6 Ad Victoriam

I spent a long time prepping before I assured myself there was nothing else I could do. We'd found more than one duffel bag around Lexington, so in that I packed plenty of spare ammo, glad we'd found a few magazines, grabbing plenty of pipe weapons and breaking them down, Sturges and a couple of other settlers proving skilled in carpentry and metalwork. I took a little tinned food, some salted meats, a few tato's and mutfruits, but I didn't want to take too much. Most important was water. Sturges was busy designing a purifier, but it was going to take a lot of work to get one up and running. I suggested if I could find one, I'd mark it and we'd see if we could transport it.

The weather was remarkably awful the day I decided to leave, the first proper day of rain since I'd woken up. Settlers remained indoors and no-one really blamed them. The idea of getting a cold and developing into something worse was considerably higher than pre-war, and without modern medicine, no doubt other diseases once almost eradicated had returned.

Preston walked me to the barricade by the bridge, assuring him I would keep in contact as long as I could, and to look after Max. I was tempted to take my dog, but not knowing when I would return, I figured he could stay there. We'd found a dog house for him so at least he could remain safe and dry as well.

"You run into trouble, make sure you radio in. I can come with power armour and I'm sure more than enough people would be willing to make the journey south."

"Don't worry, I'm not looking to get myself killed. But it is time to make a move."

"I understand, Nate. All I can do is wish you good luck and hope you return safe and sound."

"Hopefully I'll be fine. Maybe even make a friend or two on the way."

We shook hands before I looped the duffel bag around my shoulder and began the long journey south. I followed the same roads as before, and was pleased to pass a caravan heading in the opposite direction just as I was leaving Concord. "Are you heading to Sanctuary?" I asked.

"Sure am. Is that where you're from?" she asked.

"Yes. I'm Nate. There's a large settlement. Around forty to fifty people now."

She offered her hand, which I took gently in mine. "Carla. Glad to hear of another settlement forming. Don't suppose you're a Minuteman now? Heard rumours they've been slowly reforming."

"In a way, yes, I am. It's a long story that I can't really share right now."

"Of course. Watch yourself the further south you go. Ghouls and Raiders have made their home in the ruins."

"I'll be careful, but thanks for the tip. And if you can pass word to any other caravans about Sanctuary, that would be great."

I was on the outskirts of Lexington before noon, just what I wanted, barely stopping for a break. Though the suit was air-conditioned, and despite the fact it didn't require monumental effort, it was still exhausting. I was thankful for the rain, as at least the sun wasn't shining. Metal armour was a heat conductor, usually leaving me a sweating mess whenever I hopped out of it.

With Corvega to my left, the highway over my head, I could see the ruins of Boston more clearly than ever. Part of my heart did sink as, even from this distance, the destruction was apparent. Plenty of buildings remained, but with each step I got closer, you could see the two centuries of neglect, and I did wonder what the scene was like on the ground itself.

The condition of the road itself was horrific, numerous pot-holes while parts had simply crumbled away, much like other roads I'd already walked along. I walked by a body of water that, even from a distance, looked polluted as hell, but otherwise there wasn't much around, very little to explore. I walked by a junkyard, careful not to get too close, a sixth sense telling me all was not well, and I could only guess at the stench coming from it.

There was another elevated highway ahead, passing under that after another couple of hours walking, stopping only briefly to pop a packet of food to give me a modicum of energy. I knew Cambridge was waiting beyond the overpass, and the path was still sloping down. Like Lexington, quite a few buildings remained though many were not completely intact. Some were missing a roof. Others, a wall or walls had collapsed. Others had just collapsed entirely, nothing but a mound of bricks and rubble.

Switching to check radio frequencies, I was surprised when a new one popped up. "What the hell is military frequency AF-95?" I asked myself. For a few brief moments, I almost felt a sense of joy, believing they could be remnants of the army, though I dismissed that as quickly as I thought it. No-one seemed to have a clue what the army actually was.

"This is Scribe Haylen of Reconnaissance Squad Gladius to any unit in transmission range. Authorization Arx. Ferrum. Nine. Five. Our unit has sustained casualties and we're running low on supplies. We're requesting support or evac from our position at Cambridge Police Station. Automated message repeating..."

