the wall, dropping her rifle in the process.
It grabbed the handle of the knife embedded in its neck. And with little effort, dislodged the blade, tossing it aside and pushing off the wall.
But she was already on her feet.
Quickly closing the distance, she stomped it in the chest, sending it slamming into the wall once more. And in one deft move, brought her pistol up, emptying the magazine point blank into its head.
A shout of frustration coming from behind her, and she turned to see the Paladin throw off a synth that had clambered onto his back, while two others peppered his armor with laser fire.
She wasted no time retrieving her rifle. And with the benefit of her vantage point and the Paladin drawing their fire, they were able to dispatch the remaining synths in short order.
The Paladin's armored foot came down with vicious force, crushing the head of the last synth into the floor.
The sound of crunching metal making her wince.
Danse looked up at her as she descended the stairs, slipping her sidearm back into its shoulder holster. Her rifle held loosely in her other hand.
He could feel the muscles in his jaw tighten as he clenched his fist, trying to calm his anger.
"What was that?", he asked as she reached the foot of the staircase, his calm tone sounding forced even to his ear.
"Hm?", she walked over to him, glancing down at the mangled remnants of the synth at his feet.
Her aloof and seemingly oblivious response further testing his patience.
"What the hell did you think you were doing, pulling a stunt like that?", his tone growing more forceful. "You could have gotten both of us killed back there!", his insinuation taking her slightly aback. "If you can't work with me and follow orders then you're useless to me".
"Running off like that in the middle of an engagem…", he continued
"I'm not one of your little soldiers 'Paladin', so stow the attitude", she cut him off, lifting her visor over her forehead to glare at him in the darkness.
"That's becoming painfully clear", he fired back. "But you are under a contract with the Brotherhood of Steel, and I expect you to follow my orders. To be where I tell you to be and to act…"
"I'm not under a contract", she interrupted. "I'm doing you a favour…" . "From the moment we met, this arrangement has been skewed entirely in your favour. I'd lose nothing if I walked aw…"
"If you continue to act this recklessly then you're a liability", he corrected her, cutting her off. "We had no idea of their numbers. Rushing in was impulsive and reckless. If you had fallen back when I ordered, we could have managed their numbers by drawing them out and dealing with them, with far less risk to…".
She held up a finger to cut him off. Her eyes shut as she took a deep breath. "These corridors are narrow, you might have noticed. I can barely see past you, much less return fire when we're under attack". "There's no cover, and most of these offices are either sealed shut, or dead ends", she swept a hand in the direction of the darkened corridor they had come from. "If you think I'm going to hide behind a walking target with a giant 'Shoot Me' sign on its head, and hope I don't get hit by stray fire, then you have another thing coming".
"My safety takes priority over your orders or your plans", she continued. "I won't abandon you, but if I have better idea, or see an opportunity to increase my chances of NOT getting shot, then I'll damn well take it". "Because I hate to break it to you 'soldier boy', but we're not all encased in metal", she tapped her fist on his chest plate and immediately regretted it.
"Sonofabitch!", she hissed, withdrawing her hand and stepping back with impressive speed.
His armor was searing hot.
"The ablative shielding on this suit has been almost completely worn down due to sustained combat these past few weeks, and I haven't had the resources or the opportunity to patch it", he explained. "I've been trying to minimize its exposure to heat and energy based weaponry". "It's why I didn't charge into a room with an unknown number of Institute hostiles, when they had the advantage of cover and positioning".
He sighed audibly when he saw her expression soften somewhat. "I thought I could shield you until we fell back to a favourable position, but I can understand your concerns and your reasoning".
He could at least offer an olive branch. He needed her co-operation. "You're not a soldier, I can appreciate that fact, but you are my partner on this mission. Can we agree on that?"
She sighed as well, still clutching her hand. "Fair enough".
"Then we need to work together. Keep your radio on. Stay in contact". "I may not be your commanding officer, but this is my operation and there needs be a clear chain of command. "If you have any input, then I'll hear it. If we get separated, I need to know your status and your position".
"Is that acceptable?", he asked.
The red emergency lights glinted off his helmet and armor in the darkness.
She hated not being able to see his face when they were talking, but it was clear he was making a sincere, if reluctant attempt at a compromise.
"I can work with that", she agreed.
She was a civilian. He couldn't expect her to follow orders without question, or adhere to military protocols and codes of conduct. It wasn't ideal, he thought to himself, but he needed to make this work.
Because she did have a point. She had gone out of her way to assist them for comparatively little reward. Back at the station and now.
She was an asset, and one he'd rather not lose, if it could be helped.
She brought her pip-boy up, "We have to take the emergency stairwell on the second floor, down to the lowest…"
"Get down!", Danse shouted, cutting her off and knocking her to the ground as he intercepted a bolt of blue laser fire. The flashing red and blue lights in the darkness disorienting her.
"Clear!".
It's was over in the brief few seconds it took to slip her visor back on. The smouldering corpse of a synth that they'd missed, lay in a heap just inside the doorway of one of the side offices.
He turned to face her as she got to her feet. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine…thanks", she replied, trying not to look at him.
"We can't afford to be careless. Stay sharp, and never drop your guard, especially in unknown territory. There are very few places in the Commonwealth that can afford you that luxury", the Paladin advised.
"Yeah", she checked her rifle. "I'm learning that more and more every day".
"Take the lead", she stepped aside and nudged her head towards the stairs. "Let's get this over with".
"Auto turrets up ahead. Engaging", his voice coming through clearly on her radio.
"Wait. Save your ammo, give me a moment".
They'd passed a small security room on the way, and she decided to hang back and use the terminals to try and disable any security measures or locked doors in their way, while the Paladin scouted ahead.
"Alright, go ahead", she directed.
"You're sure?". She'd gotten used to his sceptical tone.
"Fairly sure. Why don't you stick your head out and find out?", she quipped.
"This is not the time for…"
"They're down Paladin. Get moving", she cut him off. "I've unlocked the security doors in the next section. They should lead directly to the engine core testing area".
"Copy that. Proceeding to the core. Rendezvous with me there, and watch your six", he advised.
