Paladin Danse was feeling more and more confident as they marched for the Boston Airport, Paladin Brandis and Meathead both weighing heavily on his mind as both recon teams were decimated, and his own mortality and realization of being a synth undercutting every action. Running or trying to distance himself from the Brotherhood of Steel, would only draw suspicion. Any side comment or suspicion by staying on and continuing to work with the Brotherhood as is would inevitably lead to a situation of 'synth-sweeping', where all of the best technology available would be used to determine any infiltration to their ranks, and upon being discovered, result in his immediate execution.

The paths and options laid before Paladin Danse were equally damning if he didn't report in. He didn't have the wherewithal to take off and run. He couldn't imagine a life fleeing or hiding, and placed on a ticking timer the moment he made himself aware to the Prydwen forces, all the talk of victory and honor for the Brotherhood kept biting him in the cheek.

Brandis' reassurances along with Meathead's arrival and imperative shapeshifting abilities only added to the weight that he had to depend on two complete strangers to withhold a secret that would leave him without a grave or legacy aside from Institute synth not worthy of being remembered.

The most comforting words Paladin Brandis said when they arrived in East Boston, less than a mile from the Airport, Brandis tapped Danse on the shoulder, making him stop in his thoughts.

Patting him on the back, he pointed up to the Brotherhood of Steel banners visible from a distance and said, "Time to go to work."

"And what about everything else?" Danse asked, "I lived my entire life for this. Raised with this. This is my family."

"Eat your heart out, Paladin. Where was this family who wouldn't help me when I was begging for it. Miserable bastards; Every one of us! The only single one time I ever asked for help, even though for decades my whole life I was given the same god-forsaken speech...It was always the same one! The 'Oh, no matter what! I'll be there for you, 'cuz'. I'll be here day or night, Brother. Anytime you need me I would fight for you...I WILL BE THERE FOR YOU. I have your back, I'll carry you through thick and thin. You say the word, I'll be there! I'll do anything and everything except drop to my knees and tickle your cockles!' Fucking load of the biggest God-damn horse shit of 'birds of a feather flocking together until the fucking cat comes around'. When I needed the one person to help me that required him actually pulling his balls out his own mouth, never had I seen a person put distance between someone I trusted and myself, like he was trying to make a landspeed record. Family, the only difference between working for someone else, and working with the Brotherhood family is that it'll hurt that much more when you realize that extended family doesn't care. So this..." Brandis held up both closed hands then opened all his fingers towards the entire Brotherhood of Steel dropship army.

"Elder Maxson and the Prydwen ain't nothing more than a family business. And even though we rock the Brotherhood banners and patch... and walk the Brotherhood path... doesn't mean they wont leave us on the quiet side of the call sign again, the moment they realize we're not valuable... in the moment we need them most. The moment we need them more than ever, is the moment they will gut you and mount your fucking skull over the fireplace along with all the other synth trophies they've pulled out the wastes, Paladin Danse. Don't ever forget that. I ain't saying shit," Brandis dropped his chin and head low to meet Danse's eyes. "...and if the shapeshifter is a friend of Thunderstruck, and Nate...you better believe we will play the stupid and ignorant card of not knowing what happened to you in the meantime. It's up to you to keep your shit together and under wraps."

"You have my thanks."

"Oh, make no mistake, if you fuck this up, I will be right there with everyone else on the firing line, or in the crowd, smile plastered on, applauding, shooting, or helping tie the noose around your neck, because I am not responsible or would expect anything less from you if our positions were reversed. Kill me without hesitation if it means I go against the Brotherhood, but for your own sake and preservation... take pride in it! I wish I was rich enough to be stupid and conformed like the rest of them. I didn't come back here to help you with your synth problem, same as you not coming back here to solve the Brotherhood's Institute problem. We all came here because we know what happens otherwise."

"<We all die alone, but buried in the same mass grave.>"

"Exactly. Glad someone here understands that. Your balls drop again yet, Danse? Or are you still burning a candle for your dead teammates who would also happily report you're a synth over the wire, with the promise of a nice big reward and shiny medal being placed on their chest? While you're stripped naked and shot in the ditch, they'll grind off your name and weld on a medal to the same armor you wore for the soul who pointed the finger and sold you out."

"I get it."

"I don't think you do. we'll still be your friends, Danse. I'll still call you Paladin, Brother. But, the only way we see this to the end is if we all go together. Get your priorities in order, we've got less than a mile for you to figure out how to act committed to the bitter end. Whether that's in five minutes and they feel that something's off with you, or in fifty years when you gracefully bow out and disappear into retirement. Your choice is figuring out where your priorities lie. Now Ten-hut, soldier. Walk and talk as if you didn't just figure out you're now part of the tech the Brotherhood collects."

"That's all I've been thinking about since. Paladin," Danse emphasized the final word, working in his edge again and protocol driven resolution to speak and act in manner of the crew they would soon interact with, "And what's got you so mad-dogged?"

"Can't stop thinking about the Institute. They created a synth-you, while they pumped the real version of you full of FEV and cut him loose. Can't stop thinking about the real-you running around out there, and all the mutants the Brotherhood is going to kill in these next few months. No way to tell..."

"Don't remind me," Paladin Danse felt a spark of anger concentrate and focus in his chest, pulling on his steely-eyed gaze, the rough-love talk was exactly what he needed to snap his mind out of this morning's tragedy. He swallowed the dry lump in his throat that wanted to speak on the final moments of his mutant self, and aimed his feet towards the Departure and Arrival signs for the Boston Airport.

"<You both good?>" Meathead asked, sensing the irritation and confusion from Brandis.