Scribe Haylen? Reconnaissance Squad Gladius? I don't care who you are, that's military or close enough to it. Requesting support or evac? That's military jargon if ever I've heard it. And I knew exactly where Cambridge Police Station was. Shotgun in hand, I headed south quickly, turning left and right a couple of times until I was on the correct road south. Heading towards College Square, I did slow, those old senses suggesting something wasn't right. The trailers and wooden catwalks suggested either a settlement or camp, and definitely some sort of trap. Beyond the trailer I was approaching was a killing field.

But it appeared deserted, though I stuck to the side of a building, moving slowly and carefully, keeping my eyes open and listening intently for a single sound.

Ghouls. A fuck load of ghouls. I moved quickly as they started to rise, blasting those closest to me as I backed away. I could hear them growl as I moved away quickly, hearing gunfire in the distance, turning and jogging as quickly as I could in power armour, which was never the easiest thing to do. The firefight sounded intense, barely relenting, and I could see what seemed like hundreds of ghouls attacking.

I fired and charged towards them, some turning towards me as I practically bowled them over at full speed, sending quite a few of them flying. Blasting and battering my way, I heard a shout from one of the soldiers above me. I managed to clear a path, the police station now ahead of me, noticing one soldier in power armour, wielding a laser rifle, while a lone soldier was on the walkway above, armed with a combat rifle.

Walking backwards, I shot any ghoul that ran towards me, hearing the twang of the laser rifle at the same time. Walking up the steps, I stood beside the soldier as he glanced my way. "Thanks for the assist."

"Heard the radio call. Figured you could use some help."

"Fucking ferals." He whistled at the soldier on the walkway. "Get your arse back here, Knight."

"At once, Paladin."

Knight? Paladin? What kind of rankings were they using in this force? I didn't worry about it, simply focusing on shooting ghouls. They didn't relent, that's for sure. I was glad I could stick magazines of shells around my body, as I must have fired upwards of fifty of them. By the time we were done, the ground was just littered with the bodies of ghouls, or their limbs. We spent a little time walking around, putting a bullet into any that somehow survived the onslaught.

Only when assured that every ghoul was dead did we finally take a moment to relax, and only then did I notice his eyes finally take me in. Power armour. Well-armed. And proficient with a weapon. I could understand why his thanking me for helping would turn to concern. To ease any worries, I stored the shotgun on the slot on my leg that Sturges had designed.

"I'm a friendly. It's okay."

"If you don't me asking, who are you?"

"Nate Shepard. It's… a long story."

"Fair enough. I'll keep the questions simple. Where are you from?"

"Here. Boston. Currently residing in Sanctuary Hills, which is to the north of here. Spent two hundred years in Vault 111."

"Two hundred… what?"

"As I said, it's a long story."

He looked me up and down, noticing the weapons on my body, the duffel bag on my back, the fact I was in power armour. "You're not civilian, that's for sure. Where'd you learn to shoot like that?"

"United States Army."

"United Sta…" He paused a moment. "Long story?"

"Very long. I'm just pleased to run into some trained soldiers." I paused a moment. "Who are you?"

"Paladin Danse. Brotherhood of Steel." He turned and gestured as two others joined us. "With me is Knight Rhys and Scribe Haylen. I've been trying to send a distress call to my superiors, but the signal's too weak to reach them. You came at just the right time. That's the largest pack of ferals we've had to fight since arriving in the Commonwealth."

"Sir, if I may?" Haylen asked. I looked at her and immediately thought she was cute.

"Proceed, Haylen."

"I've modified the radio tower on the roof of the police station, but I'm afraid it just isn't enough. What we need is something that will boost the signal."

Danse looked at me, looked me up and down again, and he seemed to come to a decision quite quickly. "Our target was ArcJet Systems, and it contains the technology we need. A Deep Range Transmitter. We need to infiltrate the facility, secure the transmitter and bring it back here. So, what do you say? You willing to lend the Brotherhood of Steel a hand?"

"One moment. I've been in the fridge for two hundred years. Part of that story I can explain. Who are the Brotherhood of Steel?"

"Our order seeks to understand the nature of technology. It's power. It's meaning to us as humans. And we fight to secure that power from those who would abuse it."

