John was speechless, Mason just told him that New Charleston got four Pre-War Cruisers back up and running and said, "Are… are… are you serious?" and Mason nodded his head and said, "yeah, four Pre-war Cruisers. Can you believe it?" Claire looked at her Uncle and asked, "What's a cruiser?" and Mason told her, "It's a type of ship that the Pre-war United States Navy had. These kinds of Cruisers could launch missiles from the sea and shoot down incoming enemy aircraft. The names were the Gettysburg, the Bull Run, the Shiloh, and the Richmond."
John then said, "How were you able to get them back up and running?" and Mason said, "we actually didn't, those ships were kept in working order for over 200 years dude, we also happen to be sitting on the largest stockpile of weapons and supplies to keep said weapons operating at peak efficiency." John then said, "So tell me, what do you plan on doing with them?" and Mason told John, "Until we get the George Washington operating, those four ships are staying in the Harbor." John was speechless again, from what he read, The George Washington was a Pre-war Aircraft carrier. He then said, "Are you serious, The George Washington? As in the Aircraft carrier?!" Mason nodded his head again and said, "Yeah, once we get her up and running, and with the Vertibirds launching from her, we'll be able to go out to sea." Soon the Pilot said, "Coming up on New Charleston now sir."
John looked at the city and it's just as he remembered it. Soon he saw them, the four cruisers and the Aircraft Carrier. Hyra looked at the ships and said, "Amazing." John nodded his head and said, "When we land, we'll be on history." After the Vertibird landed, John slowly placed his feet on the flightdeck and realized that it was holding. John took a few steps forward but was stopped by a few of the New Charlestons aiming their weapons at him. Mason then said, "Stand down, he's not with the Brotherhood of Steel." The people looked at Mason before lowering their weapons.
"Sorry John, they all hate the BoS." Mason told John, who replied, "Understandable and relatable." Mason then looked back at his people and said, "This man and his companions are to be treated as my guests. No hatred or acts of vengeance against them, is that understood?" the people on the flight deck nodded their heads before Mason led John and his group to the stairs down the carrier. Except John and Harold, and Codsworth had to take the freight elevator that was installed onto the side of the carrier. As they rode it down, the three of them saw the Cruisers and Codsworth said, "I must say, a fine marvel of United States craftsmanship." John looked at Codsworth and asked, "So what was it like, after your master came out of the vault."
"Oh the time was spent most pleasantly, he brought a group of wastelanders who were all a part of the Minutemen to his home town of Sanctuary hills. From there he worked alongside them, a group of people who fought to free Synths from the clutches of the institute called the railroad, the Brotherhood of Steel's Commonwealth division, and the Institute itself. He came out to find his son named Shawn, who by the time he woke up, was leader of the Institute. Soon he gathered the leaders of the Minutemen, Institute, and Brotherhood together and proposed that they work together to make the commonwealth a better place. The Minutemen were on board, as were the railroad.
Elder Maxson was a tough cookie to break. The only way he got the Brotherhood on board was in a fist fight, and since Master Kingston was in the Army, he was able to win very easily. But sir Shaun was the toughest of them all, as the head of the Institute, he believed that they alone should rule the commonwealth, but the master was able to convince his son to change his mind without getting too violent with him. He now is the elected leader of the Commonwealth Republic, leader of the Institute, Brotherhood, and the Minutemen. Unlike the president before the Great war, he doesn't sit in an office all the time, he goes to the settlements in the Commonwealth republic that helps them out and has told the Brotherhood and Institute to assist in those areas as well."
"Okay, now how about his current wife?" Harold asked Codsworth, who said, "He met Miss Piper when he went to Diamond City. From there the two were inseparable. They traveled all over the Commonwealth together, watched each other's backs. She was present when Master Kingston managed to unite the Commonwealth. After which she told him that she had developed feelings for the good sir. As did Master Kingston for Miss Piper. Next thing we knew they were going on dates and soon after, he proposed to her and she said yes, the wedding was spectacular." John smiled and after the freight elevator reached the bottom, John, Harold and Codsworth waited for the rest of the group to join them. John's helmet then notified him that the man leaning against the wall was a Synth.
When Mason and the others got down to the ground, John asked Mason, "Are you and your people friendly to synths?" and Mason said, "Yeah, New Charleston has Synths, and the actual humans accept them as their neighbors." John then said, "Okay, I asked because that guy leaning on the side of the ship was a Synth." Mason looked at the man John was referring to before looking back at John and said, "Who Greg, yeah he's a Synth, escaped from the Institute in the Commonwealth and was fired at by Brotherhood of Steel Members. Don't let him get to you though, he's really a good guy."
John looked back at Greg, who was still shooting him and Harold a dirty look before he said, "Yeah… good guy." Mason then led John and his group, Piper, Dogmeat, and Codsworth to the City's Government building. In the mayor's office, Mason sat behind the desk as Claire sat on his lap. Piper sat across from them as she and Mason discussed the future of New Charleston. John and Harold got out of their Power Armor to sit down as was the first to speak and she said, "Like I said, I'm glad that you took the time to discuss having a base for the Commonwealth Republic established in New Charleston. My Husband promises to work alongside you in making New Charleston prosper." Mason nodded his head and said, "Yes, well, I'm more than willing to help you and the President reunite the country, but I also want New Charleston to be it's own City State." Piper nodded her head and said, "Of Course, I'll talk to my husband about it." Mason nodded his head before looking at John and asking, "Now what do you want in return for bringing me my niece?"