She glanced at the security monitors displaying the empty hallways just outside the room, before retrieving her rifle and heading out.
"On my way".
A massive rocket engine suspended in the center of the testing chamber, illuminated by blinding floodlights as they entered.
"Look at this place. The scribes would have a field day in here", she heard Danse say as she stepped out onto the walkway that skirted the edges of the circular room.
Beneath her feet, she could barely make out the ground far below, through the holes in the steel mesh grating.
"That should be the control room up there", he pointed, and she had to shield her eyes against the floodlights to see the observation window of the control room far above them.
"Looks like we could have taken this to the third floor", she thought aloud, toeing the edge of a large gap, where a section of the walkway had fallen through.
"Stick to the original plan", Danse turned and began down the winding walkway. "I can see the freight elevator from here. Let's get that auxiliary generator online".
"I'm not sure what's powering those floodlights, but this section should be dead", she mused, looking up at the lights above them as they reached the bottom.
"They're probably on another grid", the paladin guessed as he made his way over to the lift.
"With all the structural damage, it's hard to say, but the freight elevator is definitely down", he confirmed.
"Scout the maintenance area off of the main chamber", he directed.
An observation window in front of them and a passage off to the side.
"I'll stay here and watch our back. Stay sharp in there".
She made her way through the maintenance tunnels at a brisk pace, alert to any movement or sound.
The hiss of steam pouring through ruptured pipes, partially obscuring the way ahead. And the darkness illuminated by red, blinking emergency lights.
"What's your status?", the Paladin's voice came through on the radio, just as she entered the maintenance control room.
"It's clear. I can see the generator".
She could see the dimly lit generator room in the back, to her right, and the Paladin through the stained observation window on her left.
The control terminal was embedded in the wall next to the generator. A single dim, hanging light, illuminating the keyboard.
"The system is locked. Give me a minute", she set her rifle down and got to work.
Danse stared up at the butt end of the jet engine. A marvel of old world technology.
Once this mission was complete, this facility would need to be marked for a proper salvage operation.
"I'm through. Activating the generator", Leona's voice interrupting his musing.
"Copy that".
The overhead lights flickered as the hum of power flowed through the generator room, breathing life into the equipment and control panels around her.
"There we go", she smiled. "How does it look out there?"
"That did it, the freight elevator is active. Great work!". He actually sounded pleased. A touch of emotion other than annoyance slipping through his usually gruff demeanor.
"Meet me at…", his transmission ending abruptly.
"Paladin?", she asked.
"We're under attack!", he shouted over the sound of laser fire, as she left the generator room and hurried to the observation window.
The Paladin was shooting at, and taking fire from somewhere above him, she couldn't see from her position.
"Multiple contacts!", he shouted, just as two synths dropped down behind him from the walkway above.
"Danse! Behind you!", she slammed on the glass and the Paladin whirled around, opening fire and taking one of them down as two more dropped from above.
There was no cover. The synths were just barely more durable than a human. But out in the open with no cover, they couldn't withstand nearly as much punishment as a suit of Power Armor.
Even so, the Paladin was taking fire from all angles. Even his armor wouldn't withstand that kind of punishment for long.
Her palm brushing over a switch on the console. She could make out the words Test Burn and Ignition, in the darkness, and understood immediately what they were for.
'No…', she couldn't…wouldn't .
Two more descended the walkway. One of them closing on him with a shock baton.
About as dumb as a typical drugged up raider, she thought, but their numbers were growing.
"I need you back here. Now!", he shouted.
Her eyes lingering on the red switch for all of two seconds before she made up her mind.
"Shit!", she growled, pushing off the console and breaking into a sprint down the maintenance tunnel.
She practically skidded to a halt, dropping to her knees and peeking around the corner into the test chamber.
Four synths in front of her firing at the Paladin who was out of sight, blocked by the wall she was hiding behind.
'Aim for centre mass' .
Unlike her 9mm sidearm, her rifle had proven infinitely more effective at body shots earlier against these synths.
Two quick breaths before she leaned out, firing short bursts into the group that shredded the first two, ripping through their outer casing with ease.
The third turning to face her, but a well placed shot to the head taking it out before she was forced to duck behind cover when the fourth returned fire.
She braced herself as a barrage of laser fire rained down in her direction, using the opportunity to reload.
A break in fire giving her the opportunity to sneak a peek around the corner just in time to see the synth brought down by several bolts of red laser fire to the head and torso.
She bolted from her cover, the Paladin finally coming into view.
A synth on his back, clawing at his helmet, another one pinned beneath his armored foot, while three more fired at him from the walkway above.
She took aim at the one on his back but was forced to jump back as another synth dropped down from the walkway above her, taking a swipe at her with a shock baton.
She staggered back, dropping her rifle to catch the synth's arm as it brought the baton down at her with an overhead swing.
Its other hand grasping for her face, but she caught it at the wrist, holding her ground as she grappled with the robot.
"Get the hell OFF ME!", she growled, bringing her leg up and stomping at its knee. Surprise flashing through her eyes as her foot met solid resistance and she realized her mistake.
No kneecaps and its joints were constructed differently than a human's.
It was too late, she was off balance, allowing the synth to push her back hard against the pipes lining the maintenance tunnel.
"Gaah!", she screamed as a piece of jagged metal cut into her back. The sudden, searing pain causing her strength to falter briefly, and the shock baton got dangerously close to the side of her face.
The sharp crackling of electricity next to her ear.
The synth leaned in, in an attempt to push its advantage. Its face inches from her own.
"You Must Be Terrified", its voice and face both lacking any hint of emotion.
She scowled, gritting her teeth against the pain and bringing her other leg up for the second time.
A powerful stomp to its knee, this time at a different angle, and she could feel the metal shift beneath her boot and the immediate drop in the synth's power as it lost its leverage.
The robot looked down at its injured limb and then up at her to see a pained , but vindictive grin on her face.
She pushed off the wall and stomped the synth in the chest, knocking it off its feet and back through the doorway, into test chamber.
Retrieving her rifle as she closed the gap and unloading three shots into it as it struggled to stand, severing its head at the neck.
The Paladin still had a synth on his back. Its fingers gripping the underside of his helmet, threatening to rip it off. All the while taking fire from the three on the walkway above.