To be honest, it sounded like one hell of a noble cause. Considering technology practically destroyed the world we lived in, keeping it away from idiots was a good idea, though it depended on what the Brotherhood chose to do with it instead. Power corrupts, after all. "Your cause seems noble," I admitted, though that was only first impressions. I'd been wrong before.

That seemed to please all three of them. "There are very few outside the Brotherhood who appreciate the gravity of the situation we're facing as a species."

"That's an understatement considering what I've seen so far. So that's your goal, but what do you think was the cause?"

"Before the Great War, science and technology became more of a burden than a benefit. The atom bomb, bio-engineered plagues and FEV are clear examples of the horrors that technological advancement had wrought. We're here to make sure that never happens again."

Again, never judge on first appearances. It might sound noble, but peel back the cover, and I could find a system as corrupt as any other. Though I wasn't aware of everything he just mentioned, the fact humanity had practically destroyed itself with atomic weaponry suggested he was at least partly right. And stopping humanity from destroying itself completely wasn't a bad idea. "I lived through those last few years before the war. I can see what you mean already."

"How is that possible?" Haylen asked, "You should be well over two hundred years old and… dead." She paused. "Unless you're a ghoul underneath that armour?"

"Not a ghoul. Need proof?" I looked at Danse and he shook his head. "As I said, it's a long story. But I saw the bombs dropped and I already know something like that should never happen again."

"So you see reason for our cause? That's good. So, what do you say? Will you help us?"

"I was only heading as far as the river before heading back to Sanctuary Hills. But, yes, I'll help you."

"Outstanding! Rhys, are you capable of patrolling the perimeter?"

"Yes, sir."

"Haylen, see what you can do about getting the building in some sort of shape."

"At once, sir."

"You ready, civilian?" I was about to clarify I wasn't exactly that, but considering I had retired before the bombs, he was right. "If you want, you can leave the duffel bag here. No-one will dare steal anything. Not in the Brotherhood."

"Sure, thanks."

I headed inside to be greeted by a state of disrepair, though it seemed they'd been busy fixing some of the mess. I dumped the bag in a spare room, taking out a few magazines, storing those where I could, pistol on my right hip, shotgun on my left leg, rifle on my back. The minigun was now part of the defensive wall of Sanctuary, attached to a tripod and a Minuteman ready to use it within a couple of seconds.

Haylen and Rhys walked inside as I was readying myself. Haylen seemed friendly enough, but when Rhys looked at me, he scowled, and I sensed he wasn't pleased that I was helping. I didn't really care, finishing what I needed to do before heading out.

"All right, civilian, it's time to prove your worth."

"Where are we headed?"

"The place we need is located south-west of here. Though I would rather travel with light, the fact we are out of communication means we must make this trip quickly."

"We should move immediately then. Quicker we make it there, the quicker we can return."

So that's what we did, circling around the police station and heading south towards the river. We marched along at a decent pace, both of us armed and ready to shoot at anything that even looked at us funny. "Mind if I ask a couple of questions?"

"Go ahead, civilian."

"Why a police station?"

"Given the nature of the facility, we felt it would be tactically advantageous to search it for weapons and ammunition. The radio tower on the roof was an unexpected boon, but it obviously has its shortcomings that need to be rectified. It might not be as imposing as the Citadel back in the Capital Wasteland, but it suits our purposes."

"Hang on? The Citadel? The Capital Wasteland?"

"The Citadel is what was once the Pentagon." He did stop to look at me. "I guess you know that name?" I nodded and he continued. "The Capital Wasteland is what was once Washington D.C."

"How badly was it hit?"

"Most of D.C was flattened by numerous strikes, at least from the information we've managed to source."

I'd only ever been to our nation's capital once but to hear it had been flattened wasn't a surprise. Also a little sad, I guess. It was obvious the entire government had been wiped out and that everything had simply fallen apart in the aftermath.

"Is the Brotherhood in any way related to the United States Army? Are you its remnants?"

"To be honest, I don't know. You'd have to ask those higher in the command chain. Scribes have no doubt accounted for the history of our organisation from the earliest days, though in the confusion after the bombs fell, I'm sure much has been lost."

