The entirety of Reilly's Rangers slowly trudged up towards Rivet City's entrance. The gangway still appeared intact. But they did see what the Brotherhood meant. There was much more activity around the stern half of the aircraft carrier than there had ever been before...or at least, after the war. Vertibirds flew over it and landed on its deck among the pre-war aircraft. Even on the approach, the added personnel was noticable.
Currently Reilly's Rangers roster consisted of a motley sort. Of course was Reilly herself, founder and leader of what was for lack of a better word the mercenary team. The Lone Wanderer still did not wear the green uniform and navy style body armor the rest did that was much more a single piece than the army style often found in the Commonwealth, still opting for her CHINESE STEALTH SUIT. Butcher was team medic and now more than engaged or married to Reilly without ever being either. Fawkes, a still intelligent super mutant the Lone Wanderer had collected on her travels, had joined the team after camping outside Underworld hadn't really become a home while his cognitive abilities not only made him an outcast but a morally indignant intruder to other super mutants. Donovan still served as the team's tech and repairman. Brick, while being merely a man, still carted around the same GATLING GUN as Fawkes did. And Charon, a heavily brainwashed and fairly large ghoul whose will was bound to an employment contract, had stayed with the unit ever since the Lone Wanderer had the idea that he could at least earn something for himself with his skills until they could figure out a way to have him outgrow his conditioning.
"So what do you want to do here?", Reilly asked. "I'm not saying we haven't made it out of some hairy spots before. And no one in the Capital Wastes would doubt you. But that looks like a whole lot of trouble."
The Lone Wander agreed. "Sure does. Let's try to keep things to just talk on our first approach."
Before they could walk all the way up to the gangway and put their plan into action, the occupying force responded. More uniformed soldiers than they could have brought themselves to expect poured off the construct that led to the ship proper. And that was just once the automated turrets started to respond. Before the Rangers could even draw properly, all noise was drowned out as not one but two vertibirds came in and circled over head menacingly - threatening to drop more troops if needed.
"Identify yourselves.", was the rather calm challenge from the occupying force.
Reilly stepped forward, her weapon at the combat ready but not exactly pointed at anyone. "You identify yourself. You're the new factor here."
The speaker for the occupiers nodded. "Fair enough. Commonwealth Marine Corps. Now you."
"What are you doing here?", Reilly continued.
Too many people on both sides started taking aim. "And now you!", the speaker exclaimed.
The Lone Wanderer took steps past Reilly and raised her arms. "Reilly's Rangers. We're a local exploratory team."
"You and that sword you're carrying need to back up.", the speaker commanded. Nearly everyone was pointing their weapons at someone now.
The Lone wandered nodded, bowed slightly and took a few steps back. "Look - maybe we could all start pointing weapons at the ground again? No one wants to be the one whose finger slips, right?"
The speaker considered the two vertibirds over head to the Commonwealth force' advantage. "Alright. You too."
She turned to Reilly. Reilly nodded and pointed her weapon to the dirt. One by one everyone else followed suit.
"Can we talk now?", the Lone Wanderer called out.
"I can hear you just fine.", the marine answered. "What's your team's mission?"
"No mission.", the Lone Wanderer lied.
"Really?", the marine nodded to the heavier weapons of the Rangers.
She nodded in agreement. "We're just coming off one. Like I said, we're explorers and mappers. Some times that means going where their are large concentrations of ghouls and supermutants."
"Then why come up on us?", the marine asked. "You must know a safer way considering..."
"You're the new thing here.", the Lone Wanderer countered. "What happened to Rivet City Security? Why are you occupying my home?"
"Home?"
"Yes.", she continued. "I have a room in the hotel here. That's why we were hoping to resupply here."
"Anyone else have a home here?", the marine asked.
Reilly looked to the Lone Wanderer. She shook her head: it would be too easy to catch that lie with evidence. "No, just me."
The marine stalled a moment. "Alright. You're gonna give me a few to call this in. We're gonna handle this proper. No one's standing between you and your house - yet. You or your buddies try something stupid, we're going to light things up like a rad storm."
"Talk to who you need to.", she replied.
The marine gestured with his head and one of his team raced back to the bridge.
"So why are you guys here?", Reilly called out.
The marine considered answering the question and then saw no harm in it. "We're on the front line of the Commonwealth's acceptance of Brotherhood of Steel's unconditional surrender. However, it turns out that the bastards are committing perfidy with no remorse whatsoever."
"Perfidy?", Brick asked.
Fawkes explained, "It means 'war crime', usually by claiming a protection then denying the rules of war. Can we assume in this instance you mean a false white flag?"
"Whoa.", the marine exclaimed. "Yours is way smarter than Strong. Every other word out of strong is 'milk' and whenever he's taken to a brahmin he looks at us like we're the stupid ones."
Reilly turned back to her group. "So if these guys are thinking like that, what does that mean? They have roots back to a pre-war military outfit?"
"Worse.", the Lone Wanderer stated. "They still have enough of an education system in place to learn the less immediate practices of war. These Commonwealth Marines are going to be serious business."
A lone figure in a leather duster strode from the bridge. She walked past the other marines and right up to the Lone Wanderer. "You're Reilly?"
The blonde woman spoke up. "Actually, that's me."
The newcomer looked at their relative uniforms. "So you're just team bad ass then? Still, you're the one with the house on board?"
"That's right.", the Lone Wanderer answered.
The newcomer nodded and folded her arms. "Alright, listen up.
"I'm Colonel Bridget, commander of the Commonwealth Marine Corps. Because the Brotherhood is a bunch of bitches, cowards, and liars; everything's messed up right now. Rivet City is still in operational oversight. What this means for you is that we're running everything for the time being. And we're not in the business of letting people in and out willy nilly.
"But we're also not trying to be the assholes here. My men haven't opened fire on you?"
Reilly shrugged. "It got close but no. No shots fired."
"Good.", Bridget acknowledged. "Look, we aren't really in the business of letting Rivet City citizens out and about without escort because we don't know what the Brotherhood might pull. But your girl here is a resident. And you guys are a mapping team?"
"That's right.", the Reilly confirmed.
"Here's what I can put on the table. You tell me something you like better if you can't swallow it.", Bridget told them.
"We'll let your girl come home - it's her home after all. Slick suit and sword and everything. Give her your caps if you're trying to resupply, she's gonna have to make any purchases on your behalf because I'm not stupid enough to let the entire merc outfit in under current conditions. Or let your team bad ass out of the sight of our corps except maybe in her own room. The rest of your crew can camp out here under our protection: some supermutants or the Brotherhood show up, let a body know.
"On the other hand, I'm sure the boss will want us to ask your girl some questions. Since your occupation is mapping, you must not mind answering questions if your backs get scratched."
The Lone Wanderer looked to Reilly.
"When do we get her back?", the blonde asked.
"That's all on her.", Bridget shot back. "The rest of the city is a bunch of civvies and the security team that...well, that was a mess we're still trying to fix. She doesn't draw on anyone, she can catch some z's, buy what you need and be back whens she wants. We'd just be...appreciative if she was conversational.
"And vice versa.", the colonel warned.
The Lone Wanderer pealed off her mask and shook out her hair. "Alright then, let's go."
