Two Weeks Later
"Move it, initiate!" I grabbed the collar of the young man and threw him forward. "Your buddy is bleeding out and needs your help!"
The initiate shouted in reply, scrambling onward to catch up to his squad. I watched with hands on my hips. The man still had a lot to learn before he would face anyone in combat especially the Enclave.
The Enclave…My hands clenched into fists at the thought of those monsters. They boasted of being the saviors of the Wasteland and the remnants of the U.S. government; yet they killed unarmed civilians and those who actually help the people of the wastes. They were exactly the reason the people of the Wasteland couldn't rebuild and they had to be stopped.
Two weeks had passed since the Enclave destroyed Megaton and killed the last hope for the Wasteland with it. Two weeks since I had returned to the Citadel with the Brotherhood and threw myself into helping Paladin Gunny train the initiates in the hopes they could be more than cannon fodder against the Enclave.
"Gunny, finish the exercise then go to the range." I shouted to the man running at the head of the pack. "You've got them for the day."
Gunny raised an arm in reply and began barking in true drill instructor speech. Grabbing my camouflage blouse and threw it over my sweat stained shirt. The sun was baking the training grounds of the citadel and I welcomed the intermittent air conditioning that welcomed me as I threw open the doors of the labs. The two knights standing guard to Prime's home saluted as I passed; returning the salute after some brief hesitation.
The promotion to Paladin gave me some reservations, but Elder Lyons had insisted on it if I was to stay within the Brotherhood. As a former sergeant, being saluted still made me want to bark at the men and women who did so, but I managed to restrain myself…after the first few times.
"Ah, Paladin Becher, how fair the new initiates?" Rothchild asked, his hands full of what I presumed were blueprints.
Crossing my arms, I sighed heavily. "Well, they're about as useless as tits on a bull, but we'll get them ready. How's Prime?"
The old man shrugged his shoulders and gestured to the robot standing in front of us. The machine had been rebuilt and upgraded, yet it lacked a single thing; the power source. Without it, Prime was just a massive paperweight.
"Powerless, but that is about to change. Come, my friend." Rothchild waved me over to the table in front of Prime; spreading his papers on it. "We may have found a break through. On our scouting missions, we uncovered a place that hasn't been picked over by scavengers."
Raising my eyebrows, I leaned over the table. "How's that? I would have thought that the Brotherhood would have picked the whole city clean by now."
"Normally that would be true, but we missed this area due to the overwhelming super mutant presence; but they have lessened in the months since…well since Project Purity was completed."
I turned to see Elder Lyons behind me with Sarah by his side. Nodding to the Elder, I leaned against the table. "So what is this place then?"
"Somewhere that your prior experience in the Old World will be of some use." Lyons explained, clasping his hands in front of him. "I believe the place was called Ronald Reagan National Airport; named after a former president, if I'm correct."
"You are; I remember flying into it when I came to D.C." I said, turning back to the maps. "But what can we use there that can power up Prime?"
"Ah, that is where I come in." Rothchild held up a finger, a smirk on his face. "The scribes and I will repurpose the engine and power cells of one of the planes there. With any luck and a little skill, we will be able to power up Prime."
Cupping my chin, I thought over the idea. The planes that remained there, if any, would be able to be harvested easily. Yet the idea that the airport had never been scavenged worried me. Who knew what remained inside the airport.
"So, you do realize that we have no idea what we could face inside the airport?" I questioned, looking Elder Lyons in the eyes before glancing at Sarah who only looked away. Odd, I thought.
"We do, but I'm sure that the Pride and yourself can handle this task. You leave in the morning, report to the hanger bay at 0800." Lyons ordered, turning to leave with Sarah on his heels.
"Sarah, I would have a word." I said, reaching out and catching her arm. She looked startled at being touched and I barely let it register as I dragged her into the armory. I pointed to the knight behind the cage and then pointed out the door; pleased when she took the hint and rushed out of the room.
"Sarah, may I ask what the hell is your problem?" I asked, crossing my arms and staring her in the face. "You haven't looked me in the face since we returned from Megaton and since we…since we lost Rebecca."
Closing her eyes, Sarah sighed and lowered her head, causing me to gently take her shoulder and shake her. "What is going on, Sentinel?"
Smirking at the sound of her rank, she glanced up at me. "Sentinel, hmm? Sentinel means I'm always aware and that I see things happening before they actually do. I failed in that."
Sighing, I placed both my hands on her shoulders and stared her down. "Sarah, you could not have seen the Enclave coming. You thought they were wiped out a long time ago; not even Rebecca could. Don't be blaming yourself because I need your best in this mission."
Shoving my hands off her shoulders, she turned away from me, her arms wrapped around her waist. I raised an arm, trying to think of something to say, but only lowered it when I lacked the words. I could hear her begin to cry softly and then I tried to remember what my father did whenever my own mother would do this same thing. Thinking quickly, I did the only thing that came to mind.
I gently spun her around and wrapped my arms around her; my right arm cradling the back of her head as I slowly whispered to her. "It's not your fault."
"No!" Sarah pushed away from me and I stood there astonished.
"What? What is wrong with you then?" I practically shouted. "Because we're at war and you're the one who is supposed to be leading us into combat tomorrow! I need to know if you can hack it."
"Oh, I can hack it alright, but I'd rather go into combat without you!" Sarah shouted as she tried to brush past me.
Reaching out, I grabbed her arm to make her face me only to receive a stinging slap to my face causing me to gape openly. I could only stutter as her eyes widened at what she just did. I opened my mouth to begin shouting a long list of questions and angry words when she surprised me again.
Her arms wrapped around my neck and she crushed her lips against mine. My eyes bulged out of my head and my hands went straight out to the side in shock. Yet, I couldn't stop the thought of her lips on mine or the way she seemed to smell like rosebuds. And I couldn't stop myself from placing my own hands on her hip and face as I returned the kiss…but it was not to be.
A muffled voice gasped and my eyes opened to see the Rothchild drop his blueprints to the ground and his wrinkled face reddened at the sight of the woman he considered his own daughter. Sarah spun around, her own face red and her lips swollen from the brief kiss. Immediately, she ducked her head and rushed out of the room before I could do anything; leaving me wide-eyed and confused.
Rothchild scrambled to pick up her papers while still looking up at me in question. My mouth opened and only a short squeak…yes a squeak eked out. Finally, I uttered the same thing that men had been saying for centuries since when caught in this situation.
"I can explain."
So, I decided to update this because I got a review from a Guest who inspired me to write this again. I seriously hope that whoever you are you read this and know that I thank you.
What will happen next I wonder? Leave me a review with what you think and we shall find out.