A/N: I offer my greetings from the land of the destroyed and home of the insane. In today's episode of 'SPARTANs in a place they don't belong' we're finally going to get a taste of the Brotherhood in all their... um... glory? (Gonna be honest, the philosophy behind this version of the BOS is really interesting, but it's borderline fascism) I actually rewrote this chapter several times because I really didn't know how I wanted the main characters to react to them. In the end I settled on something I think will make sense considering the past/temperament of our heroes (yes, Nate is still a hero in this story too), and move the story in the right direction. Also, I've noticed some things in my writing I'm having trouble correcting so I'm out and about searching for beta. Hopefully that means I'll be providing everyone with better reading shortly... we'll see. One other quick thing, I did a rewrite of chapter 10. I wasn't happy with it, I explain it more in the A/N there, but I would recommend rereading it if you haven't. As always, be sure to leave a review, I always love reading what you all think and enjoy! (This was a very long author's note)

Chapter 11: Welcome to the Neighborhood

"What?" Nate's look of concern deepened. "So you think they'll come here looking for us?"

"Well", Valentine replied, "if they're half as smart as they are well equipped, they'll already know Diamond City is the place to go if you want to find someone. There have been rumors of their guys scouting the area too so it wouldn't surprise me."

It wasn't a bad guess, but it wouldn't be the whole picture. Given Boston's size and the threat profile around it, deploying an advanced party to the outskirts would only make sense if there was already one in the city keeping tabs on things. Hell, they were probably in Diamond City, both because it's safer, and any information they could gather around the city would nexus through it. On top of that, if you're going to perform a major operation, having intel on any major players is a must.

"If they're competent, they know we're here."

Perkins, Valentine, and Nate all looked over to me.

"Why is that", the detective asked.

"They probably have a plant in the city."

"And you know this how?"

"It's what I would do."

The three of them grew silent. Valentine and Perkins were probably thinking about the implications for their town. Nate looked more curious than anything.

"So let's pretend you're right", the secretary finally said, "what does that mean for us?"

I shrugged "Nothing yet. It's just a scout."

"But you think they'll come here because they know you two are here?"

I nodded.

The detective crossed his arms. "Don't you think they'd be more interested in you than him?" He nodded at Nate.

"Don't know. Probably, but they may want both."

"Okay, so what do you want to do then?"

"Go with them. If we don't they'll treat us like an active threat."

Valentine squinted. "What?"

Nate's expression morphed into one of astonishment. "Wha- you just want to go with them and see what happens?"

"Or we can fight a militia of unknown size and capability with no intel or support."

Valentine nodded. "Not to mention the amount of power armor they'll bring. And Vertibirds. And advanced weapons. And there's the innocent people who would be caught in the crossfire."

"And what if they don't want to just let us leave when we're done?"

It was a good question; I wouldn't let an unknown party who had kicked the shit out of one of my best walk. But I wouldn't have announced my presence like them either. There were certain things anyone with experience can predict, but it's never a sure thing.

"They probably won't, but it will give me a better idea of what I'm dealing with."

"You're assuming you'll be able to get away", Nate replied.

I cocked my head at the smaller man. Dealing with lopsided situations is what I do. For someone like me, for a SPARTAN, there are always holes I can pry open.

He shot me a flat expression. "You're assuming you'll be able to get both of us away."

Before I could respond, a dull whump, whump, whump began pounding its way through the shack's thin walls.

"Vertibirds are prop-driven, correct?" The only one I'd seen was on the roof of the museum in Concord; it had looked like it, but the vehicle was so damaged, I didn't want to assume anything.

"Yeah", Nate nodded. As he answered, the beating blades grew loud enough for everyone else to hear as well. "Oh… that was fast."

"We shouldn't be here when they arrive."

"Huh?"

I motioned at Ellie and Valentine. "Too dangerous, no point in involving them."

The Synth chuckled. "Yeah, I'm sure meeting them would go over really well."

"You need to lay low for a while; they'll know we made contact."

He shrugged. "Not many places we can hide."

"Hey", Nate responded, "what about Sanctuary?"

It was possible, I'd never talked with anyone there about Synths outside of Sturges, but he hadn't seemed adverse to them.

Ellie frowned. "Sanctuary Hills?"

"Yeah, up north. Do you know where it is?"

"I know the area."

"There's a settlement there." The ex-soldier motioned at me. "He helped set it up."

The sound of the approaching aircraft's whirring blades steadily grew louder as they spoke.

"Well…" Ellie looked from Valentine to me and back. "I guess after everything that's happened recently, we could both use a break."

The Synth smiled. "Oh, so you're calling the shots now? I thought the sign outside said 'Valentine'."

"One of us has to be responsible."

"I-"

"In the past few weeks you've managed to get captured by the Triggermen, start tracking down the Institute using Kellogg of all people, and somehow get involved with some sort of supersoldier being hunted by the Brotherhood of Steel. I don't think you have any room to talk at the moment."

The woman's tone was playful, but firm.

It wasn't a bad idea, but the problem was they would have to traverse the city and, as Nate and I found out, that can be dangerous at the most inopportune times. "Can you get there safely?"

Ellie nodded. "There are plenty of merchant caravan escorts who will do this sort of work for just about anyone; shouldn't be a problem getting one to take us out of the city."

"Good, leave before they have time to divert their attention from us."

The detective nodded as well.

"Oh, and avoid Cambridge", Nate said, "the Brotherhood have an outpost set up in the police station there." He paused for a moment and looked down at the German Shepard sitting at his side. "Can you take him with you too? If this goes sideways, I don't think having him along would be a good idea."

Ellie knelt in front of the dog and scratched behind his ears, much to his delight. "Of course. We'll make sure he's safe at Sanctuary with us." She looked up at Nate. "But we won't be staying there long, we have a responsibility to the people around here."

"I understand; hopefully we can get this over with quickly and they don't dig any deeper."

