1
"You are late.", X6-86 announced. He stated this in a more monotone voice than a vice principal over an intercom. If there was any emotional content, it would only be pride in the fact that the synth was a machine which would defeat the purpose.
"Did you have something better to do?", the Director asked.
"No.", the synth informed. "You haven't given another directive."
"Then let's keep quiet and see how hard a sell Isabel needs.", she replied.
The two synths accompanying the General took stock of the complex that had become the Mechanist's lair. "This is a very fortified location.", the second Synth observed. "However did you flush her out of it?"
"I didn't.", the Director replied. "I had Ada, a robot I found, impersonate the key mechanism for the doors. Other than that, I had to shoot my way through the Mechanist's robots."
X6-86 regarded his design counterpart. The other blankly nodded, silently agreeing that the Director's combat skills may live up to the hype.
After some traveling and not tripping over some of the yet to be fully functioning automotrons, the three came upon the central core of the Mechanist's seat of power.
"Oh, um...hello. Again.", Isabel greeted.
Her floating eyebot, Sparks, beeped at her.
"Omigod!", she exclaimed. "I'm not a synth. Don't hurt me."
The woman tried to calm her. "They know you're not an escaped synth, Isabel."
Only to rile her up again. "They do want you to come with them."
"What? Why? What do they want with me?", Isabel cowered.
"I presume you've heard of the Institute.", the Director stated. "We're more than just the one that makes the Snyths you've seen. We hold the most advanced technological facilities that humans have ever made. It is a community that's also an engineer's wonderland. The Institute has the resources to advance any skill, build any project, and press the limit of human perspective over the horizon.
"And we want you to join."
Isabel stopped shaking. "Really?" She turned to Sparks. After a beep, "Really?"
"Of course.", the director continued. "You've displayed extraordinary ability. The robo-brains alone show that you are a self taught neurobiologist, applied chemist, computer scientist and fabricator. Adding in the disruption to the Commonwealth you've caused, no one can doubt your initiative or work ethic."
"But I was only trying to help.", Cruz reiterated.
The Director nodded. "And I believe you. If I didn't think you were trying to help the Commonwealth rather than destroy it, I would have killed you.
"X6-86 can attest to that."
"She has eliminated many threats to the Inst...the Commonwealth.", his emotionless voice decided on.
The Director continued. "At the Institute, you can continue your work in adding to the physical capabilities of synths. Perhaps even learn something about non-circuit based AI. You'll also have a lifestyle that's a lot...cleaner. Perhaps even more scheduled."
"Would I get to choose my own projects?", Isabel hoped.
"Perhaps. In time.", the Director conceded. "But that's after a period of integration. You'd be working under a mentor that will try to catch you up on the advances in robotics that have taken place the last two centuries. Given a steady progress considering your days as the Mechanist, and you could end up being a project head in due time."
"And Sparks can come with me?", she continued.
The woman looked to her accompanying synths. The two coursers frowned.
"It would help if Sparks served as more of an observation point for you above ground...as long as it didn't communicate messages out. It may be harmful for your eyebot if he went through a screening process vigorous enough to clear him for the Institute. But I will warn you. And Sparks. Operational and informational integrity is paramount at the Institute. If Sparks so much as starts the first soundwave of a beep telling anyone about anything having to do with us, he won't make it from the crest to the valley of it.", the Director explained.
"What if we don't go?", Isabel asked.
The coursers drew their Institute rifles.
The Director quickly pushed their weapons into aiming at the ground. "I'd very much like to persuade you that coming to the Institute is for the best. The access to resources, from a shower to abundant food to the most educated minds in the Commonwealth to collaborate with, is unparalleled. There's no reason not to."
"And I suppose I can't stay here.", she lamented.
"Well, I am the General of the Minutemen as well." the Director informed. "The entirety of the Commonwealth is coming together. And it's going to be a place where life takes root once more. The Institute is the place for you if you were honestly trying to help that dream become a reality."
"Alright.", Isabel. "Let me pack and we'll go."
"If you don't have any sentimental mementos, ma'am.", X6-86 interrupted. "Then packing will be useless. Most every item will be judged worthy of recycling to prevent contamination to the Institute."
"Oh.", Isabel acknowledged. "Well, just Sparks here.
"I guess...we get going then. Where to?"
The Director smiled. "You don't go to the Institute. The Institute takes you there. I'd stand pretty close if I were you."
And with that she entered in a command to her pipboy. A sourceless lighting flash leaped across them, then a bright flash.
2
"Ah! What's going on. It's all blue and white.", Isabel fretted.
"Don't worry.", the Director comforted. "The Molecular relay just does that. Your vision will settle in a second."
"Oh, wow.", Isabel realized as her sight came back. "Did we just...teleport?"
Dr. Holdren made himself known at that point. "Yes, you did, Ms. Cruz. Now if you'll step towards me, I'll take you to our medical offices. I'll decontaminate you and assess your health to bring you up to par with Institute standards."
"Oh, you poor dear.", Isabel fretted.
It was Dr. Holdren's time to be confused. "Excuse me?", he asked as the inductee walked right by him.
"They didn't give you extendable arms and still assigned you this task.", she lamented to the type one synth mopping the floor outside the Molecular Relay.
"Here, let me help."
"I don't think that's wise.", Holdren called out. He stopped his approach when the Director held his elbow.
Isabel patted her jump suit pockets and found herself without tools. So she just started bypassing parts on the synth itself for now extra materials. Using those materials, she fashioned stand-ins for screwdrivers and even wrenches out of wire and hose. Using those, she altered the configuration of the android's arm.
"How's that?", she asked.
The android started mopping again...without bending at the waist or across its back. "There's a bit of unexpected feedback to this unit's firmware.", it reported.
"uh doy.", Isabel cursed herself. Using a left over wire, her fingers nimbly attacked the base of the synth's neck. "What about now?"
"Reprojecting task completion time.", the synth responded. "Current efficiency has been increased to..."
And then the synth nearly had an emotional response. "114%?"
"There you go.", the former Mechanist congratulated.
"Oh - sorry, doctor.", Isabel apologized. "There was an initial medical exam?"
3
Dr. Binet complimented the Director. "Ms. Cruz is...quite the find. I'm certain that she'll become a doctorate holder in a very short amount of time."
"I thought she might fit in.", she mused.
"I'm looking forward to your second candidate.", the Robotics scientist followed.
The woman shifted from one foot to the other. "I'm probably not going forward with that. The Institute is a finely tuned operation. I don't believe the other candidate's talent is worth the disruption."
She hoped that explanation covered her not telling him about Jack Cabot.
It didn't.
"Why not?", Dr. Binet inquired. "Who is it?"
The Director pursed her lips. "I'm sure you know how some elements of the Institute are less happy with my 'promotion' than others. But in my eagerness to bolster the Institute's capacity, I considered bringing in Dr. Vergil from the cold."
"Brian?", Alan stated, shocked. "But he sabotaged an entire project."
She nodded. "So did some other people from Bioscience that I could mention. But in his interest, the program he sought to shut down eventually was. He was right, and that ought to count for something.
"On the other hand, anticipate the result of antagonizing the same department again."
"Hm.", Dr. Binet accepted. "I see your point."
"And even the consideration of Dr. Vergil is going to rub them the wrong way. Can I count on your support in rescinding his nomination, at least for now? And without his identity being an issue?", the Director manipulated.
The man nodded. "Certainly. Director."