His arm appeared to be damaged, unable to reach the synth on his back.
Instead he opted to ram his back into the observation window of the maintenance room, sandwiching the synth in the process, but it was not enough.
She could see the gap between his helmet and his armor growing. It wouldn't be long before it came off.
"Danse! Turn around!", she shouted both into her radio and directly at him.
His response was instantaneous, whirling around so his back was facing her, while she dropped to one knee and took aim. She had to be incredibly careful not to risk stray fire or a ricochet catching the Paladin in his exposed neck.
A surgical burst of fire from her rifle, shredding the synth's arm at the elbow, forcing it to adjust its position on his back, just enough for the Paladin to grab its other arm.
Danse spun around again, yanking the synth by the arm and slamming it into the observation window. The glass cracked as the synth slid to the ground, head first.
He could handle it from there. Her aim immediately shifting to the three on the walkway above him. Their attention still focussed on the Paladin as he finished off the synth.
'Perfect' She flipped the selective fire switch on her rifle.
Full auto
"Goodnight sweetheart, well it's time…hmm…hmmm", she hummed.
The walkway exploded in a dance of sparks and debris as Danse joined her in focussing their fire on the hapless group above them.
The synths never stood a chance. Severed limbs and scrap raining to the ground as the smoke cleared and she reloaded.
"Clear! Keep your eyes open, there may be more", the Paladin shouted, holding a hand up.
She was on her feet, her weapon pointed skyward as she cautiously made her way over to the Paladin.
"Get the lift, I'll cover you", she called over her shoulder.
"On it".
"Get in!", he instructed, lifting the steel gate and slamming it shut as they both retreated to the relative safety of the lift.
He hit the switch, beginning their slow ascent to the third floor.
"Well that was fun", she pulled her visor down and let it hang around her neck, while she ran her fingers through her hair.
"Not exactly how I'd choose to spend my Saturday evenings", she added, wiping the sweat from her brow with the back of her hand.
The Paladin twisted his helmet off, and she could feel the warm air escape the confines of the suit.
"That was some damn fine soldiering back there. Outstanding work ma'am", she heard him say.
Glancing up at him she had to do a double take.
"Huh, didn't think your face could to that", she mused, staring up at him with an exaggerated squint.
"Do what?", he asked with a single raised eyebrow.
"Smile", she grinned teasingly at him.
His chuckle sounded more like a grunt as he wiped the heavy layer of sweat from his face.
"When the situation calls for it", he replied.
"I mean it though. You really did handle yourself well back there", he said sincerely, holding her gaze for a moment before she turned away, awkwardly checking her rifle.
"I'm fairly certain I wouldn't have made it this far without your assistance", he added.
"Well we're not done yet", she replied, looking up through the grating in the lift. The elevator shaft above them, shrouded in darkness. "Let's hope we find what you're looking for in the Control Room".
"You're injured?", he asked, noticing the blood on her shoulder staining her tank top.
"It's fine, I'll deal with it when we get out of here", she replied.
"What about your arm", she added, nodding to his left arm. "Your movements looked a little stiff back there".
"Ah, you caught that? The left actuator is damaged" he explained, lifting his arm and flexing the suit's fingers. "It's heavy and movement range has been reduced, but I can still manage". "It will require major repairs when we get back to the station however".
"Heads up", she motioned to the Observation window of the well lit Control Room, as it came into view.
The lift jolted to a halt at the topmost walkway, and they had a direct line of sight into the Control room window.
"There's movement. I count three more", Danse said, securing his helmet and readying his laser rifle.
She could clearly see the three remaining synths as they stared back at them from behind the thick glass. Unmoving, with emotionless faces and glowing eyes.
"That's not creepy at all", she muttered
"They know we're coming", the paladin grabbed the gate and turned to her. "We do this hard and fast. Follow behind me. Pick your targets and stay in cover".
"I'm ready, let's move before they decide to come greet us", she pulled her visor up and nodded to him. "I don't want to fight those things on this rusty walkway".
His armored foot pinned the synth to the floor, crushing its torso as he finished it off with several shots to the head.
"That's the last of them", he sighed. The temperature inside the suit was becoming more than a mild annoyance.
"Are you alright?", he looked over his shoulder to see her standing over the body of the third synth. A dismembered arm in one hand and a pistol in the other.
"I think so", she winced, holding up the severed arm with a shock baton still in its grip, and scrutinizing the dangling weapon.
"These things…really hurt", her breath hitching briefly, before she tossed the limb aside.
"I don't see the transmitter. Fan out and search the room", he ordered, before exiting the suit.
The place was a mess. Files and equipment trashed and strewn every which way.
"Is this it?", Danse heard her say, and turned around to see her hand poking up from behind one of the control stations. A compact device in her grasp.
"Let me see", he said, making his way over.
She was crouched next to the body of a destroyed Gen 1. Meticulously examining its chassis.
Supressing his urge to question her, and taking the device as she absently held it up towards him.
"Outstanding. This is what we came for". He turned the device around in his fingers.
"Put it in my pack. It's by the door", she pointed, without looking up.
He stepped over the dismembered Gen 2 she'd killed earlier, and grabbed her backpack, resisting the urge to examine its contents while her back was turned.
A cursory glance at the body at his feet showed its arm ripped off at the elbow, its leg twisted at an odd angle, and multiple shots to the side of the head.
He watched as she held the mechanical arm of the Gen 1 next to her own, extending and contracting her fingers in tandem with it. Probing its naked chassis with clinical curiosity.
"What are you doing?", he asked finally, approaching her.
"Huh?", she turned and looked up at him.
"Oh…You've probably seen a lot of these things, haven't you?", she stated. It wasn't really a question.
"More than I'd care to", he said flatly.
"Well they're pretty new to me", she stood, brushing her palms on her pants.
"Well I'm afraid you'll have to satisfy your curiosity another time", he handed over her rifle and backpack. "The mission isn't over. We need to secure the exit and return to HQ as soon as possible".
"I've been meaning to ask", she began as she watched him enter the suit. "Wouldn't your little organization be interested in their weapons, and their bodies for that matter?".