That isn't going to happen, not with what the Brotherhood are. If Danse's opinion of Synths and the Institute were consistent with the rest of the Brotherhood, the detective would be on their short list. Distance can only keep you safe for so long. They'd find him eventually.

"Got it. Don't let the Brotherhood kill you, got me?"

The ex-soldier glanced at me. "I don't think that will have much to do with me."

"Well, I doubt he's going to do much talking, so you can decide if he needs to do his thing or not."

He offered an uncertain smile. "We'll see about that."

"Just try not to start a war with them yet. We don't need more trouble around here." The statement was only half sarcastic.

That isn't up to us. Shit is going to hit the fan, it's a question about when.

"I'll do my best", the ex-soldier replied. "Safe travels, and I can't thank you enough for the help."

"You saved my life, I don't think this was much to pay for that." The detective looked at me. "I- good luck."

His expression said he was thinking about my past, my state of mind, if I had my head on straight, but he didn't know how I'd respond if he asked. It was fair, I didn't either. There was still so much I didn't understand, so much still trying to make itself the center of my attention. But… the memories weren't as pressing as they had been the day before, not as painful as they were this morning. I needed to get my head back in the game, but at least it was better than it had been.

"We'll be fine."

The concern on his pockmarked face softened. "That's good to hear."

I nodded. "Let's get moving."

With that I led Nate out of the small shack. Outside the beating of the Vertibird's blades was heavy enough to concuss the air. The rate was too high for just one; they had two rotors, but the pounding was coming far too fast.

I stopped a half dozen paces from the office and turned back to look down at Nate.

"You need to follow my lead with these people."

The ex-soldier arched an eyebrow back up at me. "And why is that?"

"I spent most of my time dealing with militias."

"I can't help but think that 'dealing' involved a lot of 'killing'." After several seconds without a response, the smaller man sighed. "It may not seem like it, but I do trust you, I just think your judgement when it comes to use of force can be… off." He frowned. "With that said, I get the feeling these guys aren't going to play nice."

"So…?"

"You'll get no argument from me, as long as what you decide doesn't put me in any more danger."

Hmm…

I nodded and began for the market; with the large area clear of rubble in the parking lot outside that entrance, it would probably be where they landed.

The main square was completely packed when we arrived, crowded with a mix of regular citizens and what had to be a few hundred guards dressed in their odd collection of sportswear and armor. Most of them were desperately searching the skies, looking for the source of the noise. I couldn't tell if any of them knew what was causing it or who was coming, but the guards were clearly agitated, trying to filter their way through the crowd toward several different entrances.

We skirted the edge of the market, staying as far clear of the densely packed crowd as possible. At first no one paid us any mind, but as we walked, several people in the throng began turning their attention to me.

It wasn't long before I felt the collective gaze of a significant portion of the crowd. What if the guards tried to stop me? I had no intention of fighting the people here, but if they attempted to detain me, or Nate, what choice would I have? What if the Brotherhood got involved? How would they react to the town interfering in what they felt was their business? If they were anything like the UNSC, it would involve a lot of shooting.

We had barely made it halfway to the exit on the other side of the market when a group of guards extricated themselves from the crowd and blocked our path.

The four of them stepped forward, trying to crowd Nate and I. The size difference made that difficult. Not only that, but it put them well within arm's reach, which was never a good place to be if you're fighting a SPARTAN.

The one in the center looked me up and down a few times. "You two have any idea what's going on here?"

I glanced down at Nate to see him already looking at me. I nodded.

"That's the Brotherhood of Steel. They're probably here to talk with us, which is why we're trying to leave."

"Why do you think they're here to talk to you?"

"We've had a run in with them in the past."

Just let us leave.

"Are you with them?"

I saw the ex-soldier shake his head out of my periphery. "No. Look, we're trying to leave to keep you and your people from getting involved."

"And if you're spies?"

"Uh… if the Brotherhood have stockpiles of prewar tech and a large standing army, I doubt they would send a two man team, one of which sticks out as much as possible, to recon the city."

The guard squinted at me from behind his mask.

"And you're sure they're here for you?"

Nate shrugged. "I mean probably, but I wouldn't be surprised if they came to establish relations with the largest city in the area either."

"Rick", said the guard on the far right, "we should take 'em just in case."

I stiffened, limbs ready to lash out at the men in front of me.

Nate shot me an alarmed glance. "No- hey, you really don't want to do that. We're just trying to leave so if the Brotherhood are here for us, no one else gets involved."

The leader, Rick apparently, was studying me intently. "I don't know how the Brotherhood operates, but what he's saying makes sense. This guy sticks out like a Deathclaw at church. If he is Brotherhood, I've heard stories about that power armor and I don't want any part of it."

Uncomfortable shifts from the two men who hadn't spoken yet said they were thinking the same thing.

The other guard rolled his eyes. "Don't be a pussy, if we let these guys push us around, they'll walk in here and take everything."

This guy is going to cause them a lot of problems.

"If you want to cuff him, be my guest, you aren't getting the rest of us involved in that mess."

The dissident stepped forward with a whispered 'chicken shit', and reached for something behind his back.

Hurting or killing this guy would only make things worse. It wouldn't be difficult to subdue him, but how would the other guards react? The leader had said they weren't getting involved, but would they follow through with that? If I had to overpower the four of them, how long until other guards came to assist and things escalated?

And why am I struggling with this now of all times? Was I really that shaken up? This is a direct action situation, and yet I was standing here thinking instead of acting.

Before he could get any closer, Nate stepped between the guard and I. "Stop. I'm trying to save you a lot of trouble. Don't. We're leaving." His voice was equal parts commanding and nervous.

The two men stared each other down for a moment, the guard's right hand still behind his back. They were so close to me, Nate's head was practically resting on my chest plate. Under any other circumstances, if the other man had been approaching me like this, I would have already neutralized him. Now, having to think about the repercussions of something like this beyond the immediate threat, and my apparent mental block, the guard was well within my kill radius and still breathing.

My legs began to wind tight. The last thing I needed now was for Nate to get injured or killed because of this guy.