We turned onto a road that followed the river, Danse suggesting that the factory we needed was in the distance. As we walked, he continued to explain what the Brotherhood was doing in the Commonwealth. "It might surprise you to learn that my recon team isn't the first to visit the Commonwealth. Over the last seven years, two other teams were sent here by the Brotherhood to gather technology. The first team's mission was a huge success. They came back with crates full of pre-war artefacts and historical documents. The second wasn't so fortunate. Shortly after they arrived, we lost contact with them and they haven't been heard from since. As far as my team goes, we've lost four good men to this godforsaken wasteland. We've been a target from the moment we arrived."

"By who?"

"Ghouls. Raiders. Gunners. Even a deathclaw. We might have technology on our side, but when we're out-gunned by groups four to five times our size, there is a limit to what we can achieve. And many simply don't like our presence. I guess those of us in our power armour can be a little intimidating."

"I've had the same problem approaching settlements further north."

"What was your name again, civilian?"

"Nate. Nate Shepard."

"And you're a vault dweller?"

"Technically speaking. Tell you what. We finish this mission, get back to Cambridge safe and sound, and we can play twenty questions. I have nothing to hide."

"Good enough for me. Should be another half an hour to ArcJet tops." He paused a minute, again seeming to give something thought, before adding, "If it was up to me, I'd relocate my team to our destination, but Scribe Haylen detected some disturbing energy readings in the area that need to be investigated before we considered such a move. We don't know much about them, except that they're short-lived and broadcast on a frequency only obtainable with a high level of technology. We're concerned that whoever or whatever is creating those energy readings might be a potential threat, so it's our job to investigate."

"Was this your reason to journey to the Commonwealth?"

"Yes and no. We only picked the readings up upon our arrival. The scope of our mission is broad. To find and take any technology that might fall into the wrong hands." He glanced my ways. "Not often we get civilians in power armour assisting us."

"It's part of that long story."

"I'm sure it will be riveting."

It was well and truly dark by the time we made it to the outskirts of ArcJet, and like every other building, it seemed to be long deserted. Danse had obviously sent scouts, stating there were no defences outside at least, and through the windows, it appeared there was at least a little power, perhaps a backup generator keeping the lights running. I knew an F.C contained juice that lasted a long time, but the thought it still powered buildings after two hundred years boggled even my mind.

He stopped me at the door. "Listen up. We do this clean and quiet. No heroics and by the book. Understood?"

"I've done sweep and retrieve before, but I understand why you're telling me. Don't want friendly fire, right?"

"Right. Now, I'll admit I'm not sure where this transmitter is, so we will have to carry out a thorough search. And keep in mind, considering those energy readings, we might not be the only people here. So, take it easy, check your targets."

Being indoors and close quarters, I took the shotgun from its slot on my leg, checked it was fully loaded, and let Danse take the lead. Within seconds, I realised half the building was in ruins, and that finding the transmitter could take all night if we were unlucky. We moved slowly and carefully, not sneaking ahead but not drawing attention to ourselves either. As we walked, Dane gave more opinions regarding the world before the bombs dropped, the exploitative corporations, who cared more about making money than anything else. I couldn't help agree with what he said. I still thought about the war we'd fought in Alaska. Half the war was about the Chinese invading sovereign territory. But we also knew we were sent to protect the oil.

We'd passed through reception and entered what had once been security, finding a trio of Protectrons that had been eliminated. Danse wasn't pleased. In fact, his concern greatly increased. And I had a feeling it wasn't Brotherhood handiwork either. "There isn't a single spent ammunition casing or drop of blood in sight," he muttered.

"Well, I'm gathering it wasn't your people. Doubt it could be someone like Raiders. So who?"

"These robots were assaulted by Institute synths." I looked at him blankly. "You haven't heard about them?"

"No. Who or what is the Institute?"

"They're a group of scientists who went underground when the Great War started. Spent the last few decades littering the Commonwealth with their technological nightmares."

"The Great War? Is that what they call the bombings? Hardly call it a war, to be honest. Nuclear holocaust or armageddon would be more appropriate"

"They needed to name it something. From what little is known, the nuclear exchange lasted two hours. By the end, the United States, its government and its military was destroyed. Most Americans were vaporised where they were. Those lucky enough to survive probably didn't think they were once the radiation hit. As for the rest of the world, not much is known. It is assumed China was obliterated entirely, but I doubt we'll ever really know."

