Morning came and Alexei was standing again before the grand oak doors, only this time, it sounded a lot livelier on the other side. Various thoughts began racing through her mind after she had accepted the position last night. What would Danse think? Would he approve? Would he leave her? What would Shaun, Preston and all the others think? She tried her best to cloud the thoughts but her worries could be just as stubborn as her. Eventually, all grew quiet and after a second or two, the doors swung open slowly. She slowly began to walk towards the Brazier, where she could see Percival Maxson. Her posture was just as strong as she was and did not falter or break in all it's elegant grace. Looking out through the corner of her eye, she spotted Mullins and Jess, the latter using the former as a crutch as her leg was still healing. She stopped before the High Elder.
Clutching an old and well worn tome, he put his arm across his chest in salute to the Sentinel. Keeping it there, he addressed her.
"Place your hand upon the Codex please." He asked her, his voice carrying across the room. Alexei did so as well as return the salute, also keeping her arm raised.
"Sentinel Alexandra Jane Coles, You stand before the Brotherhood today to take the Steel Pact. The Pact that countless before you have taken in order to commit themselves to the role and responsibility as an Elder in the Brotherhood. You have fought valiantly for this Brotherhood and you have destroyed our enemies. You are the very model of which generations of Brotherhood pages will admire and respect. Through combat and leadership, you have proven to uphold the Brotherhood and her tenets in your actions and have taken them to heart. So I ask you now, before the Codex."
"Will you lead us?"
"I will"
"Will you follow the Codex, and uphold our Rules?"
"I will"
"Will you continue to fight the Brotherhood's enemies in our name?"
"I will"
"Then I hereby grant you the Title of Elder of the Eastern Chapter. It's future and leadership now fall to you. All Brotherhood resources here in the East are available to you for use and now I wish to call forward Knight-Captain Drake Mullins and Knight Sergeant Jessica Reddington." He said as he handed Alexei her new Elder's uniform. It was solid black, like her Sentinel uniform, yet it had the symbol of the Brotherhood Elders emblazoned on the lapel. Mullins and Jess stepped forward together slowly, mostly due to Jess' need for walking assistance.
"The new Elder has spoken highly to me about you two. How you kept yourselves together when faced with the death aboard the wreckage of the Prydwen and how you aided her in the struggle to keep the landing zone at Searchlight Airport clear. It is due to this upstanding conduct and upon personal request from the Elder, that I now appoint you as her new Honorguard. You will be responsible to be her ever vigilant bodyguards, and to aid her in her campaign to protect the Commonwealth and all her citizens." He said. Jess smiled, despite the extravagant pain in her calf and Mullins gave them both a solemn "thank you".
About two hours later, after the Codex had been updated, the holotags returned and their gear repaired, Alexei and her friends were waiting while their Vertibird back to the Commonwealth was prepped for the flight. They were enjoying a well deserved drink and the strong whiskey was helping Jess forget about the pulsing pain in her leg.
"Congratulations again on the promotion Ma'am. You'll do this Chapter proud." The 'Whiskey Queen' told her, her words heavily slurred.
She had been awarded the name of the 'Whiskey Queen' after she had dared Alexei into a drinking contest. Remembering back, it was quite the battle. After Alexei had been named Elder, there was a small banquet in her honour. There was food, music and enough alcohol to drown Jamaica Plains. Alexei had been relaxing in a chair, already on a bottle count of three beers and two tumblers of brandy. Jess had come up to her, claiming that she had forgotten the humble roots of the Brotherhood that she started at and in order to raise morale, she'd have to show the 'grunts' that she was still one of them at heart. Jess challenged Alexei to a drinking contest, confident in her ability to withstand liquor in all forms. First one to pass out lost and the survivor would be named queen.
The air was tense and they started out with weak moonshine that someone had sourced on-site. It was like water to them. Deciding to step it up, as the night continued, the Citadel's canteen began to reek of vomit, mixed liquors and other strange substances. Eventually it came to the whiskey round. Alexei never liked the stuff and feared that she may need to bow out. The round started and the cheers rang out as they clinked glasses before downing the drink. It sent Alexei into a minor coughing fit but she quickly recovered. After about 4 more shots however, Alexei was forced to throw in the towel. The cheering intensified and Jess threw her arms up in the air in triumph. After about three seconds, her eyes ran to the back of her head and she passed out. She was lifted up and put in her bunk. Alexei just retired to her own quarters. She had drank more than Jess, but the sheer amount of heavy drinking she used to do with her sister, back before the war, had long enhanced her resilience to the hard liquor, so she quickly recovered.
"Thanks Jess. How are you feeling by the way? Doctors give you an idea as to when you'll be given the all clear yet?" She asked.
"Soon... just soon..." She said, before laying her head down. Within seconds she was sound asleep, either to exhaustion or the exuberant amount of alcohol that she had consumed. Mullins came over then soon after, telling Alexei that the Vertibird had been prepped and was awaiting her order to leave. Pointing towards Jess' sleeping form, she said.
"You grab her highness. I'll meet you aboard."
Twenty minutes later, they were on their way home.