"Slow down." The first guard stepped forward and grabbed his subordinate's shoulder. "We don't need any more problems, and these guys clearly don't either." He looked at me. "Until we know what's going on, we can't have you running around here. We'll escort you out."

He pulled the approaching guard back and turned to lead us toward the market's gate.

As we walked through the crowd, the VTOLs became visible over the edge of the stadium, approaching from the southeast. The Vertibirds' rotors began beating the air over the stadium hard enough to kick dirt and dust into the air. They weren't quite directly overhead, in fact it looked like they were hovering over our destination, but the air was full of grit, flying around quick enough to produce a horrible grating sound across my armor.

It was better that than my skin.

Citizens started shouting in shock and panic as dirt was kicked up and thrown around the bowl of a stadium. The crowd began scrambling like a massive, writhing animal, people panicking, covering their faces, trying to get out of the deluge. They were running in random directions, slamming into each other in the packed marketplace. I saw someone fall near the center of the distressed crowd, and then another, and another. Several people bounced off of me as we tried to push through the torrent. These people had probably never seen anything like the Vertibirds. Combine that with this many people crammed into a relatively small space…

It wasn't long before someone careened into Nate and sent him floundering to the side. A woman and her young son were knocked to the ground in front of him. He managed to regain his balance just before stumbling over them.

I glanced around for the guards that had been escorting us, but they were lost in the mess of thrashing bodies. The ex-soldier was helping the woman to her feet as another person slammed into my back. We needed to get out of the crowd; not only was there the risk of someone getting trampled, but my mind was racing to keep track of everyone floundering around and it was going to drive me insane.

With that thought in mind, I stalked to Nate and his new friends. I pulled the three of them toward the nearest edge of the writhing mob, doing my best to shield them from the encroaching, panicked bodies.

After several more collisions, one of which involved someone grabbing onto Nate for a moment before the ex-soldier managed to shove the man off, we reached the protection of a small alley set between two shops.

"What's happening", the woman screamed over the torrent of noise.

Nate put his hand on her shoulder. "It's okay, those are just Vertibirds, their propellers tend to kick up a lot of dirt."

"Those are what?" Her eyes were wide with confusion and fear, her son was clinging to her with all his might.

"They fly around with soldiers and supplies. Just stay here until they're gone, you'll be okay." The ex-soldier turned to me.

"Stay close."

He nodded and I turned to wade back into the crowd. I felt a tug on the back of my armor and glanced behind me; Nate had grabbed onto my back.

I started forward and hugged the storefronts, keeping away from the mass of people the best I could. Less than a minute ticked off of my clock, but it felt like an hour filtering through the constant impacts, and panicking citizens. My mind was well past overdrive trying to process everything as I pushed toward the exit.

Once we were in the tunnel, Nate let go of my armor and began spitting. "Goddamn. That felt like dustoff from a desert."

I shrugged, he had more experience eating dirt than I did; I'd never ridden in a prop-powered aircraft. "Let's go."

The ex-soldier grimaced. "Lead the way." He coughed and spat again.

The tunnel led us back through the checkpoint we'd passed when first arriving, back through the front passage, and out the large, armored door. As expected, there was a Vertibird settling into the parking lot, it's rotors still kicking up dust and debris from the littered ground.

No sooner than it's wheels touched the cracked concrete, two soldiers in this world's version of power armor thunked to the ground. Two more VTOL's were still hovering overhead, each armed with twin high caliber rotary machine guns, both trained on the front of the stadium.

The two armored soldiers noticed me as soon as we exited the tunnel and brought their laser rifles to bear. I checked my arms as they tried to scramble for my own weapon; fighting those Vertibirds wasn't something I wanted to attempt unless absolutely necessary. The chainguns they were carrying looked like they were at least 7.62mm, probably larger. With as little cover as I had here, it wasn't a promising prospect.

"Stop there", one of the Brotherhood soldiers shouted over the pounding of rotors. I came to a halt at the edge of the parking lot, Nate just behind me. I couldn't tell if he was using me as a shield from the weapons, or the prop wash.

A third man, this one in the same armor sans helmet dropped to the ground and the group began toward us. Why would he have his helmet off? Remove protection from your head? People here make no sense. This new soldier was young, maybe in his mid-twenties, with light skin, a closely shaven head, and a face that made it look like he was angry at everything around him.

The group stopped a half dozen meters away, their leader's eyes running over me before locking onto my visor.

"I am Paladin Marsaul", he yelled in an appropriately irritated voice. "We would like you surrender your weapons and come with us."

Detaining me was already a stretch, taking my firearms was out of the question. "I'm keeping my guns."

"My orders are to bring you in peacefully, but I will not endanger my men to do so."

I glanced to the side as Nate edged around me, squinting at the Brotherhood men through the buffeting air. "And we don't know you, so you'll excuse us if we want to keep our weapons."

"You aren't in a position to make any decisions on the matter."

Coercion. So these guys weren't only a cult, but they liked to throw their weight around; they flew into new territory, announced themselves as if they were its new rulers, and then show up on the doorstep of the largest town in the area as a show of force.

Another one of Fourier's stupid idioms scrolled through my head. "If you're a hammer, everything looks like a nail."

I've dealt with Innies that did this sort of thing, but those were different. This was borderline Covenant tactics, the only thing missing was the hellfire. Militarily, there wasn't anyone in the area that could stand up to these people (except for potentially the Institute, but they weren't in play yet) and ideologically, they seemed to believe they had the right to do whatever they wanted. There's a lot you can learn from first encounters, and the Brotherhood wasn't making a positive impression.

They wanted to throw their weight around, it wasn't something I did often, but I can improvise.

"We-" I cut Nate off with a wave.

"You're here because you don't know who we are; all you know is I could have wiped out what was left of your outpost at Cambridge. I'll say this once: my cooperation is conditional."

I caught the ex-soldier staring at me wide eyed out of my periphery.

"Are you threatening us?" The Paladin's voice was sharp and tight.

