Chapter 2 – Harem
Despite Valkyrie being aware of the new commonwealth that had grown out of the nuclear wasteland, having been imprisoned in Parsons for the last two hundred years, there was also a great deal missing in her knowledge of post apocalyptic Boston. Most especially in the areas of politics and make up of the various factions that littered Boston and the outlying areas. A few conversations with some of the mercenaries, that Jack had employed to guard Parsons, was hardly a full and complete education. On the boat trip back to the city centre, Nate had Valkyrie in the wheelhouse with whoever was driving, filling her in on whatever they could think of to broaden her knowledge.
"So, the Brotherhood of Steel aren't just the US army reimagined?" Valkyrie asked whilst examining the map hung up on the wall at the back of the pilot house of the Red Wave.
"No, if anything the opposite," Nate paused to gather his thoughts. "By the time the dust had settled, and humanity began to reestablish itself after the war, it soon became apparent to those looking, including the Brotherhood's founders, that the US government had been up to some fairly shady activity."
"Yeah, Jack told me about the virus that created the Super Mutants." Valkyrie turned and rested against the map table.
"It seems that many of the vaults were also set up as social and scientific experiments, rather than to protect the population against nuclear fallout." Nate scanned the horizon. "Curie was part of a team who had been tasked with exposing the population of one vault to various diseases and pathogens, in the vein hope of creating a disease resistant human." Nate finished, shaking his head.
"Sick fuckers." Exhaled Valkyrie.
"Well, we thought the same about the way Jack treated you." Nate turned to look at his new companion.
"You got that right," Valkyrie pushed off from the table and came to stand next to Nate. "So, these Brotherhood of Steel are guardians if you like."
"Well, they see themselves as that, yes. They are here in Massachusetts to help take out the Institute. You know the lot that makes synths, but they also hoard technology, convinced that free use of it could bring about another apocalypse."
"So, they want to get hold of what the institute know about making synthetic humans?" Valkyrie asked.
"I would think so," answered Nate, "but whether they want that tech because they wish to destroy it or use it to create a new line in brotherhood soldiers, I am not sure. You will hear a great deal about how synths are abominations, according to BoS doctrine, but wouldn't you be tempted if you had an almost unlimited supply of elite soldiers at your disposal."
"Is that why they aren't directly fighting the Railroad, because you think they secretly covet the ability to make soldiers?" Valkyrie continued with her questions.
"From what I have seen that would entirely depend on which member of the Brotherhood you are talking to." Answered Nate.
"A mess then." Stated Valkyrie.
"Well, I like to see it as more of a tapestry of opinions and ideas that we have to carefully navigate." Nate smiled.
"And who is Haylen, she seems to have made an impression on the team?"
Nate's smile turned to a grin, "you would like her, she has a smart mouth."
"Hmmm, would I, isn't that competition?" Valkyrie smirked.
"Ha, no," Nate laughed, "she is under Paladin Danse's command so his problem." Nate shook his head. "As a squire in the brotherhood, her main job is to collect and catalogue the tech that the patrol finds. No armour and no front-line training; it is a dangerous assignment to be on. Saying that, when the police station in Cambridge, which was there patrol base at the time, came under attack from a hoard of ghouls she was very impressive."
"But Cait was saying how good it would be to have her on the team," Valkyrie asked, a note of concern in her voice.
"Oh, she is real Brotherhood and not up for grabs." Nate responded, noticing Valkyrie's concern but looking to play it down. "Although we are all holders of Brotherhood ranks," Nate indicated the boat, "That was a way of them saying thank you for the help we gave Danse and his team and not because we are actually in the Brotherhood."
"You are a Paladin, is that right?" Valkyrie asked.
"Yes, doesn't mean much as we are independent to whatever the brotherhood are up to but it does have its perks, especially when looking for a ride in one of their vertibirds." Nate nodded, "Although Cait doesn't see that as a bonus at all." He smiled. "The Brotherhood seems to have three separate rank structures, simply put the Paladins do the fighting, Squires do the collecting and the Knights fix stuff."
Just then there was a soft knock on the cabin door and Curie came in carrying two bowls of some steaming broth. "A little something until we get back home," she smiled as she handed the pair their lunch.
"Thank you, Curie." Nate said as he took one of the bowls.
As soon as Curie had disappeared back out of the wheelhouse, Valkyrie asked, "What's the deal with Curie, is she your house maid? She seems to be the one constantly in the kitchen and always cleaning up."
Nate smiled at that, "It took me a while to get used to this," he held up his bowl of soup, "Nora and I had a Mr Handy back before the war, but having Curie waiting on us hand and foot, looking as human as she does, is still a bit weird. Don't get me wrong, amazing and something I am very grateful for, but I always imagined we would divide the chores between us. As it is, Curie has all the Miss Nanny programming that she was given when she was created, it is just that she is now also pretty kick ass out in the field." Nate chuckled and then took a sip from his bowl. "She told you about how she came to be in her synth body?"