"No. Our scientists have already analysed enough of the Gen 1's and 2's, as well as most of their energy based armaments". "You'll find most of their weapons are inoperable. Key internal components are fried when no synth energy signatures are detected within range", he explained as he tested the suits damaged arm and then turned to her. "Their value lies in scrap and salvage. The Brotherhood will do a proper sweep of this facility at some point, but right now we have a mission to complete".
"I see. Well then, after you", she nodded to the door.
The soft orange light of the setting sun greeted them as they exited the facility via a rear bunker exit.
The fresh air was a welcome change from the musty and poorly ventilated facility.
He was waiting up ahead as she exited the bunker.
Twigs and dried autumn leaves crunching beneath her boots and the cool winds dancing the hair across her face.
"Is the package secure?" he asked as she approached.
"Snug as a bug in a rug", she quipped with a smile, and holding up her pack as she stopped to face him.
"Why don't you take that helmet off? You must be burning up in there", she asked.
"Not when we're out in the open like this, and not while we still have a mission to complete", he said.
"I've said it before. Don't ever assume you're safe out here. All it takes is one…".
"Dogmeat!", she gasped, cutting off his lecture.
He whirled around just in time to catch a blur as the canine dashed past him and barelled into her, knocking her over ,into the golden and orange leaves that covered the ground.
"Hahaha. You little bloodhound!", she laughed as the dog excitedly licked her face. His tail wagging wildly.
"How did you find me?", she grinned, briskly ruffling his fur and scratching his ears as she tried to sit up.
She looked…innocent.
He found himself smiling as he watched them, and had to remind himself that they were still on a mission and far from safe out here.
"Let's get moving. We should be able to make it to HQ before dark. Stay sharp, and keep the chatter to a minimum until we get back", he turned and started down the path.
"Right", she finally managed to get to her feet. Dried leaves clinging to her hair as she grabbed her backpack and rifle
"Come on boy".
The ghoul corpses around the station courtyard had been cleared out by the time they made it back.
Knight Rhys and Scribe Haylen coming out to meet them as they cleared the barricades.
"It's good to have you back sir" Haylen smiled, as they both saluted the Paladin.
"Glad to be back. I'm pleased to report the mission was a success. Thanks in large part to our friend here", the Paladin nodded to her as she came up beside him.
"Here", she retrieved the device from her pack and handed it to Haylen.
"Happy to help", she flashed the Scribe a quick smile and brushed past the group to head for the station doors.
"Any, trouble, Sir?", she heard the Knight ask as she closed the door behind her.
She was exhausted.
Now that the adrenaline was wearing off and the tension slowly left her body, she was becoming more aware of her bruises and injuries.
Dogmeat trailed closely behind her as she made her way to one of the small filing rooms, and dumped her gear on the table.
A heavy sigh as she removed her gloves and sunk into one of the chairs, burying her face in her palms.
Synths…Ghouls…Raiders…
There was so much she still didn't know. So much going on.
She didn't belong here.
This wasn't her world. But it was wearing its skin.
Superficial similarities bridging the gap between the old world and the new.
"Ma'am", A soft knock on the open door, interrupting her thoughts, and she looked up to see Haylen in the doorway.
A timid but polite smile on the Scribe's face.
Isn't she a soldier?
"Hi, I'm sorry to bother you. But I just want to let you know there's running water on the second floor if you want to freshen up"
"Thank you", Leona nodded and flashed her a polite smile.
There was a brief pause as the Scribe looked like she wanted to say something else, and Leona tilted her head, somewhat bemused.
"I…I know we didn't get to talk before, but I…Uh…", the Scribe began. "…I just wanted to say thank you, for your help with the ghouls, and…and for accompanying Paladin Danse on this mission". "He spoke very highly of you".
Really?, she thought.
"I don't want to think what would have happened if you didn't show up when you did, and…"
"I appreciate it", Leona cut her off with a weak and embarrassed smile, and the Haylen nodded in return.
"That's all I wanted to say", she smiled politely and excused herself.
He stood on the edge of the roof, looking down into the courtyard below. Behind him, Scribe Haylen worked on the radio tower. Four worklights surrounding and illuminating the structure in the dwindling evening light.
"Sir?", Knight Rhys came up at his side.
"Rhys. What is it?".
"Sir, about that wastelander", he started, and Danse looked over at him with a furrowed brow.
"Can I ask how long she's going to be with us?".
Danse regarded him for a moment before replying. "I imagine she'll be moving on soon. I'm not going to expel her from the compound, if that's what you're asking. Not at this hour". "She's been a highly valuable asset in the half-a-day that she's been with us"
It would have taken the skills of all three of them to clear the ArcJet Systems facility. Leaving their base entirely undefended, he mused, but didn't attempt to justify his reasons to the Knight.
Her contributions were clear, and that was enough.
"Sir, with respect, I don't think we can't trust her. I think it's likely that she's been sent to infiltrate our operation. Think about it. Her showing up when she did. Didn't that seem a little convenient?".
Danse looked out across the courtyard and the darkening buildings beyond, as he listened.
"She has to be working for someone", Rhys continued. "That large duffle bag she left in one of the filing rooms has some fancy hardware, military grade. I also found some sort of insignia…"
"You went through her effects? When?", Danse turned to him, cutting him off.
"Sir, after you left for ArcJet, I…".
"Did you tamper with anything, or leave any indication that'd you been through her things?", Danse cut him off again.
"N…No sir but I…".
"Knight Rhys, I'm ordering you to keep your distance from our guest for the duration of her stay".
"Sir? I…"
"I don't expect it will be more than a day or two. We should have the radio tower operational before then", Danse continued.
"Sir, I don't…".
"Is that clear, Knight?", the Paladin repeated.
"Yes sir" ,the Knight bit his tongue, making no attempt to hide his displeasure.
"Carry on".
Dogmeat lay in the doorway as she wiped the dirt and sweat from her skin with a wet cloth.
Bare from the waist up. Gingerly dabbing at the wound on her back.
It was beginning to throb.
She wouldn't waste a stimpak on it, but the last thing she needed was an infection.