"If you're unwilling to be cooperative."

"You're playing a dangerous game."

I shrugged, doing my best to project nonchalance, but I could already feel the adrenaline seeping into my blood. I'd seen this tactic before, but I've never tried it; announcing potentially hostile intentions felt wrong. My hands were ready for action, legs yearning to be put to work, but starting a war with the Brotherhood would only make life more difficult. And Nate would almost certainly die in a fight like this.

The Paladin stared me down for a moment that seemed to stretch on into eternity. My eyes darted from him, to the Vertibird behind him, to the other two hovering overhead. Their weapons weren't trained on us, but the stadium; it would take several seconds for them to adjust their aim. By then I would have dealt with Marusaul, and the pilot for the waiting aircraft, but the other two men who had their helmets on would be more difficult. The sniper rifle on my back could punch through their helmets, or if I was quick enough, the assault rifle might get through their lenses. If I was going to keep Nate alive, I doubt there would be time to switch to the larger weapon; I'd have to fire and move immediately.

"You can keep your weapons."

The words brought my racing mind to a screeching halt.

"You may keep your weapons", the Paladin repeated, irritation tinging the edges of his voice", but if you do anything suspicious, you will be engaged without hesitation."

Likewise.

I nodded as the tension drained from my limbs.

The Paladin turned away from us and lumbered back to the waiting VTOL. That spoke louder than anything they'd done thus far: this guy felt comfortable enough to turn his back on an unknown entity he knew was extremely dangerous. They assumed their presence and force was enough to intimidate anyone, giving them carte blanche to act and do as they please.

If I do have to engage the Brotherhood, their collective ego was going to cause them massive problems.

We followed Marsaul to the waiting Vertibird, the armor soldiers flanking us. My mind was screaming to stop, turn around, and leave. I was about to embark on a potentially hostile militia's gunship to be taken, most likely, to their base of operation. There were too many unknowns, too many chances for things to go sideways.

Part of me though… part of me was excited. These guys probably wouldn't help, but I was eager to see what this world's version of a powerful, organized fighting force had to offer. What would they be like? What kind of numbers could they deploy? What kind of technology had this militia managed to stockpile?

I climbed into the passenger compartment after the Paladin, followed by Nate and the two guards.

As the rotors began beating the air faster and faster, and the wheels lifted off the parking lot's pockmarked concrete, another thought occurred to me. This might just be a ploy to bring us somewhere they have more forces and better security to detain me. They had no way of knowing whether I was a member of the community here or not, so it would make sense to separate me from the regular populus.

If that is the case, it was possible these people were more tactful than I was giving them credit for.

But that remains to be seen. They are bringing me to their base of operation. Granted, the Brotherhood didn't know who or what they were exposing themselves to, but I wouldn't feel bad about using that against them. This gamble goes both ways.

The Vertibird rose above the crumbling skyline and turned northeast. I stepped to the edge of the compartment and grabbed a hold of the VTOL's frame as I studied the hellish landscape from the air for the first time.

The view was even more bleak from the above than it had been trudging through it; the brown, dead land seemed to extend on in every direction. Even the ocean to the east was dyed the same sickly amber. The city itself was a jumble of collapsed, burnt out buildings, and areas completely devoid of structures, most of which seemed to be centered around the southwest area of the city. The suburbs I'd walked through told the same story. Everything was destroyed.

How could this have happened to Earth.

This isn't my Earth.

Even so, this is humanity's home, how could they have let this happen to it?

I didn't have an answer. The UNSC and it's colonies had engaged in plenty of self-destructive behavior; hell I was walking evidence of that, but nothing to this extreme.

The Covenant would have been proud of whoever had pushed the button first.

I knew it would look like this, but seeing the wasteland that had been one of Earth's most populous areas in all its… glory hit differently.

Nate dropped into a jump seat across from where I was standing. I turned to see him gaping out across the tundra with the same disbelieving stare he'd worn several times now. For the first time, I wondered what it looked like through his eyes. I'd seen these plenty of times, moving from world to world, many glassed by the Covenant. This is the only world he'd ever set foot on, and now it looked like this. What did he see?

My gaze drifted back to the destroyed landscape as it raced beneath us. Did it say anything about me that I could look at this and my concern wasn't everything was destroyed, but that it was Earth that this happened to?

"Hey!" The ex-soldier's call drew my attention back to him. "You ever see anything like this?"

I glanced at the three Brotherhood soldiers behind us, watching intently. His expression morphed from something akin to forlorn to apologetic, but I still gave him a small nod.

"You know", he shouted through a wry smile, "you're very good at threatening people." I nodded again; it wasn't something I practiced. "Maybe it's how you humble bragged about being the most dangerous motherfucker around." I cocked my head at him. "'All you know is I could have wiped out your outpost', no big deal though." He laughed.

"It was the truth."

"I know, that's what makes it a good threat."

The change in the ex-soldier's attitude over the past hour was… remarkable. Maybe this was closer to who he had been before the bombs dropped; an experience like that can change anyone. I would know. It was also possible the moment things got violent again and bullets started flying, he'd revert back to trying to save the people shooting at us.

That isn't the problem for now. I glanced over my shoulder at the compartment's other occupants again. What do these people want with me? Were they trying to enlist me? Arrest me? Kill me? Or was this just a meet and greet? I doubted it; an unannounced pickup with this much firepower wasn't normal for a cordial 'hello'. Then again, they don't know who or what I am, and they clearly like flaunting their toys. They're behavior was odd too, like a well trained fighting force that had read about fighting and wars, but hadn't ever been in anything large scale, or contentious. That made sense considering they seemed to have all the weapons everyone else didn't.

Unfortunately, I could spend the next several days thinking of potential scenarios, but without information on location, numbers, and their intent, it was next to useless. I had a general profile for them, but it would take a lot more to figure out exactly what they wanted with me, and how they would affect the area with their increased presence.