"Yeah, fine. Just waiting for the other shoe to drop now." Brandis said, looking up to the Prydwen. "That there is enough ordinance and weapons to mount a full invasion for months. Never thought I'd see the day...and here it comes. Kingdom Come seven years later."

"That just means the war Elder Maxson wages against the Institute will be fast and brutal. Leaving no doubt that the Brotherhood is an overwhelming force that can stop any conflict before it begins."

"<You know there's people here that aren't going to take this lying down, Danse. We all knew the Brotherhood was coming...it's only ever been a matter of when.>" Meathead's eyes drifted past the Prydwen to the Boston skyline, the shadow of the USS Constitution still mounted on top of the Weatherbea banking tower, port side aimed at East Boston.

Danse accepted the facts as well, knowing how capable the Prydwen was, a floating battleship with mounted mortar cannons, anti-aircraft and Vertibird Fleet, hundreds of Brotherhood Knights in power armor, pilots, and the Equestrian Armored Division of Spellcasters, Tesla-Pegasus, and Iron Earth Steeds.

\111/

Arriving at the Boston Airport with the Prydwen docked at the Control Tower, there was a small gang-way plank connecting the Blimp to the top floor, all around the tarmac the Brotherhood was expanding and running power lines in all directions, setting up a perimeter, fortifying parts of the airport, the arrival gates, the drive up to the airport, unloading supplies, and digging into create a small fortress above and below.

"No side comments, Nate," Paladin Danse warned. "It's the Brotherhoods duty to wipe the Commonwealth of the Institute, and wont rest until it achieves its goal. Until this morning, I knew the unwavering beliefs that carried me and my team forward every day, how we would cleanse the world of dangerous technology, take it from the Wasteland so that no other forces would try to use it again to cause the downfall of society. Gravity and underestimating my enemy so severely blinded me to the fact that there are those who want to cause the downfall of the Brotherhood."

The trio of Paladins Danse and Brandis with Meathead in the middle walking up to the hastily erected front gates was palpable shock as they all looked like they'd been through the ringer. Brandis was thinned out, scraggily beard, still unkempt from his three years in isolation, but carrying a Fat Man, a SMG, and laser pistol.

The old power armor and weaponry standing next to Danse who looked like he'd just witnessed his whole crew slaughtered and dealing with plenty else on his mind, devoid of power armor, and undersuit splattered with Super Mutant blood. Meathead was able to procure a machine gun and revolver for Paladin Danse from the U.S.S. Constitution, from the armory where a noticable amount of weapons were gone, along with all the ponies and Curie, with the Giddyups mentioning they had left for Sanctuary Hills a few days prior. Meathead had sensed as much, but it was still odd to only see the robots puttering around, maintaining and repairing the parts of the ship they could access.

With the Changeling carrying a laser rifle and assault rifle, one resting on each shoulder as they marched right up to the gatekeeper assigned to guard, Meathead could sense the surprise and startled emotions of how threatening they looked,

"...And who are you?" The Brotherhood Guard asked, even under powerarmor, he could sense these three were here for the Brotherhood.

Meathead nodded, standing back and letting Brandis and Danse do their greetings.

"Recon Squad Gladius Leader, Paladin Danse of the Brotherhood."

"Recon Squad Artemis Leader, Paladin Brandis, for the Brotherhood. Ad Victorium, Brother," Brandis didn't salute a lower ranking Knight, and wouldn't expect anyone recognizing his authority until all the facts came out and spread around the force that he survived.

The guard responded with an "Ad Victorium," back, then Danse held out his right hand to Nate, "Knight Nate. Reporting for Duty," Paladin Danse said, speaking for all of them. Meathead wondered to himself, 'when did I make rank of Knight?' but didn't show it or voice his question out loud. 'Slim picking's,' He rationalized.

"We need to report to Elder Maxson to disclose our findings for the Commonwealth expeditions." Paladin Danse said, "It's an urgent top priority that we relay the details of the Recon Teams Artemis and Gladius immediately to the Elder and disseminate the information through the ranks."

"Proceed into the Terminal Building, we'll notify you when the next Vertibird is available to lift you up to the Prydwen."

As the guard radioed ahead about the three Brotherhood of Steel soldiers coming in from the Commonwealth, no one approached them at first, and none of them expected anything less. They'd been radio silent for months, unable to speak past Trinity Tower's overwhelming signal, and it was assumed Brandis was dead years ago. Seeing the dead return, and seeing the lone Paladin without the rest of his squad, the Brotherhood of Steel was still listening to Scribe Halen's distress signal beaming out of Cambridge Station now that the Emergency Broadcast was shut down, and detatched a Vertibird the moment they got in range.

Correlating the information to and from the Headquarters, the Steel members were able to quickly put together that there was no-one left save these three, and absolutely no records of a Knight Nate.

Which lead to an intense distance and range of emotions directed towards them as they sat in the terminal waiting area, watching Vertibirds descend with equipment, everything quickly unloaded, handfuls of boxes or crates and crew jumping back on, then zip back up to the Prydwen. Everyone kept their distance until they ran the message up the chain of command.

The silence and waiting game was partially intentional, but also a result of everyone still adjusting to the new environment. Things were still being set up and required more attention. First thing Meathead noticed were the armored Pegasus flying off in groups of three, five groups he counted disappearing, with all of them heading to different parts of the Commonwealth it looked like. Scouting and reconnaissance, loaded with supplies, they were watch parties that would report on movements in the Commonwealth. Any large groups above ground they would spot and be able to direct their forces, or tail from high in the sky. Following the armored pegasus were Vertibirds, flying out after them.