A single, dim, hanging bulb, lit the dirty bathroom. A mouldy bathtub next to the sink and a dusty, faded mirror covering the medicine cabinet.
A small wooden table In the middle of the room held her bag, a dirty ashtray, a pack of cigarettes, shell casings and several tools and mechanical components she couldn't identify.
She passed a damp cloth across the mirror and grabbed a bottle of painkillers from her bag. Downing three tablets with a single gulp from her canteen.
The sound of voices and static drifting from the roof, through the open window as she leaned on the sink.
A faded reflection in the dirty mirror when she looked up.
She sighed, grabbing a small bottle of antiseptic medication from her bag.
She could barely see her reflection in the mirror behind her as she looked over her shoulder, and struggled to apply the medicine to the wound.
Dogmeat's whining catching her attention, and she turned as the Paladin appeared in the doorway.
"Shit!", she hissed, turning her back to him.
"Sorry!, I…didn't know you were in here", he apologised, diverting his eyes.
"It's fine", she muttered, grabbing her tank top from the sink and gingerly slipping it on.
He made his way to the table grabbing several of the tools, and couldn't help but notice the dark spot on her back, as she slipped her top over it.
He watched her as she awkwardly snaked a hand behind her, underneath the cloth of her tanktop, to blindly dab at the wound.
"Do you need help with that?", he asked.
"Huh?", she looked over at him as he reached behind the doorway and retrieved a chair from the hallway.
"Here, sit down", he placed the chair next to the table.
"I can ma…"
"I insist", he cut her off, tapping on the back of the chair.
A moment's pause before she wordlessly made her way over, handed him the bottle and took a seat with her back facing him.
The dim bulb overhead illuminating the dark splotch that stained her tanktop, below her left shoulder blade.
"Hm…", she heard him mutter.
"What's wrong?" she asked.
"I should probably get Haylen to assist you with this"
"Wh...why?".
"You'll, uh…", he cleared his throat. "You'll need to lift your shirt, to properly clean and dress the wound. I think it would be best if I go and…"
"I don't mind", she cut him off, hitching her tanktop up around her neck.
Haylen was working on the radio tower on the roof. There was no point in dragging her down here and turning this into an event, she thought.
The pale, smooth skin of her bare back, marred by the dark red dot beneath her shoulder blade.
She had her back to him, but still kept an arm across her chest to hold everything in place.
Her eyes closed, not wanting to look over her shoulder.
"Get on with it. Don't make this more awkward than it has to be", she said.
She heard him exhale deeply before he replied. "Very well".
She said nothing as he worked to sew the wound shut.
The growing silence making him uneasy.
A sudden intake of breath and a slight shudder breaking the silence.
"Sorry", he said, but she remained silent, the fingers of her right arm softly tapping on the wooden table.
A glint from the light catching his eye, and he noticed for the first time the two rings around her finger.
"Those are wedding bands aren't they?", he asked.
Her nervous tapping stopped and she closed her fingers, running her thumb across the twin rings.
"Yes", she said softly.
"I wasn't aware the custom was still practiced out here", he continued.
"Really?", her voice soft. Her tone distant and disinterested.
"At least not the way it was back before the war", he corrected himself.
"Now it's just a formality", he added. "From what I've heard, they consisted of grand ceremonies, an exchange of rings. Food, drink and dancing…".
"That sounds nice", she cut him off, mildly amused by the superficial description.
At the same time, fighting a torrent of memories.
Smiling faces.
His eyes.
His hands.
His lips.
Her wedding day...
She squeezed her eyes shut and clenched her jaw. Forcing the memories back behind the wall she'd built.
Her eyes stung but the tears did not fall. A small victory.
Danse couldn't see her face, but he could see her tightly clenched fist on the table.
"Does it hurt?", he asked.
Yes…
"No. I'm fine. Keep going", she managed to keep her voice steady.
Danse was no fool. He knew what the two rings on her finger meant, and the fact that she was alone out here in the wastes.
Still, while no one could accuse him of being sensitive, he could tell she was upset.
But he knew next to nothing about her. Even now.
How far could he push her for information?
Should he? Did it matter anymore, now that her part in the mission was complete?
But she had potential, skills that would be highly valuable to the Brotherhood.
She didn't belong out here.
She reached over the table, grabbing the pack of cigarettes, fishing one out with a single hand, then dug into her bag, searching blindly.
"Here", he said, grabbing the lighter next to him and offering her a light.
"Thanks", she said, before a fit of coughing shook her body and he was forced to pause his work.
"You alright?", he asked.
"Yeah, it's just…been a while".
"I'm almost done", he informed her.
"I was watching you, during the mission", he said after a few minutes of silence.
"Oh?", she said flatly.
"You have military training don't you?"
She snickered, almost devolving into another coughing fit.
"No", she chuckled . "I have marksmanship training with a handful of firearms". "My husband i...was the soldier".
"I see. Who was he affiliated with?".
'The US Army' . She couldn't say that, could she?
"I can't say", she offered after a moment's pause.
"I understand". He didn't, but it wasn't important right now.
"So he taught you how to handle a weapon?", he probed.
"Mostly…My job tended to intersect with his…After a while I got pretty familiar with the people he worked with. I picked up some of what I know from them as well".
"What did you do?", he asked, cutting the thread when he finished sewing her up.
"I was a law…an arbitrator of sorts", she corrected herself.
"Do you have bandages?", he asked.
"Bag…left side pocket".
She took military cases whenever it was allowed. Or any job that required legal civilian oversight, when she could.
As long as it allowed her to see him.
While command wasn't overly fond of her. It did make her popular with the troops.
Maybe it was their respect and camaraderie with Nate.
Or perhaps it was somewhat of a novelty having her around.
But they would often let her watch their training sessions and drills, teach her during their off hours. Even eventually allowing her to participate on several occasions , as her connections and relationships grew.
It was all in good fun. Somewhat condescending at times, but they were always polite. Always gentle with her.
Nate wasn't happy initially. That she would go out of her way to see him, in often potentially dangerous regions.
Eventually she stopped taking these cases. Two years before he left the army.
Marksmanship training. Civilian martial arts, and Military hand to hand combat training.