Well… the UNSC's track record was probably a good template for how the Brotherhood would operate in the Commonwealth: use superior force to take what they want. Unlike the UNSC, they didn't have virtually unlimited resources (unless they've somehow set up production facilities for the technology they use), and there may be a credible adversary if their wariness of the Institute was warranted. That generally meant less direct action, more posturing and intimidation, but who knows, nothing here has operated according to logic thus far.

My attention turned back to the devastated cityscape racing by underneath us.

What have I stumbled into…

It was a 10 minute flight before the Vertibird began circling. As it did, the same massive airship I'd seen over Fort Hagen came into view. Several other VTOL's were swarming around and docking with the large command vessel making the aircraft look like a colossal beehive.

So that's where we're going.

The craft absolutely dwarfed the Vertibird. The airship was massive, easily over 100 meters long, casting a long shadow over the ruins of the airport below that was buzzing with activity. The other Vertibirds were docking at the rear of the Gondola which had a grid of stations that looked capable of supporting a dozen of the small craft.

"When we dock", Marsaul called, "you will follow me to the ship's bridge. If you are deemed a threat at any time, you will be dispatched immediately."

I turned back to the Vertibird's cabin. The way he said that made it sound like I'd give them some sort of warning before I engaged.

Well trained amateurs.

Nate nodded. "Got it."

A few moments later, the Vertibird buzzed into the docking station closest to the main Gondola and the five of us disembarked. Not including the three escorts, there were 15 Brotherhood members on the deck; at least 10 of them were flight crew, 2 others were waiting at the door that I assume led to the airship's cabin, and 3 more men dressed in power armor, waiting at the end of the gangway. Each person had a weapon in hand.

Well prepared amateurs. It was strange for the same group that had one of its higher ups willingly turn their back on me to also be so ready to receive a dangerous detainee.

I glanced at the Paladin. Maybe it was just him? Danse had certainly been more cautious.

As we began walking, Nate made it clear he didn't need any warnings about staying close; the ex-soldier might as well have been in my pocket.

Once we passed the other three armored soldiers, they fell in behind us. The six of them trudging forward in their ungainly armor making an odd cacophony of hisses and thudding. It was better than guarding me with regular, unarmored men, but these people had to know the limitations of that equipment. Even now the slow, ungainly movements were plain as day, and in close quarters like this…

They probably don't deal with anything besides what the Commonwealth has to offer.

I stowed the speculation; it would probably prove useful if I had to fight them, but I'd rather not find out with Nate anchoring me in place.

The two men guarding the cabin's entrance came to attention as we approached, but neither removed a hand from the laser rifles they were cradling.

I noticed the smaller man next to me looking around with an appraising gaze. Unlike me, he barely cast a glance at the armored men around us. It made sense: he'd served 16 years in a military that employed this version of power armor, the ex-soldier would be well acquainted with their capabilities and limitations. It also demonstrated some of the same fortitude he'd shown when he butted heads with me; no matter how cumbersome, that armor was a massive threat to him, yet he looked as calm as ever. Talking to him about his experience with it after this would be a good idea.

The Paladin pulled the bulkhead door open with a gentle squeak that just managed to reach me over the sound of a few dozen Vertibirds buzzing around the airship. Through the door was a dimly lit room with a staircase leading down to a deck below, and ladder to another above. On either side was a walkway lined with structural supports wrapping around to another compartment. A man stood at the front, facing a set of wrap around windows looking out over the city's bay.

These guys like theater as much as the Covvies did.

Watching the three armored men in front of me struggle through the too small door, awkwardly ducking to avoid the frame and half crabwalking through, was amusing… those suits were interesting. I followed them through the door and around to the connected room.

The waiting man, most likely their commander, was a little taller than Nate with close cropped brown hair, worn longer on top, and a thick brown leather jacket. As we approached the door, Marsaul signalled for us to wait just inside the opening while the guards fanned out around the room. The Paladin trudged toward the commander who, despite the unreasonably loud movements of their armor, hadn't turned to acknowledge his men yet.

You have to be kidding me with this.

"Elder Maxson", the armored man said, coming to attention, "we've brought the unknown armored man and his companion."

Elder? Despite myself, I felt a knot begin forming in my gut. This much manpower, this much technology… it was in the hands of a cult. For the UNSC, this would be a fringe Innie group they could deal with whenever they wanted. Here… it was dangerous for these people. This could end up being their version of the Covenant.

That's if they don't exist here too.

"Good." The man turned to face us. He wore a thick beard over a rough and scarred face that made it hard to tell his age. A large scar ran down its right side from his forehead to cheekbone, but easily the most striking feature was his eyes. They weren't large, or piercing, but they were an order of magnitude harder than the face they were set in, staring at me with an intensity I've only seen a few times.

"I am Arther Maxson, Elder of the East Coast Chapter Brotherhood of Steel."

His voice matched his appearance: harsh, clipped, and a little louder than necessary.

Nate stepped forward. "I'm Nate C-"

"I understand you speak for the two of you", Maxson never took his eyes off me, "but at the moment, I am more interested in him."

My mind was already planning a course of action for this heading south.

The ex-soldier glanced at me, concern beginning to crack his impassive mask.

"What do you want to know?"

"Your name would be a good start."

"Damon."

The Elder waited a heartbeat longer before realizing I wasn't saying anything more.

"Paladin Danse told me you didn't speak much." A frown cracked the granite around his mouth. "He also told me you were in pursuit of technology, even if that meant cooperating with the Institute. Care to explain that to me?"

"It's my business."

"Do you understand the kind of danger they and their 'Synths' pose to humanity? Do you realize the repercussions of allowing them to continue producing those abominations unchecked? Machines masquerading as humans, the ability to think and act on their own… they're monsters. We cannot allow their offensive creatures to continue infiltrating our world."

My eyes narrowed. I've had to listen to my share of Fundies while scouting insurrectionist outposts. They would have loved this guy.

"What do you want from me?" I was already so far out of my comfort zone I almost felt like I was watching the discussion from the sidelines; engaging with this guy's insane ramblings would only make things worse.

