AN: Was just doing some light editing for consistency. Most notably, I want the time that Johanna has spent on the Prydwen to be weeks, not months. If you spot any errors, please let me know so I can fix them. It's about time for things to progress and I want everything to be perfect.
oooo
Flipping through her physics textbook, Johanna hardly paid attention while the others in the classroom chatted while they waited for the teacher to show up. She was late by seven minutes already and no one knew quite what to do, though it appeared that no one cared either.
Jo was content to sit and go over the homework herself, easily remaining the wallflower while the others took advantage of the time they were allowed to spend together, integrated and unsupervised.
The boys chatted up the girls, using topics of conversation such as how much weight they could press or their recent awards in physical training to impress them.
The girls seemed to revel in the attention and didn't need to do much besides nod at the appropriate places. Most of them were extremely beautiful and everyone was fit from being put through training.
Johanna knew, from reading about the human body in an elective health class, that their adolescent bodies were going through rapid changes and hormone levels were spiking, leaving the teens to seek out methods for releasing the sexual urges taking over. It was easy to see the proof in the small classroom of her peers. Soon the change would happen to her as well. It was unavoidable, and something she was not looking forward to, not in the least. The thought of losing control over her mind to a temporary chemical response was laughable, but Jo didn't claim to have the ability to skip past puberty unscathed.
Johanna turned the laser rifle over in her hands, admiring it. Though it was a simple design, Brotherhood issue, she had never owned a firearm before, not counting the pistol she had stolen from her vault. The rifle was a sight more impressive than the 10mm she had carried, though still light enough to carry comfortably and fire accurately.
She eyed Danse appreciatively as he stood next to her at the firing range. Though it was eerily similar to the last time she had been here, Danse made her feel protected, even as Knight Murdoch and his friends stared holes into her back.
"You did well today, Polowski," Dase offered somewhat affectionately. Though Johanna would never say so outloud, she was glad for Nora's obvious absence. It was difficult to pry Danse's attention from the other vault dweller and Jo found herself reveling in his undivided attention.
"Thank you." She gave him a bright smile, feeling accomplished. After several hours in the training yard, Danse had proclaimed her to be 'very efficient' with the laser rifle and even declared that he thought she was battle-ready. His compliments meant more to Johanna than she would ever admit. It was Danse, afterall, who stuck his neck out and brought her aboard the Prydwen. She owed it to him to accomplish what was asked of her.
"I was told that after training you should meet Elder Maxson in his quarters." Johanna heard the stiff way Danse spoke and she wondered if it was such an unusual request. She had already spent so much time in Arthur's private quarters, even eating meals with him ocassionally while she worked on the holodisk. She did not say any of this to Danse, as she decided that he wouldn't approve. He was blinded to the part of Arthur Maxson that was an actual human being, rather than the figurehead of the Brotherhood.
"I'll be sure to do that," she nodded to Danse, though her eyes were on his giant feet, covered, as always, in his power armor. "Are we finished here?"
"We are," Danse replied lightly and Johanna realized that he was holding back something that was on his mind.
"Is there something wrong?" Jo stood stock still and gazed into Danse's brown eyes, so warm and unlike Arthur's.
"No, nothing's wrong... Nothing like that. I was simply wondering if you had any idea what Elder Maxson has summoned you for. You must have some inkling."
"I do not," she replied, trying to sound as uninterested as she could, while, in reality, her stomach was already in knots at the prospect of seeing the young man again so soon. "Perhaps he wants to know about our training today."
"I can't imagine why I wouldn't report to him directly," Danse muttered. Johanna froze with a sudden thought.
"Danse, you're jealous!"
"That's preposterous," he huffed, though his cheeks turned ruddy. "I was only wondering why our Elder is breaking the chain of command. There's been no prior arrangements of this manner."
Johanna giggled quietly, wishing Danse would understand if she told him that his stone cold leader needed to be treated like a human every now and then. But the Paladin lived and breathed Brotherhood, she had yet to see him concerned with anything else but the job.
"If you don't mind, I'd like to get back to the Prdwen, Danse. Affairs to see to, immediately, I should think," she teased him, hoping it came across as humorous on her part.
Juding by his facial expression, the humor didn't register with the paladin, though Jo couldn't help the grin that spread across her face.
They boarded the airship within five minutes in lasting silence. Jo didnt know whether it was a comfortable silence or not; her social skills still lacking. She sensed Danse was uneasy about something, but didn't think it was just because Maxson had asked to see her.
With a quick 'goodbye' to Danse, she realized she forgot protocol once more and grinned at her superior. Predictably, he gave her a half hearted 'Ad victorium' before heading on his way. Johanna turned in the opposite direction- towards Elder Maxson's quarters.
The hour wasn't late enough to justify the reasoning behind meeting privately in his rooms, and Johanna was beginning to feel a little of the unease Danse had projected on her.