"<Been there, done that,>" He uttered at barely a whisper,

"What's that?" Paladin Danse asked, Meathead pointed to the pegasus squads flying out into the Commonwealth, three moving into the city, two going off to the North and South.

"<The Institute already has synthetic crows doing that.>"

"The Crows?" Brandis asked, confusion plain on his face.

"Save it for the debriefing session..." Danse quietly said, looking around for anyone listening to them.

Back and forth, for a two hours they waited watching everything unfold until finally two knights carrying miniguns jumped off the Vertibird and came on a direct path to them. Up through the boarding ramps and stairs to them.

"<This is us,>" Meathead said before they got too close, getting ready to get up again.

"Come with us." The Brotherhood Knight said, shrouded in his power-armor.

\111/

Being led outside the terminal onto the tarmac, they stepped onto the Vertibird.

The underbelly of the Prydwen changed, panels rolling back to reveal a large crane with massive cables, capable of lowering and raising supplies down to the ground. A crew was loading a platform of small containers, being that most of the pathways were narrow, and incapable of supporting a high volume of traffic, the unloading process was slow, but capable of moving dozens of tons of weight in a single lift. Safely strapping down cargo and equipment to prevent instability, falling off, or shaking the platform too much, there was a select group of people in safety vests and helmets operating the machinery.

Guided past the landing bay to Lancer-Captain Kells, Paladin Danse spoke protocol and asked for permission to come aboard. The Lancer captain was the skipper and field operations manager for the chapter of the Brotherhood, and greeted the Paladin and company in turn.

"Permission Granted. Is this a new recruit?"

"Yes," Danse replied, gesturing to Meathead disgused as Nate, "I've granted him the rank of Initiate, and would like to personally sponsor his promotion for entry into our rankings as Knight."

"We'll be going over your report as soon as you and Paladin Brandis have been debriefed and informed of the current situation. What happened to your original power-armor, if I may ask?"

"Utterly destroyed by an anti-Brotherhood cell who has made it excessively clear that the Brotherhood of Steel wont be welcome here in the Commonwealth."

Lancer-Captain Kells' only frowned sideways for a moment, a tick that processed the news and integrated the information. "You are to remain on the Prydwen and await further orders, and the rest of your squad, Paladin? We've not received a single message from your squadron since your departure."

"Knight Rhys, Scribe Haley, and Advance Scout Verne were killed in battle this morning in our raid against Trinity Tower. The rest were all killed over the last two months in separate instances of attacks."

"And you?" the captain asked Paladin Brandis,

"Paladin Brandis, leader of Recon Squad Artemis."

"Why and how have you not been able to report in?"

"Extrenuating circumstances, lack of supplies, and lack of resources left me unable to send messages to Brotherhood Command. Any attempts I've made since have either contained information too valuable to be intercepted, or have been intercepted and unable to reach the Brotherhood at all. I sent letters two years ago, and gave up hope of ever hearing back. I've been on my own and only thanks to Nate's efforts and his Commonwealth acquaintance Thunderstruck the Pegasus, I was made aware of Recon Squad Gladius' existence."

"Ad Victorium and Welcome back, Paladin. Your orders are the same, remain here on the Prydwen and wait."

"Ad Victorium, Captain," The Paladins saluted the captain with a fist to the chest, the captain did so in turn, leaving his attention to focus on Meathead. Dismissing the two, they were directed towards the galley quarters where other soldiers were still unloading and unpacking.

"If Danse hadn't vouched for you, I doubt we would be having this conversation. Accepting outsiders has proven dangerous in the past."

Sola and Firelance,

"<So is flying into a new area blind, you'll want to hear what the Paladins and myself have to say.>"

"And what information would you know that is so relevant to our situation?"

"Any and all potential hotspots of technology and weapons that the Brotherhood has deemed promising or potentially worthwhile should be red-flagged. I highly expect sabotage and subterfuge to be at play and as an unbiased, open opinion as a citizen of the Commonwealth, I can only suggest that everyone take caution and to hit the ground running to accomplish their mission as fast as possible. What does the Brotherhood know about the Synthetic Crows and birds the Institute uses to spy on the Commonwealth?"

Another facial tick, a stifling twitch of the nose and lips, grim information complied with Meathead's warning put Lancer-Captain Kells on his toes. Eying him in a different light, "And where did you get this information?"

"<The Public Occurence newspaper run by Piper Wright out of Diamond City, the Fenway Park Baseball Stadium. Largest trading post around. She the Synthetic Crow on display in her shop.>"

Lancer-Captain Kells scrutinized Meathead from top to bottom, giving Nate's appearance a new appreciation and apprehensiveness, "You may expect a Paladin's endorsement to grant you a great deal of latitude with us, but let me make one thing clear, the Brotherhood of Steel came to the Commonwealth with a specific goal in mind. As the Captain of this vessel, I won't allow anyone to jeopardize our mission no matter how valuable they think they are. Understood?"

"<Well if the Brotherhood isn't here to here to bring out their dead, then the truth that remains is quite clear."

"If you're insinuating anything less than 100% commitment to the Brotherhood, you can get off right now."

Meathead looked over to the loading dock where they were loading more crates to be craned down to the surface, some parts were too large to be boxed up, some were plainly labeled, LIBERTY PRIME LT.

Meathead looked Lancer-Captain Kells straight in the eye, and told him, "<I'm here because I don't want to see the same thing that happened to the last group that stood a chance against the Institute, happen again.>"

Captain Kells assessed Meathead, placing him at a marginal intelligence above a trench soldier, smarter than a grunt to be put into the meat grinder and front lines, but still needed his mettle to be tested and devotion to be aligned properly to the Brotherhood before being fully trusted.