John told Mason, "Like I said at the outpost Mason, I don't want anything in return. I just came here to make sure Claire got here safely. Now my group and I will take our leave and try to find a way to help the rebels overthrow Elder Torres." Piper looked at John and said, "Elder Maxson told us about that man, he's a crazy ass motherfucker." John nodded his head and said, "Yeah, which is why some members of the Brotherhood of Steel's southern Division have started a Rebellion against him and the Brotherhood under his command. I promised Rebecca that I would bring help against him, but I don't know who or how I would be able to do that?"
"Mayor Brown…" Piper said to Mason, who looked at her and said, "Say no more First Lady Kingston, I know exactly what you are about to ask me and I'll need to talk to my advisors about going to war." John looked at Piper with a look of confusion before she said, "I'll talk to my Husband and Elder Maxson to see if we can assist you in bringing down Elder Torres." John was speechless, and was even more speechless when Mason said, "I'm going to talk to my advisors and see if we should assist you as well." John smiled and said, "Thank you. I know of a few settlements that we can ask as well for assistance. They're all on the way to the main encampment for the brotherhood down here. Shame we can't bring the cruisers onto land, their missile launchers would be perfect for this."
"Well, what would say if I told you that we've been upgrading the cruisers to be able to come onto land?" Mason asked John, who replied, "I would say that seems impossible, but I believe that you have been upgrading the cruisers to be able to come onto land." Mason nodded his head and said, "We should have the first Cruiser ready for land in a few Hours." John smiled and said, "Thank you Mason." Mason nodded his head and said, "Currently, the Brotherhood still outnumber us, until we get reinforcements, we can't attack them yet." John then said, "We have a few places we can stop to get some volunteers. I'm sure they're tired of living under the Brotherhood of Steel's boot. "
"Excellent, First Lady Kingston, if you would Kindly follow me to the Communications room, We'll get in contact with the Commonwealth Republic and get assistance from your husband and Elder Maxson." Mason said to Piper, who nodded her head and got up. The two shook hands and Piper was led to the Communication Room. Mason then looked at Claire and said, "Do you remember the way to my house Claire bear?" Claire nodded her head and Mason said, "Go and meet me there, I need to talk to John real quick." Claire nodded her head again and before leaving the room, she ran over and gave John a hug. After she ran out, Mason said, "Claire's taken a liking to you John." John smiled and said, "I'm sure that she was thanking me for getting her here."
Mason chuckled and said, "John, I need you to promise me something." John looked at Mason and said, "You want me to promise you something, given our past?" and Mason Nodded his head, making John say, "Okay, what's up?" and Mason sighed before he said, "I need you to promise me, that if anything happens to me, that you would take Claire as your own daughter." John was speechless, as was everyone else in his group. John then got up, walked over to the Mason's desk, and asked. "What did you just ask?" and Mason repeated what he said. John sat down where Piper sat and said, "What you're asking me to do Mason, why are you asking me to do it?" and Mason said, "John… I'm dying." John looked at Mason with a look of shock.
Mason stood up and looked out the window behind him as John asked, "What… how… when?" and Mason said, "It's a new form of something the pre-war books called Cancer. I think I got it when I was leading a patrol near a Pre-war military facility. The ground gave way and I was dosed in huge amounts of Radiation, an unhealthy amount. According to some of the medics Mr. Handy bots, I only have a few more months left. If I'm going to die, New Charleston is not only going to need a new Leader, but Claire is going to need someone to watch over her as she grows up. I've seen the way she acts around you and I've heard how you act towards her. You would be perfect for her father figure when I'm gone."
"But… Mason… there has to be a way to save you." John said to try and help Mason, but Mason shook his head and said, "I've already tried, the cancer's all through my Body, Lungs, Heart, Neck, Head. There's no curing it. Like I said I have a few months left and I'm going to make sure that those months are spent helping you take down Elder Torres, once and for all. But do you promise me that you'll take care of my niece when I'm gone." John was speechless until he nodded his head and said, "I promise." Mason smiled and walked over to John and held a hand out to him before he said, "I want to bury the Hatchet and call it a truce." John smiled and shook Mason's hand.
Later, John and his group were given a tour of New Charleston. John noted that it changed a lot since the time he was there, and Mason said, "Well, since the last attack, we took the Vertibirds that were shot down and repaired the ones that were in decent condition using parts from the ones that were beyond saving." John then asked how many attacks have there been since the attack that made John a knight and Mason told him, "Actually, only a few, about 3 or 4. I think the Brotherhood knows it can't take our defenses head on." John nodded his head and asked, "Are the underground tunnels secured as well?" and Mason said, "Those were some of the first things we secured. We also have defensive turrets all around the City to make sure that the Brotherhood doesn't try to flank us." John smiled and stopped when he saw that they walked into a familiar area. Mason looked at John and asked, "You recognize this place?" John nodded his head and said, "Yeah, I was treating some Knights here when a New Charleston Patrol found us and we exchanged fire here. This is where I shot the explosives barrel and injured sergeant Smith."
"Figured you would recognize it." Said Mason as they continued on the tour of the City. When they got to the Wall, John looked at the craters from the Artillery pieces, the rotting bodies of Brotherhood of Steel members, Destroyed Vertibirds, and parts of an airship. John then said, "Was that from the Airship Elder Torres had?" Mason nodded his head and said, "Yeah, but we managed to bring her down with the Anti-Air Artillery." Mason then looked at the sky and said, "Sun's going down, how about we get you and your group a room in one of the stable buildings we made into the living quarters and spend the night there. We'll discuss the plan more in the morning." John nodded his head and he and his group followed Mason from the top of the wall and to where they would be spending the night in New Charleston. Meanwhile, far away from New Charleston, two Brotherhood of Steel scouts, loyal to Elder Torres, saw them leaving the walls and one scout said, "We need to report this to Elder Torres, the traitors are with the new Charlestons." The other scout nodded his head and as they were about to leave, a squad of New Charleston's army aimed their guns at them and took them prisoner.