"And a synth?"

"They're an abuse of technology created by the Institute. Abominations meant to 'improve' upon humanity."

I figured he meant some sort of robotic human. Rumours had abounded before the war about such things. Humanity and particularly America had been obsessed with robotics, and many thought human robots would be the eventual outcome. If this Institute had continued the research in the two hundred years since, it was little surprise they might have had the capability of doing it.

Reaching another control room, we had to find a password for a locked door, and upon opening it, we were ambushed. We fell back into whatever cover we could find as at least half a dozen synths attacked. I didn't both trying to judge how human they were, I simply let them get into blast range. They were firing some sort of laser weapon, and realising the fire they were taking in return, they pulled back to the corridor.

That's when I unhooked a grenade and threw it. Seeing it bounce off the wall, two synths dove out of the way, hearing the grenade explode, hopefully taking out others as Danse and I moved forward, putting down three in three seconds before turning the corner, finding two synths dead, one alive but on the ground. Danse seemed to take pleasure in killing it.

The synths were there in force. For what reason, Danse couldn't even begin to guess. I didn't have a clue either, so we agreed to just shoot to kill, get the transmitter, and leave. Working our way through a series of hallways, we had to pass through a room with turrets, having to take those out with our rifles, before boarding an elevator and ending up in what Danse called the engine core. Looking up, I took a guess and figured it might have been a design that was to take humans to the moon.

He mentioned something about needing to take a separate elevator to the control room above us, but after trying to board it, there was no power. I could only groan. I wasn't an engineer, nor was Danse, so we were fucked if we couldn't get it started. He suggested there could be a backup generator somewhere that might provide limited power. Sounded good enough to me, so as he stood guard, I went to take a look around.

There was a terminal that would start the auxiliary generators. I was pleased that so many terminals had been unlocked, so getting the power re-established wasn't too difficult. Concentrating as I was, I didn't hear gunfire for a few seconds, looking out the window to see a horde of synths heading towards Danse. He was taking cover as best he could.

Looking across the control panel, I saw the big yellow button with a label stating 'Fire'.

"Danse, I'm starting the engine. Take cover!"

Whether he heard me or not, I'm not sure, but I slammed that button so hard, I'm sure I nearly broke it. The engine took a few seconds to spark into life, but once it did, the light was so bright I had to turn away lest I be blinded. Almost like watching a nuclear detonation. Hearing the engine finally turn off after a few seconds, I turned to see that most of the synths had simply been burned to ash, while thankfully Danse had managed to take cover enough though, when I approached him, I could smell heated metal.

"You okay?" I asked.

"Smart move. Thanks for the warning. Glad I wasn't closer to the engine otherwise my arse would have been cooked."

"At least the power is back on. Think there are synths waiting for us?"

"Absolutely. So we go in hot, catch them off guard. Long as we get the transmitter and come out alive."

"Agreed."

I'm sure two soldiers bursting into a small room would definitely be called 'shock and awe'. While the synths might have been somewhat prepared, I doubt they expected the immediate barrage of gunfire as I headed straight for the nearest synth, literally taking his head off before swinging for the next synth, blast into the chest, before clubbing a third that was armed only with some sort of baton. No idea what Danse did but he certainly shot his fair share too.

The shooting only lasted thirty seconds at most. By the end, I had a couple of burn marks on my armour, as did Danse. But all the synths were dead, that was the important thing. Danse activated a device that led him to the transmitter, and without wasting any time, we boarded the elevator back to the ground floor and hightailed it out of there. It was pitch black outside, letting our eyes adjust to the darkness before turning on our spotlights to guide us back.

Walking through the doors of Cambridge Police Station, Rhys was in position behind the desk, stating Haylen was resting, ready to take the next watch. I was now beyond exhausted, happily getting out of my power armour, Danse doing the same. Purified water was offered, and I did gulp down a couple of tubes. Rhys kept watch as Danse and I headed into what had once been the break room.

"Well, consider me impressed with all that, Nate. Your military training was obvious."

"Thanks. Appears the Brotherhood has continued on some of the traditions."

"Before I propose something, what is your story? You've mentioned one or two things. You don't have to go in depth but consider me intrigued."