"Then your orders are to proceed to the Command Deck, Elder Maxson will be addressing the crew, after which, once the details of Paladin Danses' expedition are reveiwed, and recommendation is approved, he will have a word with you. Now, dismissed."

\111/

Meathead progressed up the flight deck, idly watching from a side glance as the parts to Liberty Prime were craned down to the surface. Nate's words ringing in his ears. The moment he got a chance of freedom, he would be heading straight for Mass Fusion tower, the conversation fresh in his mind that the only Byrillium agitator, a key component for starting nuclear reactions, and only one of two in public-knowledge existence was sitting a few floors down from the Mass Fusion lobby.

While in his silent approach, he started counting off the number of Brotherhood of Steel members there were on board, needing to close his eyes and focus on expanding his perception to the brink of his abilities to count all of them at once. Over 200 hundred life forms on board, with over a hundred more already sent out in search parties and vertibird squads.

On his way to the command deck, he watched for signs of technology that could out him as a changeling, or detect synths among the crew. But, as he made his limited observations, there were no signs of scanners, facial recognition detectors, or even any signs that there was a device capable of searching for non-organic life. The realization confounded Meathead, no sign of synth-detecting supports anywhere to be found. Of the few equestrians he passed, none of them were interested in his newcomer's status, or arrival. Even the range of emotions weren't revealing either, no suspicion as to who he was, or wonder as to why he was here. As far as Meathead could see and feel, he was nearly invisible to all but a handful of select Brotherhood soldiers who eyed him with great intensity. Brimming with contempt and anger, clearly obvious he wasn't part of the Brotherhood crew, they were defensive and closed-of in their posture, and unwilling to speak directly to him. Approaching those types would only result in unnecessary confrontation, and until he had been okayed and approved by Elder Maxson and the rest of the crew, it wasn't worth Meathead's effort to speak with them.

The Command Deck was clustered with 20 Brothers of a younger crowd, men and women hardly out of their teens, but standing upright and ready at attention. Nate was double their age; For most of them. But among the whole crew, Elder Maxson at the front was by far the youngest, but clearly the most aged. A thick beard down to his neck, and mustache wrapping around his mouth, trimmed to keep his lips clear, side-burns up to his ears, thick tight curls, and a mostly shaved head, it was clear the Elder's hair grew centimeters daily. The most telling feature of the Elder's expression were his eyes, greyed, dark, sunken but puffed up as well, the sign of a person who did not sleep much, if at all. There was a scar crossing down his left eye and eyebrow, making the hair not grow in those certain places.

Elder Maxson didn't have the broad shoulders of a fully grown man, but wore a large thick padded coat to make him look larger and more rounded. But, Meathead could get a steady read on the man's emotions, dripping with determination, anticipation, excitement. Jittery like a coffee fiend, ears and eyes working in tandem to direct his focus on everyone in the room all at once, and then narrow in on small details.

"...Each and every one of you has exceeded my expectations by rapidly facilitating our arrival in the Commonwealth." He postured, walking back and forth from side to side meeting everyone's eyes, folding his arms behind his back and then glancing at Meathead, "You've all accomplished this amazing feat without a hint of purpose or direction, and most impressively, without question."

Meatehad had to remind himself not to be too telling in his own body language, not questioning everything the commanding officer was saying. He scolded himself for being so blunt with Lancer-Captain Kells, for being so dense when it came to the captain of the ship. It wouldn't earn him any additional support or favors anytime soon, but with how Meathead expected this to play out, he could imagine by the end of the day, he would be sent to one of the Brotherhood's target locations. An armory, or fort, Either Red's or one of the Fort's along the Coast to secure weapons and ammo, explosives, or anything of value to make a quick win for the Brotherhood to establish themselves and boost morale quickly amongst the soldiers gathered here.

"Now that the Prydwen is in position, it is time to reveal our purpose and our mission."

'<Oh this ought to be good.>' Followed up with '<Dangit, Meat! Stop overthinking and listen to what the man has to say! Get your face back under control!>' Biting the inside of his cheek down hard, he forced himself to focus on the Elder infront of him. Tearing off the skin on the inside of his cheek, he could taste a wee bit of blood, but it was necessary to keep himself under control.

"Beneath the Commonwealth, there is a cancer. A malignant growth that needs to be cut before it reaches the surface. They're experimenting with dangerous technologies that could prove to be the world's undoing for the second time."

"In recent history, the Institute's created a weapon that transcends the destructive nature of the atom bomb. They call this weapon, a synth. A robotic abomination that masquerades as a free-thinking human being. This...Notion! That a MACHINE could be granted free-will is not only offensive, but horribly dangerous! An like the atom, if not harnessed properly, it's capable of rendering us extinct as a species."

'<There it is...harnessing properly. Synth's aren't going away any time soon if the Brotherhood wins. They just want to make sure the synths are at play for the Brotherhood.>'

"I am not prepared to allow the Institute and their synths to continue this line of experimentation. Therefore, they are enemies of the Brotherhood of Steel! They will be dealt with swiftly and mercilessly! This campaign will be costly, but will save humanity from its greatest enemy, ITSELF!"

'<We're here to save you... from yourselves...! I've heard that one before; Max. The moment you think of people who can be spent like money, is the day you'll find the devil's merchant willing to sell you a monument to your failures.>'

"Ad Victorium!"

"AD VICTORIUM!" The crowd shouted back, making the fist over the chest salute towards Elder Maxson.