Even as the world began to fall apart, it was rare that she needed to call upon these skills. Especially with an increasing military and civilian police force presence, within the inner cities.
Five years since she'd practiced these skills, or spared them a second thought.
She had the knowledge. But very little practical, real-world experience using these skills
However, ever since leaving the vault, they'd been slowly returning.
Out of necessity.
Survival.
The monster with the scar across his left eye.
Vengence…
"Where did you learn y…"
"Are you done?", she cut him off before taking a drag from her cigarette.
This was starting to feel like an interview and an interrogation.
"Yeah…you're good to go".
"Thanks", she pulled her shirt down.
"I'd like some privacy please. I'll be down in a minute", she kept her back to him.
"Of course. I'm going to see how work on the radio tower is progressing".
Later that evening found her sat on the steps of the station entrance. Absently running a hand through Dogmeat's fur as he lay beside her, digging into a bowl of canned dogfood.
The night sky appeared so much clearer since she'd left the vault.
The door creaked behind her.
"Here", she heard Danse's voice and turned so see him holding a bowl out to her.
"Thank you", she offered as he settled down next to her and started eating.
"It's from the stock of rations you donated. Surprisingly good. Did you scavenge these from a supermarket?", he asked.
"Most of the stores and businesses in the vicinity have been picked clean", he added.
"A few towns over. I liberated them from those who would abuse them", she quipped, remembering his words when they first met.
"It was for their own good really", she added.
He answered her with a grunt or a chuckle, she couldn't tell. But he didn't seem offended this time.
"Joke all you'd like, but the Brotherhood's motives are noble.
"I know you believe that, and I'm in no position to judge. I just find myself becoming more cynical the longer I'm out here", she reasoned.
"I know what you mean", he said. "Out here it's every man for himself. Assume the worst of anyone you meet. It's the only way to survive in this wasteland".
"That's a sad existence", she whispered, looking down into her bowl.
"It doesn't have to be yours" he looked over at her, catching her eye. "You went far out of your way to help us out. To ensure the success of our mission".
"In hindsight that was probably a bad idea on my part, since I still have no idea what your mission is", she grinned, biting her spoon.
"Though I'd gladly accept being seen as selfless instead of stupid, any day of the week", she added with a smile.
"It was a selfless act", he insisted. "Anyone else would have joined the ghouls to bring us down and raid the station once it was clear".
"That's not true. There are still good people out here", she said.
"I don't doubt that", he assured her. "But the odds that someone like you would answer our call was slim at best". "I was initially against putting out a distress call and broadcasting our position".
"See?", she pointed her spoon at him. "Having a little faith in your fellow man paid off".
He smiled. "Faith and trust will get you killed out here. We got lucky". "Lucky you were inclined to help us out, and lucky you had the skills to ensure the mission's success". "Looking back, I can confidently say I wouldn't have been able to acquire the transmitter without your assistance".
She had nothing to say, no quips or witty retorts to make light of his words, and instead let her gaze settle on the cracked asphalt of the courtyard.
She knew what was coming. What he wanted.
"Listen to me, Leona", his tone grave, as he set his bowl aside and shifted his position to face her.
"You don't belong out here. Someone with your mindset…with your skills", he stared at the side of her face. "I don't know what your story is, but it's clear that you haven't been out here that long. This wasteland will change you, eat away at you until you're a shadow of who you are right now. It's only a matter of time". "I'm offering you a chance to be part of something bigger. Something meaningful. A cause that can use your skills. Brothers and sisters in arms that you can rely on. A chance to make your mark on this world".
She didn't respond.
"I don't expect you to blindly accept the Brotherhood's values or our mission", he continued. "But given time… Once you see for yourself what we're all about, I'm confident you'll realize that you made the right choice"
She would be lying if she said some small part of her wasn't tempted.
Someone to rely on. A safe harbour from which she could make sense of this new world, at her own pace.
If things were different, she might have actually considered it.
"Wandering from place to place, trading your skills for a meager reward, from wastelanders who would just as soon shoot you in the back if it benefited them. That's no way to live", he continued. "I'm offering you a purpose. Or at the very least, a way out of this life…this fate".
"I have a purpose", she said softly, and turned to him, a pained smile on her face.
"There's something I need to do…And a promise I need to keep", her gaze settling on the courtyard once more.
"Maybe…Maybe when I'm done. If the offer is still open…", she took a deep breath and ran a hand through her hair.
There was a chill in the air.
"I'm leaving tomorrow", she said as she pushed herself to her feet and picked up Dogmeat's empty bowl.
She didn't wait for the Paladin's response.
"Goodnight Danse", she turned around and headed through the door with Dogmeat trailing behind her.
"Goodnight…", he replied. His back to the closed door.
'17…18…19...'
The warm morning light peeked through the boarded windows lining the hallway, casting a streak of light across her bare midsection, as she pulled herself up against the top of the filing room door frame.
She heard his footsteps first, and peaked between her arms to see Danse standing in the hallway in front of her.
"Morning", he greeted.
"Mmm..morning", she grunted, letting herself hang from the door frame before dropping to her feet.
She turned and retreated into the filing room, breathing heavily as she searched her bag.
The bandage on her back peeking out from under her sports bra.
"Where's your canine?", he asked, looking around the small room. A poor attempt at small talk.
"Ah, out on the town I'd imagine. I let him out early this morning. He'll find his way back eventually".
"I see. Well…anyway, I'm pleased to report that we made contact with command this morning", he flashed her one of his uncharacteristically pleased smiles when she turned around with a hand towel.
"That's good to hear. What did they say?", she asked as she wiped herself down.
Locks of her dark hair, damp with sweat. A light sheen on her neck and shoulders. The toned muscles of her arms and stomach. Her chest heaving with each breath. Deep, green eyes looking at him expectantly.
He caught himself staring, and broke eye contact. Folding his arms as he leaned against the doorway.
"We're on standby, awaiting orders . Transmissions are encoded, so it will take some time to decode once we receive a response", he explained.
She nodded with a smile, still breathing heavily. "I'm happy for you. Seems like everything worked out pretty well", she said sincerely.
"You played a significant role in this. That alone will carry considerable weight with command".
"Have you reconsidered my offer?", he added.