"I want to know who you are and what your goals are."

A little presumptuous to assume you have the right to that information.

"And if I want to keep that private?"

He looked meaningfully at the men around him. "Do you really think you're in that position."

Despite my head screaming at me, I managed to keep my hands away from my rifle. This was going sideways faster than I expected it to (mostly because I was the one who had to do the talking), but it wasn't entirely surprising.

"If you want to threaten me, don't do it face to face."

"You bested one man, there are six of them here now, not to mention the rest on the ship and the ground."

You put me in the perfect position to not need to.

"I don't need to beat them."

I could feel the Brotherhood soldiers around me tense. The ones I could see didn't have their rifles aimed yet, but they were all at the low ready. With the other two laser rifles at my back, my body screamed at me to move, but I couldn't.

We stared each other down for what seemed like an eternity, my limbs wound as tight as possible, ready to fight. These assholes gave me an opportunity to end their threat before it had a chance to begin. The only thing that kept me from putting a round through the Elder's forehead was Nate standing next to me, weak and vulnerable.

"Let's slow down a little here guys."

The ex-soldier's voice was low and calm, but it intruded on the tension so suddenly, I watched two of the guards flinch in surprise.

"I think you need to talk some sense into your protector", Maxson retorted.

"What can I say, he's pretty stubborn. But I agree with him: our business is our own." My companion trailed off before continuing. "Besides, as much as it pains me, he's very good at killing people. If you decide to open that door, I can't exactly blame him for going through."

"Is that a threat?" The Elder's face didn't change, but his voice turned cold enough to freeze air.

"Turnabout is fair play", Nate said, voice calm, but with its own edge. "Neither of us want to fight you-

Speak for yourself. These people are dangerous.

-but we aren't going to surrender either. We have our own objectives."

"And you understand why that's a concern for us?"

"Nope. We don't know anything about you or the Institute."

"Right, that's another thing Danse told me." The elder's tone shifted again. "I find it hard to believe someone in the Commonwealth doesn't know about us or the Institute." His harsh, condescending approach wasn't winning any points with me, and I doubt Nate was any different.

The ex-soldier exhaled sharply, clearly losing his patience as well. "Look Elder Maxson, we came here in a gesture of good faith. We have our own reasons to look for the Institute, none of them have anything to do with you. As long as you don't interfere, we have no intention of getting in your way."

"And I'm supposed to take your word?"

"Do you have another option?"

"You explain."

I felt the smaller man glance at me. My eyes hadn't left the Brotherhood leader. The last thing we needed was this group of fundamentalists tailing us.

"Neither of us are comfortable with that", Nate finally replied. "Like I said: we came here to smooth things over, but we aren't obligated to tell you anything."

Maxson fell quiet, allowing the sounds of whirring fans, distant shouting, and pounding feet to blanket the bridge. His eyes slowly drifted from the ex-soldier to me and back. As hard as I tried to figure out what he was thinking, I couldn't. The man had a good poker face.

That made me even more uncomfortable.

"You must be awfully confident in your prowess."

"We've both done a lot of fighting. And I wouldn't have come here if I didn't think I could leave."

I almost tore my eyes from Maxson's impassive expression to look at the smaller man.

That isn't your line.

He can't act like I'm the only one who does the fighting. And who knows, I haven't seen him in real combat yet.

He won't be useful surrounded by power armor equipped soldiers.

That's my job. If he can eliminate Maxson or Marsaul (since that dumbass is too arrogant to wear a helmet), that's enough.

"I am many things", the Elder finally replied, "but I am not a liar. Your courage is impressive, if misguided."

My companion cleared his throat. "That's an… ambiguous statement."

The ghost of a smile slipped across Maxson's face. "Good to know you have enough sense to be nervous."

"The fight that doesn't scare me is going to be my last."

"Hmm." The grizzled looking man glanced between Nate and I several times, something going on behind his impassive countenance. I could feel and hear the gentle hiss of the Brotherhood soldiers shifting around me. They were still nervous, but the tension had ratcheted down from its burning peak.

I still hadn't relaxed a millimeter. Too many unknowns and, if the need arose, I was still ready to put a round through Maxson's scarred nose.

Eventually, the Elder's gaze settled back on me. "I am also not one to waste an opportunity like this."

That didn't sound good. My hands tensed, ready to snatch my rifle.

"I understand you do not want us in your affairs, but I would still like to extend an offer." Marsaul glanced down at his commander, eyes narrowed. "Join us. Whatever you need from the Institute, we will help you get. In exchange, I want you to fight under our banner. Your skills and experience would be invaluable to our cause. It isn't common for me to meet a man who is able to subdue one of my best men."

What?

His announcement caught me by surprise. My muscles unwound as my mind raced to catch up.

He wants me to fight for him?

Every part of me rejected the idea. These people reminded me far too much of both the Covenant and Fundie Insurrectionists.

"You want-"

I felt a tug on my right arm and looked down to see Nate with a hold of my wrist, staring intently at the Elder.

"How does that work? Like I said: we have our own objectives here. And I'm not comfortable pledging my services to you when I don't know anything about the situation."

"While I wouldn't be opposed to recruiting you", the Brotherhood leader said, still looking at me, "I am more interested in Damon."

The smaller man released my arm. I met his gaze as he gave me a questioning glance. "We're a package deal at the moment." I gave him a small nod. "And I don't think he's comfortable with joining you either."

"I see." The edge had returned to the Elder's voice. "You understand why I offered you the chance. You're an unknown, and unknowns are dangerous."

On that we agree.

"So a compromise?" Nate's voice

Maxson's piercing glare drilled into my visor, like he was trying to see my face behind it.

"Unfortunately, I am unwilling to compromise on this." My body coiled once again. "But I am willing to give you some time to think over your options. If you accept my offer, you will both be afforded the status and resources of a Knight, including a set of T-60 armor and use of our requisitions officer in pursuit of your goals. In return, you will be expected to operate as a part of our advanced scouting teams. My men will take you back to Diamond City; they will return in three days to hear your answer."