\111/

More waiting, and nearly two more hours later, Meathead was called to meet with Elder Maxson. All the while, Paladin Danse and Brandis both debriefed as much information as they could, and were still laying out details of their expeditions, when a partial report on Nate was taken from the interrogation rooms to Elder Maxson. The information outlining that Nate was up for promotion and integration into the Brotherhood of Steel as an Initiate and into knighthood, was laid out for Elder Maxson. With Meathead having been there for the Arcjet run, along with initially helping them clear West Cambridge of Ghouls, and how Thunderstruck's name was only put down as a pony apart of Nate's group who helped deliver Brandis under Nate's decision making and discovery, the details of his Super Mutant hunting expeditions, and the report over KDCR that Nate hung an Institute spy all painted a broad picture for Elder Maxson to see the faint details. With Lancer-Captain Kells notes on their initial summary contact, Nate was to be considered a force to be reckoned with, one that Elder Maxson would have no issue directing the vast amount of energy and local information towards their own goals.

"I care about the people of the Commonwealth, Nate." Elder Maxson began, "I truly do."

Meathead reading Maxson's emotions told him otherwise, "<Unfortunately, sir, the Commonwealthian's don't share your exact same sentiments. Most don't even care about their neighbor, let alone everyone in the whole of Boston. There's no more terrifying words in all of history than we're from the government and we're here to help.>"

"I can understand your indecisiveness, training your weapon on the people you're trying to save can be a bitter pill to swallow,"

"<Not bitter, but more like a large, dry horse-pill-sized suppository. I get why the Brotherhood's here, and it's because the Institute's done you dirty, it's probed at the Brotherhood and nipped at your defenses and skirted along the boundaries of the Brotherhood's territory just as they've done to everyone else for the last 75 years since they've made themselves formally known.>"

"Go on, explain what you mean by the last 75 years."

"<The Commonwealth Provisional Government, as it was explained to me, the Institute's first dark mark against the rest of the surface. A time when things were calmer, and all of the collective farmsteads and neighboring groups were actually able to come together to hold a meeting about turning the Commonwealth into an actual governing country again. You saw it on your way in, there's no...single group here or man here yet who claims to be Duke of Boston and rulers of the Commonwealth.>" Meat shook his head, "The version of the story I was told is that the whole CPG was dead before it even got started, with the Institute to blame using synths as far back as then to wipe out everyone who arrived at this fabled meeting.>"

"I refuse to allow the mistakes of the past to be repeated," Elder Maxson said,

"So what can a Vault-Tec. representative like myself offer to the Brotherhood of Steel?"

"I want you to take responsibility for this planet, to make a difference. and from Paladin Danses' report, it seems like you already are."

'<Shallow praise,>' Meathead thought to himself, this isn't the first time Elder Maxson gave a promotional speech.

"Paladin Danse believes you understand our core values and would be an essential asset to the Brotherhood here in the Commonwealth, Nate. And as one of our most trusted field officers, that couldn't come as a higher recommendation."

While Meathead felt this would be one of his only times to highlight an issue for the Brotherhood to set their sights on, Meathead held his tongue, not mentioning Athena, Mona, nor the Super Mutants. That he figured was private information, and the Brotherhood would learn about them all the same in the meanwhile.

"<Watch out for the Institute's crows or seagulls. I expect a whole flock to arrive soon enough.>" A bit of free information, something that he relayed to Captain Kells, and now the Elder. It was already common knowledge to Diamond City, they might as well find out sooner than later.

"I thank you for the input. Nate; From Initiate I'm promoting you to the rank of Knight within the Brotherhood of Steel. With such a promotion comes the grant of Power Armor. Wear it well to protect yourself, and serve the Brotherhood proudly. Once you've become familiar with the Prydwen, and her staff, report to the Flight Deck for your new orders."

Meathead nodded, remembering to salute and reply, "<Ad Victorium,>"

\111/

From Proctor Ingram who ran the maintenance bay for heavy retrofitting and overhauls to complete sets of power armors, she pointed him to his own set of Power Armor among dozens of others that were all hung and ready for operation.

To Quartermaster Protor Teagan's proposal to begin taking supplies and food from local farms and settlements to support the Brotherhood's cause, along with handing him a stack of contracts signing in the same groups on a compounding interest to provide protection for the farms, Meathead only took them to use later as tinder.

The Medical Knight Captain Cade and Captain Blood Work was the only time Meathead needed to mentally prepare himself, as the Unicorn and human physicians were working in tandem to offer a quick medical exam and questionnaire.

It'd been over a decade since Meathead had to use the spell in particular, but the counter-surveilance spell he was taught to use was created specifically to fool a unicorn's medical scan. The spell swept over his arms and legs, his torso chest and head. Meathead was sweating by the time Blood Work was done, but the Unicorn hummed to himself, signing off on a clipboard and checklist with a happy nod. The Changeling spell was an undetectable by all forms of magic, since it was changing his internal organs, bones, and nervous system as well to that of a human.

Blood Work seemed to be the only unicorn he met so far capable of casting a magical spell that was capable of detecting anomalies, and since he'd never been in contact with a changeling, as far as Meathead knew, that signature of spell wouldn't be attuned to trace for Changelings. Scarcity and obscurity worked in Meathead's favor, but he knew the longer he was around, and the longer the Brotherhood interacted with the Institute, the more paranoid and advanced the magical scrying would become to ferret out any intruders or synths. All of his instincts told him to get away from the Brotherhood and Prydwen as fast as possible, that his ruse as Nate wouldn't last more than a few days. But, he needed it to last as long as possible, to learn as much as he could. He'd already seen the Liberty Prime crates, which was damming enough, but it would take weeks to assemble something of that magnitude, if not less. On the grand timeline, he expected an invasion of the Institute before Christmas, maybe even as soon as Thanksgiving, third week of November. But that was fast, hardly enough time to establish themselves and gather information on the Commonwealth. They hadn't even made a mention of getting in contact with the Railroad yet.