She chewed her lip and shook her head.
"No. I'm sorry. I can't…yet".
He frowned, running a finger across the stubble on his jaw. "I understand".
"When are you leaving?", he asked.
"Before mid-day. Unless you want me out of your hair before then", she grinned.
"Not at all. Take your time, but see me before you leave".
"Alright", she nodded as he turned and disappeared back into the hallway.
It was almost midday by the time she'd finished packing her things. All that was left was to perform routine maintenance and cleaning of her sidearm and rifle.
She hadn't grown attached to this place. But it was relatively safe. She'd gotten at least one restful night out of this deal.
Security. That was something she didn't have out there. Even with Dogmeat's watchful eye, she found it difficult to let her guard down at night.
She slipped off her gloves and rings, setting them on the side table before she retrieved the gun oil from her bag.
She sat cross legged on the floor, a cloth laid out in front of her as she began dismantling her weapons.
She slid a fresh magazine into her sidearm and tucked it behind her. Her rifle was finally reassembled as well.
She set it aside and wiped the oil and dirt from her hands.
The sound of bootsteps in the doorway off to her side, she assumed belonged to Danse.
"I'm surprised you're still here".
'Rhys' .
She looked over her shoulder to see him leaning in the doorway. A silent sigh as she returned her attention to cleaning up her tools, and the workspace in front of her.
"Surprised you didn't just raid our armory and take off", he continued.
She couldn't help but track the sound of his footsteps as he entered the room.
"Yeah well, life's full of surprises. You'll realize that someday, when you grow up", she replied dryly.
An audible grunt as he scoffed.
"You know, I've been asking myself why you're still hanging around. What you could possibly want…"
It seemed Danse hadn't told them she was leaving.
"I want what we all want, pal", she pushed herself to her feet and dusted her pants off.
"World peace", she quipped as she placed the tools on the filing cabinet in front of her and turned to face him.
"Hmph. Cute. That mouth is going to get you in trouble wastelander", he replied, fiddling with something in his fingers as he slowly approached.
"Do you think so?", she said a-matter-of-factly, as she finished wiping her boots.
She threw the dirty cloth on the file cabinet, and turned to him in earnest, folding her arms.
"What do you want from me Mr. Rhys?"
"It's Knight Rhys. And I think it's time you left", he glared at her.
"I'll leave when I'm r…", her voice died in her throat when she recognised Nate's ring in his hands.
She didn't understand it, but the very thought of someone like him, touching….defiling such an intimate keepsake…
"Give that back!", she held her hand out and stepped forward. She was shaking. She didn't know why, but she couldn't stop.
"Huh?", Rhys looked down at the ring between his fingers. Regarding it as if it were something insignificant.
Trash.
And with a callous flick of his wrist, tossed it back towards the table. Missing it entirely, as it hit the wall and disappeared into a shadowed corner of the room.
Her mind went blank and her breath froze in her throat. She couldn't process what he had just done.
Slightly parted lips and a vacant, wide eyed stare.
'Nate…It was a part of Nate…All she had left. She couldn't see it… Where was it…? Where was he…?'
She couldn't think. Her legs moved on their own towards the dark corner. It was all she could focus on.
A hand roughly grabbing her by the arm as she passed the Knight.
"Did you hear me?", he growled. His voice barely registering.
Her gaze fixed on the dark corner of the room.
Something was preventing her from moving. The world was slowly coming into focus.
His hand on her arm finally registering.
"I don't know what your game is…", he continued.
"Let go of me", she whispered. Barely a hint of emotion in her voice.
He did this. Nate… Where is he…?
The image of a scarred face flashing across her mind.
Her fist clenched at her side.
That monster.
Her vacant eyes widening ever so slightly, as she lost the battle to keep the memories at bay.
The Vault.
"You may have Paladin Danse fooled..", he jerked her arm when she tried to move.
"Let go". That familiar tingling sensation rising on the back of her neck as she clenched her teeth and her body tensed.
"But I know what you wastelan…".
Everything happened so fast…
He had no time to react when she grabbed his hand and violently snapped his wrist.
An agonized scream ripped from his throat when she rammed the heel of her palm into his elbow, breaking it.
A backhand to the side of the head silencing him, immediately followed up with a stomp to the side of the knee that brought him to his knees.
How dare you!
He was delirious with shock as she towered over him and grabbed him by the collar, slamming him face first into the wall.
She was in a blind rage.
His callous disregard. Tainting and trampling on the memory of her husband. Tossing it aside as if it were nothing.
She wouldn't lose him again. Wouldn't let this world touch him. Her memories of him.
They weren't worthy. This world wasn't worthy!
She slammed him into the wall for the third time, lifting her leg and pinning his face to the wall, with her shin on the back of his neck.
She could hear the heavy footfalls in the hallway, and drew her sidearm, levelling it at Scribe Haylen as she burst into the room.
"Rhys!", Haylen screamed. Horror etched on her face as she reached for her pistol.
"Drop it!", Leona spat with venomous rage.
The Scribe's training failing her when she heard the woman's tone, and saw the hatred and disgust in her eyes.
The woman's eyes glistened with unshed tears. Even as she pointed a gun at the Scribe.
Haylen's gaze falling to the bloodied face of Rhys. His arm hung limply at his side, abnormally bent at the elbow. "Oh god", the words escaped her lips as she panicked. 'What could she do…what could she do…Rhys!'
"Haylen!", Leona heard Danse's voice before he burst into the room. Her anger dissipating ever so slightly upon seeing his face.
"Oh no…", Danse muttered upon taking in the scene.
She kept her gun pointed at the Scribe.
"Leona". He held out an open palm towards her as he stepped between the two women.
She kept her eyes trained on the Scribe.
"Leona!", Danse repeated, when she didn't immediately look at him. "Calm down".
A mixture of indignation, anger and helplessness on her face.
There was no way this was unprovoked.
But even so…
She had Rhys on his knees, pinned against the wall. A bloodied face and a clearly broken arm and leg.
The Knight sputtered. "S..sh..oot her", blood trickling down his face into his cracked lips.
Danse was torn. He shouldn't have been, but he was.
