Fuck knocking. Fuck announcing her entry. Renee shouldered open the door to the Home Plate and slammed it shut behind her. She dropped her bag and her rifle in the foyer before stomping down the steps to the basement, seeing Curie engrossed in her research. The woman turned at all the noise Renee made. "Oh, you're—"

In a few quick strides Renee closed the space between them and gripped Curie's upper arms. She glanced between Curie's eyes, her own narrowing. "Who are you?" She asked, her voice hoarse.

"Ah… What?" Curie blinked in surprise. "Renee, what's wrong?"

Renee brought up a hand to shield Curie's eyes from the light. Curie furrowed her brow. "What is zhe meaning of zhis?" She growled, starting to squirm.

Just as Renee feared, Curie's eyes barely emitted a glow. It was faint, almost so faint she couldn't see it, but they did glow. She released the scientist and backed away. "Who are you?" She asked again.

"You know who I am. Curie." Curie rubbed her arm. "What 'as come over you?"

"What are you?"

Curie looked away. She didn't respond, instead bringing up a hand to her chest and curling in on herself.

"What are you, Curie?"

"It's…hard to explain. Please, don't ask me such zhings."

"I just came from Vault 81 and the goddamn Overseer didn't recognize your description, but she said she knew a Miss Nanny robot with your name. So you owe me an explanation. What the fuck are you?" Renee clenched her fists.

Curie took a deep breath, shaking her head. "You wouldn't believe me."

Renee felt her panic and fear turn to anger and she gritted her teeth. "Your eyes glow, you said you're centuries old, you keep talking about being made and designed, you don't have a family, the Overseer of the Vault you're supposedly from doesn't know who the hell you are… Are you a robot or are you a human?!"

"Well… Yes." Curie risked a glance at Renee before turning back to stare at the floor. "I'm…a Synth."

"The fuck is a Synth." Renee's shoulders rose and fell with each breath. "Start from the beginning, damn it!"

Curie shuffled to a chair near the wall and sat down, leaning her elbows on her knees. She took a moment to gather herself. "My designation is Contagions Vulnerability Robotic Infirmary Engineer. Or, C, V, R, I, E. Curie. Until only a few months ago, I was… My consciousness, data, was confined to a Miss Nanny robot."

"So when you said you were made in Boston…"

"I was manufactured by General Atomics in 2076."

There wasn't another chair in the room, so Renee slumped to the ground, crossing her legs. She gazed up at Curie. "Then how…"

"Monsieur Howard 'elped me. I had my data transferred into a Generation 3 Synth. I believe… G5-19, was 'er designation. She 'ad a malfunction in her systems. So I was able to…to take over her body." Curie looked down at her hands, clenching and unclenching her fingers. "I am told Synths are human. Zhere are a few key differences, of course, but I 'ave human organs, skin, blood. I need to eat and sleep just as you, though per'aps not as much or as often. But my bones are lined with aluminum and my brain 'as a computer chip."

Renee rubbed her temples and took a deep breath as she tried to process the information. "What the hell is a Synth?"

"A synthetic human being, created by zhe Institute."

"Wait, the Institute is real?" Renee snapped her head up. She remembered hearing whispers of the Institute and Androids back in Rivet City, but she never paid attention to it. "So Androids are…Synths?"

Curie nodded. "It would seem so. I 'ave never seen zhe Institute myself, though I would very much like to someday. Zhey are a collective of scientists and researchers, all working to better zhe Commonwealth." She started to smile but it faded to a frown. "Unfortunately, zhey see me as an escaped Synth, not as zhe fellow scientist I am."

Renee's anger returned and she got to her feet. "Why didn't you tell me before?"

"Synths aren't allowed in Diamond City, Renee. If anyone found out what I am, my very life could be in danger." Curie stood as well. "I do not see myself as a Synth. I am a scientist, a doctor. I 'ave never pretended to be anyzhing but that. What difference does it make if I was born or produced?"

"B-but you're not a real human!" The words tasted sour in Renee's mouth and she regretted saying them. "I mean, you're not… You're a Synth!"

"Is zhis a problem?" Curie's eyes were cold and she glared at the redhead.

"I…" Renee looked away. "I don't know."

"Zhen you'd best figure it out." Curie sighed. "Please, just…go. I'm busy."

Renee shook her head and stepped forward to grab Curie's arm again, whirling her around. "Why didn't you tell me when we met?"

"Because I was afraid you would react as you are now." Curie wrenched her arm free and shoved Renee back all in one swing. She gritted her teeth. "Leave!"

Renee exhaled in a rush, aggravated. "Fine. I need to think about this anyway."

"If you're going to hate me for what I am, do not bother coming back." Curie gripped the edges of her lab table so tightly her knuckles were white.

Renee didn't say anything further. She went back upstairs, grabbed her things, and left.

"Good afternoon, Miss Jones."

Renee gave the Assaultron a nod. She turned to the counter, where Gene stood. "Hey."

"Well, if it isn't my favorite treasure huntah." Gene grinned. "Found anything good for me? I could use some more shirts…"

"Yeah, I did." Renee began digging them out of her bag when she brushed up against the herbs Curie sent her to gather. She never bothered dropping them off. "Actually, I can I ask you something?"

Gene leaned her arms on the counter. "Shoot."

"What do you know about Synths?"

Gene and Z0E shared a glance. The shopkeeper nodded. "Z0E, the door."

"Yes ma'am."

Renee turned to watch the robot flip the sign on the door to 'Closed' and lock it. She barely turned back around before Gene came out from behind the counter and loomed over her. "What do you know about Synths?" Gene asked, one eyebrow raised.