'<Fool them once, shame on them,>' The first recon squads were already returning, short flights, but already in line with what Meathead predicted when he watched them take off hours ago when the Brotherhood of Steel first landed in the Commonwealth. He put a mental count-down timer on himself, that sooner than later, if things remained positive for the Brotherhood, there eventually would be a security purge, where everyone would be under scrutiny, and an extra layer of verification and authentification would be put into place. Within the first confrontation in the Commonwealth, if things went bad for the Brotherhood, spies, sabotage, information leaked, he would be staring at a mage capable of detecting if he wasn't completely human. But, if the Brotherhood won every fight, saw endless triumph, then the security would be more relaxed, and he wouldn't need to worry about the impending search for long.

Regardless, Meathead told himself, the Prydwen was not a safe place for him to be for long.

A Brotherhood Equestrian guided Meathead to a bunk and rack of Power Armor, instructed that it was up to him to maintain and repair the armor, and that Proctor Ingram would only work on his suit if it was in catastrophic failure condition. At that point, it would either be fitted for scraps, and he would be wearing regular body armor and plating while Ingram worked on securing a new suit for him. Both of which would take time. Leaving nothing, and not even sitting in the bed for a moment, Meathead donned the Power Armor and began to look for Paladin Danse, which as he passed by multiple faces, he wondered how long it would take before not every human on board would return, and how synths would infiltrate within hours, if not days of the first returning squadrons sent out on reconnaissance missions.

Finding Paladin Danse was a challenge as well, trying to find his own blind-spot, but after searching and filtering for people who felt comfortable in a Paladin's presence, it was less difficult to narrow down where Danse was. It was a certain type of comforting, the strength and weight a Paladin's name and rank carried, even if it was marred with failure and loss. To survive the Commonwealth was already seen as a remarkable feat worthy of praise and adoration, but when Meathead found Danse, his face reflected anything but the welcome comments of glory. Waving off scribes and other Knights who wanted to know about his adventures in the Commonwealth wasteland, he only had eyes for Meathead who knew the extent of his trials.

"<Paladin Danse,>" Meathead pointed directly to his ear, shaking his head. Danse nodded, knowing that too many people would be straining their ears to listen in on their conversation. There would be no privacy aboard the Prydwen, everything being recorded and written down, reported, and passed along. While Meathead hadn't detected any magic users scanning spells, it occured to the Changeling that since the Institute's influence didn't extend beyond the Commonwealth without the Byrillium Agitator and a nuclear power source to strengthen the range of their Mass Relay Teleporter, the Brotherhood never concerned themselves with security or the threat of synths among them.

"How did it go with Elder Maxson?"

While there was a palpable emotion in the air of 'This is it,' the type of anxiety and nerve wracking that came along before a massive invasion and storm sweeping out over the land, the Changeling surmised that he was under no threat of being detected on more advanced systematic magical energy signatures, at least, so long as he maintained his distance from any higher advanced spellcasters aboard he had yet to meet.

"<I'm to report to the Flight Deck for more orders, but I expect it'll be to one of the places the Recon Squads weren't able to make it to yet.>"

Paladin Danse nodded once, " I imagine I'll be receiving similar orders here shortly. As your sponsor, it's my responsibility to guide you around the Commonwealth and ensure our ideals are being observed. Elder Maxson is particular when it comes to new recruits, and while Paladin Brandis is still filling in the upper echelons of command on all the reports Scribe Halen wasn't able to transmit with the Deep Range Transmitter, we'll be finishing what Recon Squad Gladius came here for."

"<At least here on the Prydwen, no one has to worry about monsters with the nasty habit of popping in when you least expect it.>"

"Any creature or monster deciding to pop-in unnanounced would find themselves quickly vaporized thanks to the Prydwen's magical defenses. Thanks to the spellcasters on the Third Deck, Diamond and Amarylis Fortune concocted a machine capable of warding off any magical-thaumatic threat like teleporting that would dare try to attack the Brotherhood unannounced."

"<Ad Victorium, then, Paladin Danse.>"

"Ad Victorium, and congratulations on your promotion to Knight, Nate."

\111/

On the Fourth Deck, The tape recorder went around and round, replaying back sections of Nate and Paladin Danses' conversation. As an inner-intelligence operative specialist listened to the back and forth small talk over and over again, transcribing the speech, and submitting the report to a file, it was all logged and monitored.

\111/

Meathead learned that no teleporting was allowed thanks to the tip from Paladin Danse, while not the same, he imagined the Brotherhood of Steel had a magical shield running through the length of the Prydwen, capable of warding off any teleportation caused by Mass Relay signals sent by the Institute. While Changeling teleportation was different to the Institute's matter-displacement, and more effective than Athena's warping, it was still something he knew now not to attempt without good reason. If they were in tune enough with magic to erect a shield array, then they might even be able to pinpoint and track the type of energy signature that sent the object through the Prydwen's defenses.

When Meathead went down to the Flight Deck, Elder Maxson and Lancer-Captain Kells were there. Kells was instructing flight crews on a path to take for the next operation, as Elder Maxson gave Meathead his new orders to take.

Kells' notes told Maxson that while Nate appeared to be stand-offish, partially to be expected with the arrival of the main Brotherhood chapter, he claimed valuable tactical knowledge of the surrounding area around the Commonwealth. This meant to Elder Maxson if Nate could prove his combat worth and secure a location for the Brotherhood, his Knight status would be truly acknowledged. Unspoken was that Nate was only on a provisional status, seeing if the Commonwealth wastelander was worth the accreditation Paladin Danse gave for him.