"Technically, I'm around two hundred and forty-five years old. On the day the bombs dropped, I was cryogenically frozen alongside my wife and around ten of my neighbours from Sanctuary Hills. I woke up a couple of months back now, two hundred and ten years later. Apart from some ghouls, I'm the only person alive that witnessed the bombs being dropped. One landed outside Boston just as the platform leading down in the vault started."

"But you were the only survivor?"

"Yes. Something went wrong. The pod I was in ejected me. The rest… well, they died. Including my wife. I buried her in the backyard of our home."

"I'm sorry."

"It's fine. I've dealt with the grief. Now I just want answers. It's why I was heading south. I was scouting as far as the river, then I was ready to head across at a later time. A company called Vault-Tec was responsible for building the vault. I found some information while I was leaving the vault, but I want to know more. Were the other vaults like mine, sadistic experiments done on people who simply wanted to survive? Or were we a lone outlier and other vaults were safe havens for the lucky few who escaped the bombs?"

"Before the war, you were a soldier?"

"United States Army. I reached the rank of Major. I've heard the ranks you've used so understand things are a little different. But I fought for fifteen years, nearly all of them in Alaska. Earned a few medals for it."

"And that is exactly why I want to make you a proposal. The Brotherhood of Steel are always on the lookout for talented, courageous soldiers. Considering you are technically a civilian, the fact you stepped forward to help us spoke volumes of your character. So I am offering you the chance to join our ranks in the Brotherhood of Steel. What you do say?"

I gave it some thought. They were clearly an army, at least some sort, and that was familiar, at least. I didn't know anything about synths, but I guess I'd learn more the longer I was with them. Their cause seemed noble too but, then again, so was our cause in Alaska, and look how that turned out in the end. I agreed with what he said about technology. It wasn't the only reason why war had broken out but it was certainly a contributing factor. Humanity had reached for the stars and ended up destroying itself instead.

But if I joined them, they would no doubt want me dedicated to the cause, and right now, I needed to focus on my own affairs. Once I had the information I wanted, or simply reached a dead end, then perhaps things would change. The thing that worried me most was that it would interfere with the help I was giving to the Minutemen. I believed in what they were trying to do. I think the two factions shared some similar ideals, but I didn't believe they'd ever work together.

"First, I want to thank you for the offer, Paladin. I am honoured that you would consider me worthy of joining your ranks. And I'm not saying no, I'm saying not yet. I need to deal with my personal issues first. If I abandon them now, I won't be able to dedicate myself to your cause fully. Do you understand what I mean?"

"I do, Nate. And what you say makes sense."

"There is a second reason. You might not have heard of them but I am working with a group called the Minutemen. We're slowly but surely re-establishing order to the Commonwealth. It's a slow process, it will take years before we push out all the Raiders and Gunners. And while some of the ideals are the same, the Minutemen keep things simple. There are plenty of farms and settlements around that need our help. Sanctuary Hills, where I used to live, is one such settlement."

"So you've been busy since waking up."

"It's certainly unexpected but it's the right thing to do. I'm the last one alive, apart from a few ghouls, that either saw the bombs drop, or was at least around when they did. So I guess I see it as a responsibility to help at least some people recover from it. We provide a roof over the head, a little food in the belly, and a place to rest at night in safety. I'm guessing people don't have a lot, and have little to hope for. I'd like to think we give at least some of the latter."

"You're an idealist."

"I wasn't before, I can promise you that."

"While I'm disappointed you won't join immediately, I can certainly see the reason why you wish to delay joining our order. Nevertheless, you have certainly proved an ally to the cause. My team and I will remain based her. Once we have the transmitter working properly, we will hopefully be reinforced. So, considering this police station a safe haven for yourself. Do you want payment for the mission just carried out?"

"Well, I'm not a mercenary, but if you're offering…"

"You haven't asked, Nate, so I'm willing to pay you for the assistance. You know about caps, of course. Let me grab some for you." He disappeared, eventually handing over a small bag. I didn't count them as it would have been rude and it wasn't important anyway. "Grab a bed tonight and you can stay as long as you want. I'll give you the frequency we communicate on so you can remain in touch. If you ever run in trouble around Boston, give us a call and I'll see if we can assist."