With that, the Elder turned back to the bridge's viewport. It took every bit of my self control to keep my hands away from my rifle.

"Follow me", Paladin Marsaul said as he marched past us.

I glanced at the armored soldiers around us. Each of them still had their eyes locked on me as the Paladin's thumping footsteps receded from the room. This isn't right. I'm standing in the middle of what was the closest thing to a Fundie Insurrectionist base I've been in over the past three years. I have their leader standing directly in front of me with his back turned.

And I'm going to just walk out?

Situation has changed. Killing Maxson won't solve this problem, if anything it will make things worse.

How? I remove the head from this, and they fall apart. They're a cult.

They're militant. Even if the next in line isn't as strong as Maxson, they'll have chain of command. And even if they crumble eventually, this isn't UNSC space. I can't remove Maxson and leave them to die. Without a unifying leader to focus their efforts, they'll lash out at everything and that will cause problems.

This may be my only chance.

Really? My only chance? There are a thousand ways I can get to Maxson, this is just the easiest one. And Nate is here.

… Dammit.

I turned and followed Marsaul aft toward the docking area, still fuming. This isn't how I do things.

But I'm also just a weapon. Broader strategies aren't my thing.

By the time we returned to Diamond City, the sun was falling behind the western horizon, casting an eerie array of dancing shadows across the destroyed cityscape as we flew over it. The inside of Valentine's shack felt even smaller than normal. My body was still coiled, ready to fight; it was still expecting something to go sideways, a need to release tension. I stood in the center of the room while Nate sat roughly in one of the chairs, clenching and unclenching my hands. I was face to face with someone I not only should have killed, but I wanted to. Hell, if everything went right, I probably could have dismantled their entire command structure.

Without any plan? Without any intel? While keeping Nate alive? He wouldn't have made it out, even if I succeeded. Then what? If I'm going to bring him along, I need to operate with his limitations in mind.

"Well", the man in question said, breaking into my thoughts, "that wasn't exactly what I expected." He was leaning back, looking up at the ceiling. "I'm not sure what I was thinking, but it wasn't that."

"It isn't a surprise." It wasn't. In fact, it was to be expected. If their goal is to destroy the Institute (which is what it sounds like), they would want to remove any external variables first. I'm a wild card, so it's either recruit me or kill me. They may be cultists, but they are also organized and militant. That makes them dangerous, but it also makes them predictable.

"What do you mean", he asked, eyes still glued on the corrugated steel above us.

"Maxson said it: unknowns are dangerous."

The ex-soldier finally tore his gaze from the ceiling and looked at me. "How does us joining change that?"

"Supervision. Control."

He cocked an eyebrow. "They want to keep us under their thumb so we can't get in their way?"

I nodded. "Or kill us."

A small, if a bit sickly smile twitched across Nate's lips. "Well I meant what I said about you and killing." I didn't reply. The statement was an attempt at sarcasm, but it came out more nervous than anything.

"So", he continued eventually, "we have two days huh? Doesn't give us a whole lot of time to get in touch with the Institute. We still haven't found Virgil yet. The 'Glowing Sea' is going to be more than a day's walk away by itself and I doubt the guy is going to have an answer ready made for us. Plus, if it's really that irradiated…"

My armor wouldn't have a problem with radiation, but anything besides a high quality radiation suit wouldn't do Nate any good. I could leave him behind again, but I didn't know the area. Besides, I doubt he'd let me even if I wanted to make contact with this Institute doctor myself.

"They won't let us go again; even if we get out, we'll be on their hit list."

Nate offered a wry smile. "You think you could fight your way out next time?"

I wouldn't be fighting my way out. Next time I play for keeps; they want to risk bringing me in close contact with their leadership, I'll show them why Innies spent most of their time trying to keep me as far away as possible.

"Yes."

He cocked an eyebrow. "Awfully confident."

"They didn't impress me."

"Yeah", he replied, amused, "they sure seemed to get under your skin without doing anything."

"I know their type. They were some of my favorite groups to erase."

"Erase… you're talking about your operations?" My companion looked both curious and disturbed. "And… favorite?"

"Yes. They're dangerous." You would understand if you saw some of the shit they do. "Maxson should be dead."

"You planned on killing him?" The question was rhetorical.

"No, but I'd considered it."

"Ah, so you're irritated with yourself?" I nodded. "I guess I probably didn't help things." The smaller man's suddenly sober voice told me he knew he'd been an anchor. I nodded again.

I shook my head. "If they're smart they won't give me that chance again."

Nate paused for a moment, squinting at me. "You mean Maxson won't meet you face to face?"

"Yes."

"Makes sense", he replied. "Do you think we should tell them no?"

"It's best avoided until absolutely necessary."

"So we either make a non-aggression agreement or join them."

Considering what Maxson said, I doubt they'll settle for anything less than my allegiance.

I just needed to buy a little time, long enough to get to the Institute.

I still don't know if they'll cooperate.

One problem at a time. If we don't have enough time to contact them before the Brotherhood wants an answer… our only options are to join or fight them. I don't have enough information to engage in a full blown conflict with a large militia. At least not effectively. Dismantling their operations and command structure would take time without intel. I'm not patient.

That left joining them, but that option was equally concerning. What kind of commitment would they expect?

What could they offer?

"That power armor could be worth the trouble", Nate said as if I asked the question aloud.

I didn't like the sound of that. "What do you mean?"

"T-60 is about as radiation proof as it gets. And it might keep me from getting killed by one of those 'Deathclaws'."

Incredulity began swirling at the back of my head. "You want us to join them to gain access to their power armor."

"It's an option."

"One I don't like; they're one step short of a death cult."

He's lucky he didn't have experience with what they could become.