Paladin Danse arrived only a minute later, and in time for Elder Maxson to give orders to both of them.

"We have a Vertibird ready on Standby, waiting for you and a strike team to wipe out an existing Super Mutant Stronghold armed with a nuclear arsenal. The Brotherhood cannot allow these abominations to have nuclear weapons at their disposal, go to Fort Strong and wipe those dirty mutants from the face of the earth."

"It'll be a pleasure to kill the super mutant filth." Paladin Danse said. After finding his stride again, he found it easy not to think about his own synth-anatomy, and Meathead mirrored the sentiment.

"Wipe the mutants, and help strike team Nero secure the Fort, you'll be part of Strike team Ocean. Then, wait for the Vertibirds to come in for retrieval once the nuclear arsenal is secured."

Meathead already found himself being compartmentalized outside of relevant information, when he already knew what was being developed and stored at Fort Strong.

Mini-Nukes and Launchers, the island was a testing sight before the pre-war, but the way things were quickly progressing, if the Brotherhood didn't ask, he wouldn't offer up information unless asked about it. He didn't know what Paladins Brandis or Danse said about Athena, but the looming threat of her and her circle of friends booby-trapping the island was painfully obvious on Danse's reactions.

"These Comms are linked through the Vertibirds, back to Brotherhood Command in the Prydwen, everything we say will be heard, so keep your swearing to a minimum." Paladin Danse said, offering Meathead another tidbit of advice to watch what he said. Unless the radios were off, say nothing.

Placed at the gunner position of a vertibird gunship minigun, the two Vertibirds were extended out from the launch pads and took off at a wide half-circle arc towards Fort Strong.

In sight of the Boston Airport, Fort Strong was further East, out on a small archipelago West of Libertalia and South of Nahant, a long bridge still connected it to the mainland through Nordhagen Beach.

The flight took less than a minute, but the angle they came in at over the Fort base town and collection of army and navy buildings were all occupied by super mutants. With direct lines and open commands to fire, Meathead leaned into the controls of the minigun and shot at the dozens of super mutants quick to fire up at them. A Behemoth was in the center of the Fort's complex, hurling chunks of bricks and buildings at the vertibirds. As the Lancer Pilots swung up or out further to avoid the ballistic missiles, plinks of bullets could be heard denting into the armored sides of the Vertibird.

"It's like they knew we were coming," a member from strike team Nero commented. Rudimentary holes were dug into the rubble, nests for firing up towards them made it hard to shoot at from one angle, making the vertibird need to swing around and hit them from the rear.

Meathead's arms were vibrating, jolting in time with the minigun and barely able to hear the chatter over the comm links, he heard from the strike team in the other vertibird, and then from the Lancer Pilot as well to focus his fire on the primary behemoth target. Circling the faux-town, super mutants were taking cover and hiding, firing from covered awnings and under gaps in the rubble as the Behemoth was torn apart by the hailstorm of bullets ripping off sections of flesh in an endless barrage.

"Just look at that thing bleed!" Meathead heard a Brotherhood knight say.

The Behemoth, like Swan, and all other sturdy super mutants, did not go down easily. It took literally sheering off entire sections of the mutant's body and blasting through the skull cap into the brain until the beast was completely defeated. Once the main threat was down, the Lancer Pilot quickly came in for a landing to allow the strike team to move in on Fort Strong itself, while retreating back to the Prydwen. Staying any longer would only allow other ground force super mutants to mount an attack on the Vertibirds.

After circling the island of Fort Strong twice, the Behemoth was shot down, "Alright! Get ready to land!" Coming in at the far side of the island, away from Fort Strong, half a dozen super mutants charged for the vertibirds landing, expending the miniguns ammo on the wave of mutants, the order came for them to disembark after the landing zone was cleared. "Lets go! Let's go!"

"Watch for Mutants hiding!"

As Paladin Danse pushed forward, Meathead and another Knight, along with the other strike team disembarked and ran for Fort Strong.

Sweeping the buildings, the collection was only a dozen ramshackled collapsed houses and offices that were more ravaged by the seas and tide, also used as a weapons testing ground before the war, and were barely structures at that point. With only Fort Strong offering any real cover and tactical advantage, most of the strike team's focus were on any threats coming out of the building at the highest point on the island.

When the six of them all neared the entrance of Fort Strong, four super mutants emerged from the front, miniguns of their own wearing big ammo backpacks, chewing up the ground and rock all around them, sweeping the guns back and forth to blast everything in sight. Their aim wasn't good, but their ammo supply was nearly limitless as the rounds kept coming, divoting holes in four of them as the Brotherhood moved for what cover they could find. As the second strike team fired back, letting their power armor take the brunt of the bullets as they shot, even Meathead felt his armor lurch and vibrate as he found his cover rapdily being eaten away by the relentless swarm of 5mm rounds boring through his rubble cover. His head jerked sideways as a bullet pinged against his helmet,

"You got hit, Knight," He heard Danse say. "Stay low,"

Twelve hundred rounds later, the first two mutants finally needed to reload, and that's when they pressed forward, rising up to shoot back. The barrage of return fire was a mix of laser blasts and plasma cannons lighting up the scene, one mutant fell dead instantly as the next mutant produced a missile launcher and fired directly at the cluster of Brotherhood Knights.

"Missile!"

The armor was blown off one Brotherhood Knight, knocking him sideways and onto his back like a turtle, arms and legs shredded, but miraculously still alive. His torso was the only thing still partially covered, but he couldn't see as the power system to his helmet failed. Meathead and Danse fired up at the super mutants as the one was shoving another missile into the launcher. They were still watching as it fell out of the mutant's hands as he kneeled over dead.