She held her head high and knocked quietly on the door. She did not have to wait more than a few moments before receiving a response to enter.
Arthur stood, looking as intimidating as ever in his thick armored coat. Johanna wondered if he ever got too warm- it appeared the lining was made of wool, if she was not mistaken.
"Polowski," Arthur said in greeting, nodding politely.
"Hello, Arthur," she replied with a smile, not put off by his less than familiar behavior. "You wanted to see me?"
"Indeed. I thought we could discuss your training for field operative over a meal. I've thought of several more areas I want you to be prepped on before you leave the base again."
Jo stared with disbelief.
"More? I've already received rifle training, field medic training and even evacuation protocol. You don't think I'm ready to leave yet?"
"There's no harm in being prepared. Please." He gestured to the small dining table to the side and something caught Johanna's eye.
He knew she was going to be upset and had procured not one, but two bottles of purified water and two ears of corn.
"Are you taking your medications?" Arthur asked stiffly, taking the cap off of a new bottle of Rad-X.
"Uh... I suppose I forgot this morning, but I didn't have breakfast either," she admitted, trying not to stare at the still steaming corn on her tray.
Perhaps more roughly than necessary, Arthur took the bottom of her right hand and used his other to slap the pills into the palm of her hand. She was sure he would comment about her skipping meals, if only because she looked 'frail', but he didn't.
"Sit. Eat."
It was all the invitation she needed, and Jo placed her laser rifle on Arthurs desk before going to the table and digging in.
She was incredibly hungry, but it hadn't been her attention to skip breakfast. After a sleepless night on the windy deck, she had simply slept through it. She didn't know why she had stayed out so late. Perhaps to see if Arthur might join her, though he never did.
"I want you to have extra training in using explosives and plasma weapons. And how to target syths for maximum damage," Arthur said, taking a seat at the table across from her. She quickly noticed that he did not have a meal tray of his own, though it was hard to broach the subject with her mouth full. "I was ill informed of the numbers the Institute posesses. You need to be safe out there."
"I will be going to a few farms, I'll be fine. Its not like the synths are living openly in town."
Arthur frowned at this, but did not argue her point. She saw her mistake almost at once. There was, in fact, no proof as to where the syths were living if they were in the Commonwealth as records suggested. And she had read the files herself, the reports that spoke so highly of the third generation of synths that the machine would be inpossible to tell apart from a human.
Johanna believed Arthur found the whole idea more than a little creepy, because he got a strained look on his face whenever the syths were spoken of; a gruffness to his tone that hadn't been there before.
She would never admit it outloud, though secretly she wanted to meet a synth, almost more than she wanted anything in her entire life. The technology had to be amazing; perhaps something more suited to a science-fiction novel than to real life. It gave her shivers just thinking about the prospect of getting her hands on technology like that.
"Danse said I've become extremely proficient with a laser rifle," Johanna began cautiously, watching Arthur from beneath her lashes.
"The topic is not open for discussion, Polowski," Maxson spoke roughly, correctly assuming where Johanna was taking the conversation. "You will receive the appropriate training."
"Will the other soldiers receive this training before going on missions?" She shouldn't question him, Jo knew that, but the words were out of her mouth quickly and she couldn't take them back. Nor did she apologize, not regretting her outburst and sincerely wanting an answer.
She wanted him to admit that he was treating her like a child, doing everything in his power to keep her aboard the Prydwen. She wanted him to admit that the other soldiers were receiving no extra training. She did not expect him to place his hand over hers on the dinner table, squeezing tightly.
"You're... too valuable to send out without proper training. Please, Johanna." It was the way he paused, unsure of his words that got Jo's attention. His breathing was semi labored, suggesting the topic was of real importance to him. She wanted to argue further, but she was so shocked by Arthur's open display that she instead took in the minute details of his expression. She did not get to see him like this, no one did.
"I will do what you ask of me," she acquiesced finally. "But not because I need the training, Elder Maxson, Sir. I suppose it would be quite troubling to you if I were to die."
"Troubling," he repeated. "I suppose that is one word."
His thumb began to trace circles on Jonhanna's hand, right at the sensitive spot between thumb and forefinger.
"Maybe you'd even miss me," she muttered, suddenly unsure of herself as her breath caught in her throat. Though Arthur wasn't doing a thing more than tracing shapes on her hand, her whole body tingled with the effects and she became slightly lightheaded.
"Miss you, indeed. You're the only one on this ship with enough guts to stand up to me. I'd be positively lost."
"You'd survive." She didnt know where to take the conversation from there, but Arthur seemed to snap back to reality as he pulled his eyes, and his hand, away from her.
"Lets not take the chance, shall we? I'm writing you an aquisition note for a small quantity of plasma grenades. You can take it to the quartermaster tomorrow and begin your training."
Sighing inwardly, she nodded and touched her wrist under the table where Arthur's hand had been only moments before. At this rate, Johanna didn't believe her training would ever be complete.