Renee felt her anger flare and grabbed the front of Gene's bomber jacket. "I swear to god if you hurt her—"

"Whoa, whoa! I'm not gonna hurt anyone." Gene held up her hands. "Listen, I'm part of the Railroad. Well, sort of. Either way if theah's a Synth heah in Diamond City I need to know about them so we can get them out."

"Wait, what?" Renee let her go.

Gene smoothed down the front of her jacket. "Synths aren't exactly welcome heah in the Great Green Jewel. So if there's a Synth hanging around heah, then the Railroad needs to get them out. It's not safe."

"What's the Railroad?" Renee took a breath. She was getting tired of being out of the loop on everything.

"Right, sorry. Keep forgetting you're new around heah. The Railroad is dedicated to helping Synths escape the Institute. Unfortunately theah aren't a whole lotta people who like Synths, so it can be difficult." Gene crossed her arms. "So, who is it?"

Renee shook her head and mirrored Gene's stance, crossing her arms as well. "Not until you answer my questions."

"Fair enough." Gene smiled. "I'll do my best, but I don't know everything."

"First. Are Synths…human?" Renee felt her bravado fade as she thought about Curie again. She didn't want to think about the woman not being human, mostly selfishly. She didn't want to imagine she was lusting after a fucking robot. That…was not generally a good sign.

"They're synthetic humans. Some people disagree on what exactly makes a human, you know, human, but the general consensus is that they're human. Human enough, anyway." Gene tapped her chin. "I mean, if it looks like a human, talks like a human, and acts like a human, it's probably human, right?"

Renee frowned. "That doesn't really answer my question."

"Hm." Gene looked around a moment before she walked over to a display of shirts. She grabbed one, snapping it in the air to unfold it. "Heah." She tossed it to Renee, who caught it in one hand. "Read the tag."

"Made with one hundred percent synthetic fibers." Renee scoffed and rolled her eyes. "What the hell does this have to do with Synths?"

"What's it feel like?"

"A shirt."

Gene sighed. "Short stack, come on. What does the material feel like?"

"Uh…" Renee didn't really know much about textiles. "It feels…light, I guess." She rubbed the sleeve between her forefinger and thumb. "Like cotton?"

"Exactly. But it's not made of cotton." Gene smiled and held out her hand for the shirt back.

Renee ground her teeth. "What does this have to do with—"

"You're not getting it." Gene poked her in the middle of her forehead. "This shirt is completely man-made, but it feels and looks like something else. The fact that it's not made out of cotton doesn't mean it's not a shirt. It just means it's not made out of cotton. So even if a Synth isn't born out of a human, it doesn't mean they're not human. It just means they were made differently."

"But Curie was a robot before she…"

Gene arched an eyebrow. "Curie? Curie's a Synth?" She thought a moment before shrugging. "You know, yeah, I can see that one. But you said she's a robot?"

"She told me she was a Miss Nanny before she became a Synth." Renee looked at the floor. "I don't…"

"You don't know how to process any of this." Gene put a hand on her shoulder. "Things change ovah time. You should know that. So what if she was originally a robot? She's a Synth now. She's human. That doesn't mean she's not Curie anymore."

Renee winced. She couldn't deny Gene was right. Curie was still Curie. She was still a scientist, still a researcher. Still her employer. "But I…"

"Synths aren't really that different from you or me. They have thoughts and feelings just like we do." Gene tilted her head, putting a knuckle to her chin. "But how did Curie become a Synth if she was a robot…?"

"She said Nate had something to do with it."

"Ah. Man, that guy gets around." Gene shrugged. "Eithah way, Curie's the same Curie she's always been." She put her hands on her hips. "Now. This conversation nevah happened, got it? Or we're gonna have problems."

Renee snapped her head up. "What do you mean, problems?"

"The Railroad's a private organization. And I can't have you blowing my covah." Gene's expression hardened and her dark eyes flashed. "Undahstand?"

"You don't have to worry about that!" Renee took a half-step back. "Jesus."

"Good. Because if I find out that you told someone about me…" She didn't need to finish. "And don't tell anyone else that Curie's a Synth. She could be killed. And I mean that literally. People will kill her for it."

"Then why the hell did she come here…" Renee exhaled in a rush. "I need…to be alone for a while."

Gene nodded. "It can be a lot to take in. Even worse if you find out you're a Synth, but it's still startling regardless." She put an arm around Renee's shoulders. "Listen. It really isn't that big a deal like you're thinking. At the end of the day, she's still that cute little scientist."

"Yeah, she's a cute little—" Renee spluttered and tried to backtrack. "D-don't call her that!"

"Well, she is pretty adorable." Gene grinned. "Even I can see that."

Renee shrugged off her arm and went toward the door, putting her hand on the knob. "I'm gonna go." She sighed, glancing back. "And…thanks."

"No problem."

When Renee tried to open the door, it wouldn't budge. She pulled harder before shifting to pushing on it with her shoulder. "What the hell?"

"Locked, remembah?" Gene chuckled.

"Hmph." Renee undid the lock and opened it. "I'll see you around?"

"You know wheah to find me." Gene gave her a playful salute.

Renee returned it weakly before stepping outside. She adjusted her bag on her shoulder and began heading to the Dugout. She really needed time to think, and some alcohol wouldn't hurt either. Even with Gene's assurance, she still didn't know what to make of Curie, or of Synths.

thanks for reading! if it's not too much trouble, can i bother you for a review? i'm always eager to hear from the readers, good or bad!