"Uh-hu," Valkyrie nodded as she too enjoyed her warm soup. "She is a synth courser now, right. The military grade ones? Lorenzo told me the story of the Institute on one of our many chats together."
"So, you liked him then?" Nate asked carefully, knowing that he had a part in Lorenzo's death.
"Oh, as mad as a box of frogs but yes, he was kind to me which was something of a rare commodity whilst I was at Parsons." Valkyrie said softly.
"I am sorry about Lorenzo." Nate stated. "I think I probably owe you an explanation as to why I didn't want you to kill Jack when we were leaving Parsons." Nate adjusted the steering a little to keep on course and then reached into a pocket on his chest webbing. "This is a note promising us payment of a thousand caps if we present it to one of a number of vendors around these parts. I didn't want Jacks death to sour anyone's enthusiasm in wanting to hand over the caps."
Valkyrie nodded, "I understand," she paused and looked down at her feet, "I have imagined a thousand different ways I would like to kill that son of a bitch, but I have to keep telling myself that I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for Jack."
"You know about Anchorage then?" Nate asked.
"Yeah, Lorenzo told me. A complete slaughter," Valkyrie blew out a breath, "I am sure I would have been killed just like the rest of the unit."
Nate looked at Valkyrie as she slowly raised her eyes to meet his. "You ok?" he asked gently.
"I shed those tears a longtime ago, but as I said last night, I do miss them sometimes. You must be the same with Nora?" Valkyrie smiled.
"I do every day, but what she would make of this little gang I am not sure." Nate waved a hand at the rest of the boat.
"Your little harem of beauties at your beck and call." Valkyrie grinned.
Nate laughed at that, "hardly, you haven't seen Cait in the mornings, Piper is way too bossy for my liking when we are in Diamond City, and Curie is hard work. She is adorably naïve, but I literally cannot leave her anywhere on her own without someone trying to take advantage of her overwhelming generosity and complete gullibility." Nate was shaking his head, "and at my beck and call … fat chance of that happening," he chuckled.
Valkyrie smile turned to a look of concern, "but on a serious note," she paused and looked out of one of the wheelhouse windows, "you guys seem so tight, so close to each other, are you sure there is room for another?"
"Another rare beauty for my harem," Nate joked, "you will fit in just fine and will be fully part of the team in no time, I promise you."
Valkyrie looked directly at Nate, "I might need a hand on the odd occasion, a little guidance if I am about to do something to upset the girls." She pressed her hands together as if pleading, "you know what girls can get like when they are together." Her gaze heading back out through the boats window.
Nate moved to Valkyrie and gently taking hold of her arms, he turned her to face him. A simple thing he had done a thousand times with all of his girls since they had formed up as a team, but Valkyrie, being a little unsure of the physical connection, froze for a second. Nate, sensing her unease backed off, "Sorry, its habit." He apologised.
Valkyrie looked shocked, "God no, don't apologise," she blurted out. "It's me that should be saying sorry. It's just I am not used to …" She paused and then, as if having thought of something, took Nates wrist and put his hand back on to her arm, where he had placed it before and then did the same with the other hand. "I am sorry, I really am. Please don't stop doing what you do naturally just because it's me, that would be awful. It is me that has to get used to being out, being free and being … close to people again." She suddenly laughed, "God, imagine what I am going to be like the first time I get a spanking from you."
Nate frowned and then smiled, "You are army, just like me, you will be fine out on patrol. I reckon the girls could learn quite a bit from you." He chuckled, "you can be their guardian angel, saving them from more frequent spankings." Nate joked but turning slightly more serious he asked, "You mentioned that you were 112th Sig Int?" Valkyrie nodded. "You must have done selection then and the full SF deployment training?"
"Yes, I was one of five women to pass the Q course the summer I joined up. Can't say I would be keen to do that again in a hurry." Valkyrie said with no hint of bragging in her voice.
Nate was impressed, just before he retired from the army, he was an instructor on the Special Forces Qualification Course or as the candidates called it, the Q course. He held his hands out, "Doesn't sound like you will have any problems keeping yourself away from any of my motivational aids, as you have pretty much the same training that I have had."
"Ha, yeah, well it was a long time ago and I can't be that good all the time or the others might start to resent me for being the teachers pet." Valkyrie smiled. "I am sure I'll make a few mistakes."
"Oh no you don't missy," Nate started to wag a finger at Valkyrie, "I am not having you make mistakes on purpose just to be like the other girls." Only being half serious in his tone.
"Or what, you will spank me for making a mistake on purpose, because I was trying to earn myself a spanking?" Valkyrie laughed. Nate paused, realising the paradox a threat like that would create.
"Oh, you will fit in with this team perfectly." Nate laughed as he shook his head.