She wasn't Brotherhood, but…
"Haylen, holster that sidearm", he ordered.
"Sir?!", the shock and disbelief the Scribe's voice was almost palpable.
"Sir, but Rhys!".
"Now!", he repeated, verifying her compliance before turning back to Leona.
"Leona, look at me", her breath came is short rapid bursts, her pupils dilated. "I know you don't want this. I need you to let him go", he kept his voice as calm as he could.
"Ssssh…oot…h…er", the Knight sputtered once more.
"Rhys be quiet. No one is shooting anyone!", Danse cut him off.
Without further coaxing she removed her leg from his neck, letting him fall to the floor.
Her gun still pointed at the Scribe as she stepped away from the Knight.
Danse nodded to her and turned to Haylen. "Get him out of here Haylen".
"Sir…?", Haylen wanted nothing more than to run to Rhys' side, but the gun pointed at her gave her pause.
"It's alright", Danse assured the Scribe.
He watched as Haylen cautiously hurried over to Rhys' side, struggling to support him as they hobbled out of the room.
He turned to Leona. She had her gun down at her side. The tension drained from her shoulders.
She approached him and he braced himself. He was unarmed, but she wasn't looking at him.
She released her sidearm, letting it hit the floor with a heavy thud as she passed him by and fell to her knees in the corner of the room.
"Leona?", he was confused, watching her frantically drag her hands across the dirty floor., desperately searching for…something.
Somewhere from down the hall he heard Rhys' scream as he approached her. A glint of metal beside her caught his eye.
Half buried in the dust when he picked it up and knelt next to her.
It was almost as if she were in her own world, not even so much as acknowledging his presence when he knelt next to her.
Her teeth clenched. Her moist eyes darting wildly around as she searched.
Despair and frustration clear on her face.
He held his palm out in front of her and she stopped her frantic searching immediately.
And unsteady hand carefully taking the ring from him.
He watched ah she examined it in her palm, closed her fingers around it and held it to her chest. Her head bowed solemnly.
Hunched over as she was, her hair obscured her face, but he could tell she was crying silently.
"Leona…", he placed a hand on her back.
She was shaking.
She clutched the ring to her chest. Struggling with all her might to push her emotions back.
To reign in her rage, her despair, her sorrow. To clear her mind of the bad…and the good.
She felt weak…drained.
She had lost control for a split second. Went too far. Misdirected her rage.
For a moment…a brief moment during the stand off. She had entertained the idea of killing them.
She had the opportunity.
If he hadn't trusted her, what would she have done…?
He sat with her as she struggled to regain control.
"Leona?", he probed, as the tremors stopped and she straightened her back.
He could see her face again. She brushed the wetness from her cheeks, but didn't look him in the eye.
"Leona, what happened?".
"Nothing…", she muttered, slipping the ring on her finger.
"No. You don't get to say that!", he said sternly. "That's not good enough. I have a seriously injured soldier on my hands. I need to know what happened", he pleaded. "Did Knight Rhys attack you or provoke you in any way?"
"Yes", she replied, looking down at her open palm, running her thumb across the ring on her finger.
"But I overreacted", she continued. "I don't….know wh…I…"
"This shouldn't have happened…", she finished.
Danse sighed deeply and sunk against the wall next to her.
"What are you going to do?", she asked, her gaze still fixed on her hands.
Rhys' pained groans drifted down the hallway, punctuating the silence between them, and she squeezed her eyes shut until it stopped.
"What would you do if I said I would confine you and have Command render judgement?" he asked.
She lifted her head and locked eyes with him. She looked exhausted…distracted. He could see it in her eyes, despite her blank face.
There was no more anger or malice in her bearing, but he knew what she meant. She didn't have to say anything.
"I thought as much", he sighed.
"Knight Rhys was under clear orders to keep his distance from you".
She looked at him, confused.
"I have no doubt he provoked a response from you. But you can agree your actions were well over the line", he held her eye. "You've been an asset to me and my team. But my team comes first".
"I understand that", she replied.
"Good", he took a deep breath and stood.
"Get your gear together. I want you off this compound as soon as possible", he ordered. His back to her, waiting for her response.
"Understood", she whispered. And with that, he walked out of the room. His footsteps fading down the hallway.
The light hurt her eyes. The sun was almost directly overhead as she descended the steps of the Cambridge Police Station.
She could see Dogmeat milling about, past the courtyard and beyond the barricades.
She slid a pair of dark shades on and adjusted the bags on her shoulder.
This had been a waste of time, and she had herself to blame. She had burnt any possible bridges she could have made here.
Didn't she?
Did it matter?
They were in a better position because of her intervention….well, most of them.
Meanwhile her situation remained unchanged, and in fact she had lost more time. She needed to stop these pointless diversions.
"I'm coming, sweetheart", she whispered, looking up at the burning sun before pushing forward.
"Leona", Danse's voice stopped her when she reached the barricades.
Her fingers stealthily unlatching the holster of her sidearm as she turned around.
He wasn't armed, she noticed, as he crossed the courtyard and stopped in front of her.
His stoic expression betrayed no emotion as they stood in silence, facing each other for what felt like an eternity.
She tried to read him but couldn't. He wasn't looking at her. His eyes focused on the ground, seemingly contemplating his words.
Finally he turned to her and held out a folded piece of paper.
She looked at the note in his hand, and then at him, tilting her head questioningly.
"I meant everything I said yesterday", he responded. "This incident hasn't changed that", he saw the tension leave her shoulders ever so slightly as he said it.
"This is a Brotherhood frequency", he explained. "If you change your mind…Or if you need to reach me".
She wordlessly took the slip of paper from his fingers.
There was nothing to say. She held his eye for a brief moment, and with a solemn nod, she turned on her heel and walked away.
"Stay alive out there...", he whispered as he watched her go.
NOTES :
15/11/2018 Edited the dialogue of all chapters to hopefully improve readability.
Working on Chapter 12 and I'll be making small edits to previous Chapters while I do that. Nothing major, just improving readability.
She should meet Piper by Chapter 13^^. I've had multiple scenarios of their meeting in mind since I originally started. So I'll have to decide which way I'll go. Though I imagine Ch 12 will influence that a lot.