The thought of accepting their offer boiled my blood. They haven't backed me into a corner, but they've presented me with two options I don't like. As much as that irritates me, walking out with Maxson still alive is a decision I haven't stopped questioning. What's more, I never thought I'd consider joining a Fundie outfit like that, even if it was short term. Like I said: those were one of the types of groups I genuinely enjoyed erasing for ONI.

But if it gets me closer to the Institute, and keeps the Brotherhood off my back until they figure the game out, I need to nut up and do it.

Why can't I just do the thing that would make me feel better for once?

"I got that, but our other option is to refuse them which means we will both have to find a way across the Glowing Sea and fight them off."

Because it would usually make life more difficult.

Maybe, but joining them might bring its own issues. What if they expect some snow of loyalty? What if they request I give them access to my armor? Try to deploy me on missions?

Those are all possibilities, but they're clearly wary of me. I might just have to play off of that.

"Joining won't be as simple as accepting their offer", I said, unable to keep all of the bitterness out of my voice.

Nate frowned. "You think they're going to want something from us?"

My eyes narrowed behind my visor. "You don't?"

"I do, but what would that be?"

That's a good question. It could be far too many things to narrow down. That's what made me so uncomfortable.

"What if they ask us to infiltrate the Institute", the smaller man asked, shrugging, "they might see us as a chance to get intel on them."

One possibility I'd considered. It came with a wide variety of implications, like regular updates, tracking devices, tails, or even an accompanying Brotherhood soldier.

At the end of the day, regardless of what they'd request, unless I wanted to eliminate them before resuming our search for the Institute (the thought crossed my mind) we were joining. That would take time I didn't want to spend. I doubt Nate would either.

"It doesn't matter", I said, "the only options are to join or wipe them out."

"You could do that", Nate asked, incredulous.

"It would take time neither of us have. Accepting their offer is the best path forward."

"Really?" I cocked my head. "I guess it still surprises me whenever you concede."

"It's the same reason I kept you along originally."

The seated man fixed me in a glare that was equal parts annoyance and surprise. "I would be offended if I didn't know how socially fucking inpet you are."

"It was the truth."

"I know… This is different though, isn't it? I mean, I'm not some lunatic playing god like Maxson."

"Sometimes you have to endure undesirable circumstances."

He frowned. "Are you still talking about me?"

"No. We will have to engage at some point, but for now we can take advantage of the holes their fundamentalism leaves."

"What do you mean?"

"If I were them, I would have killed us. Or tried. Fanatics aren't pragmatic."

"You've dealt with people like them in the past?" I nodded. "I'm guessing your interactions involved a lot less talking and a lot more shooting."

"Those ones were usually a lot quieter." Until they weren't.

The smaller man looked surprised. "You didn't ki- fight them?"

"I did, hand to hand, covert insertions. It's easier to wipe out a large group with one well placed bomb than a lot of well placed bullets."

"So… you snuck in, placed a bomb, snuck out?"

How did this turn into a history lesson?

"Once you have a suit, we get to the doctor and keep our distance from the Brotherhood. The less involved with them the better." I'd have to deal with them eventually, but having access to the Institute's resources might make that easier.

"Damn… that's the most you've talked about your mission."

I haven't already told you enough about myself?

"There is one problem though…" The ex-soldier looked sheepish.

That didn't sound promising. "Yes?"

"I was never trained in power armor."

"You-" My brain stopped and started again as it attempted to process what he'd said. He can't use power armor… that defeats the purpose of joining the Brotherhood.

Well… that complicates things.

The smaller man shifted uncomfortably. "Those were support units, I was a regular grunt."

"Do you have any idea how long it takes?"

"I think… I was told the armor was designed so practically anyone could use it, I doubt it would take very long."

I sighed. Where would we get a good radiation suit?

That still leaves too many problems; the Brotherhood would be an immediate issue, but from what Valentine said, the Glowing Sea will be full of mutated… creatures. Nate would be a massive liability without some help. That armor is limited, but it's tough.

So temporarily joining the Brotherhood is probably still the best path forward, or at least it removes the largest number of obstacles we have right now.

"The Brotherhood will still be our best bet."

"Yeah, I know." The smaller man sighed. "Okay, well… we have three days to kill before the Brotherhood comes back for us."

It would be the first time I didn't have anything to occupy me since leaving Sanctuary. Scouting the city around the stadium seemed like a good idea, but I wasn't bringing Nate along for that and leaving him here alone was asking for the guy to get himself killed.

That left standing around with my thumb up my ass (I think I'd rather fight a Mgalekgolo hand to hand), finding some place to resupply, or going somewhere I would be able to tolerate the ex-soldier. Resupplying probably wouldn't take three days, though it might take that long to convince one of these vendors to sell to us.

Goodneighbor? If they worked with Valentine before he came here, they may not be as fearful of synths. I might be able to resupply there… and it sounds more interesting than Diamond City.

"Are there vendors in Goodneighbor?"

The smaller man squinted at me. "Yes… do you want to buy something?"

"Ammunition."

"We could probably get some here- if the vendor doesn't think we're Synths… I see where you're going." He frowned. "If you didn't stand out so damn much we might be able to get the people here to sell to us." I didn't respond. "Fine, it isn't that far away." The ex-soldier yawned. "But… I think I need some sleep after the day's excitement."

A/N: OH NOOOOOOOO! No fighting again?! And the perfect opportunity to kick some Brotherhood ass wasted? Yeah, Damon clearly agrees, but there's a method (and logic) to the madness, as I hope I got across, our SPARTAN friend understands. The thing about this for me is Damon isn't stupid. In fact he's (clearly) incredibly intelligent. What makes this uncomfortable for him is, as he states, he's a weapon. He's used to being pointed at something and only worrying about how he is supposed to destroy it. Despite his aggressiveness, he understands the concept of cause and effect, and he understands the consequences of his actions. Now they're just in a different context (UNSC space is A LOT bigger than the Commonwealth). Anyways, that's all for now. My life has settled a bit so there shouldn't be anymore uncertainty about my time to write/edit this. However...

Next Chapter: ?, The Good Neighbors