"Thanks, Danse. That's going above and beyond."

"Well, I'll admit I'd rather keep you alive so you can hopefully join our order at a later date."

I yawned and suggested we should really get some sack time, checking my Pip-Boy to see it was early morning by some distance. Heading into the lone room with mattresses, I noticed Haylen on a mattress by herself and the long and flowing red hair certainly stood out. I undressed to my underwear, collapsed onto a mattress with little more than a thin blanket and pillow, and was asleep in barely a minute or so.

Waking after a few hours, I dressed and wandered out, where I noticed Haylen nursing a coffee cup. I definitely felt my eyes widen as she looked at me and grinned. "Want some coffee?"

"There's still coffee around?"

"Sure there is."

"Yes. Yes, please!"

She poured me a cup of hot black as I took a pack of cigarettes from my pocket and a flip-lighter. Offering the pack to Haylen, she happily took one, lighting it for her, as I looked her over. I did find the red hair captivating. It was just something I liked on a woman. She noticed, of course, blushing slightly and running her hand through it. "Colourful, isn't it?"

"Sure is," I replied before taking a drag, "My wife was a redhead. She had green eyes though. Emerald green."

"You speak as if…"

"Yeah," I said, taking a sip of coffee, "Danse heard the story last night. I'm a man out of my own time, Haylen. I spent just over two hundred years in the fridge."

"Well, at least you're not actually a ghoul."

"No. I just feel a little weird at times. Everything is different, obviously."

"Are you going to join our order?"

"Not yet. As I told Danse, it's not a permanent no, but I have my own problems to solve first. Once those are solved, I'll consider joining your order. Considering I've been part of the armed forces, joining the Brotherhood of Steel won't be too much of a shock. Your ranks are different though. You're a Scribe, correct?"

"Yes. I'm a trained soldier, but I'm not frontline like Danse… or yourself, if you were to join. I'm a scientist and researcher. I'm a member of the Order of the Quill, focusing primarily on finding, researching and cataloguing civilian technology. I also dabble in engineering, though not to the extent of others."

"Is the Brotherhood primarily military in focus or…?"

"I guess it's a dual outlook, with a focus on finding and retrieving any and all technology, while also attempting to assist the civilian population."

"Certainly need all the help they can get. Humanity has fallen from a very great height. Considering the lives we lived up until October 23rd, 2077, it's almost like we've fallen back a few hundred years, except we still have guns. Having to walk everywhere… I don't suppose there are horses around?"

"If they still exist, I'm sure they're mutated, Nate. Nope, you're going to have to rely on your own two legs. But you've got power armour so you can't complain too much."

Stubbing out my cigarette and drinking the rest of my coffee, I grabbed my duffel bag, sliding a new magazine into my shotgun, checking my other weapons were in working order, before grabbing a mutfruit and munching on that before I figured it was time to leave. Haylen had been watching me out of the corner of her eye as I'd done it. I was trying to guess her age. I had a feeling she was younger than me, though probably older than Jennifer. Whatever the case, she seemed rather bright and definitely intelligent.

"Hey, Nate, one thing…" she said, just as I was about to get into my power armour.

Looking around, I asked, "Yeah?"

"I'm glad you weren't a ghoul under that armour."

I couldn't help grin. "Me too. I'll see you later, Scribe Haylen."

"Where are you going now?"

"I was originally going to just head back to Sanctuary, but I might as well keep heading south. I was told there was some sort of town called Diamond City."

"Cross the bridge and you'll eventually see signs that will lead you to it. It's perhaps the only beacon of civilisation in the Commonwealth."

"Good. Hopefully someone will be able to give me the answers I want or the help I need."

"Good luck, Nate."

"Thanks."

Climbing into my power armour, I looped the duffel bag over my shoulder, clipped my shotgun and pistol into place, and headed outside. Rhys was in position on the barricade, rifle in hand, walking back and forth. Danse was in position by the door, appearing relaxed by no doubt ready to fire immediately. We shook hands and he wished me luck on my quest as well before I walked under the barricade and turned to look south. I could see the bridge ahead and, past that, the centre of Boston itself.

With a last salute at the two Brotherhood soldiers, I took the shotgun from my thigh and resumed my journey south.