Shoved full of stimpaks, the other strike team helped their downed member back onto his feet, and return to the fight, getting up the beginning of the slope to Fort Strong. Only 20 meters, but still fighting uphill with cliffs all around.

In a fire fight, trading armor and bullets, both strike teams were shot up as they laid waste to the last two mutants, reaching the small courtyard in front of Fort Strong with everyone still intact, but not completely whole.

"Command, this is Strike Team Nero. We've made it to the entrance to Fort Strong, we expect heavy resistance inside."

"Is everyone alive?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good. Proceed."

Progressing inside, the six of them, with the one knight who lost most of his suit's integrity and the new Knight Nate in the rear they moved into the ruined foyer where over a dozen blood bags were hanging, but no Super Mutants.

"We're inside the foyer, no sign of super mutants upon initial entry."

from the second floor balcony looking down, Meathead pointed his rifle up, "<Contact, second floor balcony! Both sides!>"

Hiding in cover, Meathead sensed over a dozen more mutants all around Fort Strong's interior, more in the back offices, but these two started flinging grenades from behind cover down into the foyer. As the strike team Nero pressed forward, Paladin Danse, Meathead, and the third Knight backpedaled to avoid the small grenades as they bounded down and exploded.

"Stop pushing!" The knight said, "The fight's ahead of us!" The explosions went off nearly a second after the Knight said that, the power armor taking most of the damage, but easily saving the Knight's life from nearly stepping on a grenade that landed at his feet.

As Meathead's ears rung from the multiple explosions going off, Strike Team Nero went for an open door to their left were five mutants all assaulted at once, shooting through the doorway as the first Knight rushed in firing back with a laser rifle.

The headstrong approach wasn't sitting well with Meathead as he and Danse went back through the doors outside, and took cover around the breached doors. Firing upwards, the mutant's grenade supply ran out as they emerged from cover and fired at them. The knight with crippled armor, and the knight Meathead saved both took this opportunity to run forward and join Strike team Nero in shooting at the crowded room of super mutants.

"<First floor; Right side!>" Meathead shouted, the closed door opened and the two knights were suddenly pinned behind the strike team Nero as two Super Mutants crowded the right-hand door, automatic rifles blasting into their backsides as Meathead and Danse both fired their laser rifles at the mutants on the balcony and then first floor doorway.

The audible sound of anguish and death was heard over the comms as the one knight with crippled armor was shot down, the second knight disappeared through the left hand-door behind strike team Nero, as they laid waste to the five mutants inside the first of the offices. "Tossing a grenade," Danse said, from his own bandolier, Paladin Danse aimed for the right-hand doorway and heaved a plasma grenade directly towards the open gap. It bounced off the back wall, but landed directly infront of the opened door and blasted the two mutants back.

A corona of green energy dispersed, "Knight Ola is down," Paladin Danse reported, "Pinned between two open doorways the mutants occupied."

"Knight Nate, your helmet. Is your comms still working?" Paladin Danse was shaking his head no, signaling for him to switch it off.

"Knight Nate's helmet was damaged in the last exchange of gunfire," Paladin Danse said over the radio. Strike Team Nero was already moving through the back offices, with the four knights shooting in tandem, Paladin Danse and Meathead were quickly falling behind, and now alone in the foyer.

Meathead removed his helmet, Paladin Danse turned off his comms link, "You said you could detect emotions, how many more mutants are there here?" He asked quietly,

"<Seven first floor, three above, six below us.>"

"Keep your helmet on, say nothing else. My intuition is saying this place is booby-trapped."

"<Athena?>" Meathead asked, Danse nodded.

"Let me see your helmet," Reaching out, he pulled the plug and ripped the wires off,

Pointing back up to his own helmet he switch his comms back on,

"Make sure the exit is clear, and that no super-mutants come up behind us. There should be dozens of mini-nukes here, and a special type of launcher the army was working on to improve on the Fat-Man launcher. All of which I hate to think they're rigged to blow."

"<Rodger that,>" With a hand gesture, Paladin Danse motioned for Nate to follow, aiming for the right-hand door to the foyer, they made it in and shot at a super mutant waiting for them. Firing off six rounds, the mutant wasn't able to penetrate their armor, and as Nero was finished clearing the first floor, they met up with them again in the round circuit of offices at the lift and staircases leading down and upstairs.

\111/

The basement to Fort Strong was able to disrupt any transmission or radio signal, and all that came across the comms airwaves was static after both strike teams moved underground.

If it weren't for the losses Paladin Danse faced over the last day; he knew he was being tested as well as observed if his heart was still in the right place, that his devotion was still as strong as ever for the Brotherhood. He knew that he should be rushing in right along with strike team Nero, but the cautious approach Meathead was taking was more favorable after the initial push to Fort Strong and more likable. He hadn't found his confidence yet, and wanted to take the safer approach, rather than rush in headfirst to another trap or mistake like most other times he'd been around the Commonwealth.

It irked him that every where he went these last few months, it seemed like someone always knew they were coming, that someone was already there, whether it was the Gunners, raiders, the Institute, mutants, there was never a place he went to that was clear from ghouls or any other misfortune that dogged him wherever he and his former team went.

Now he knew. Athena must've gotten hold of the Brotherhood's list of scouting locations somewhere along way in the last seven years and made it all but impossible for them to make any progress in the Commonwealth. Along with logic and common sense, it would've been easy to figure out high-value location the Brotherhood would be interested in anyway. Now that they were heading straight for a cache of pre-war weapons and nuclear arsenal, Danse couldn't ignore the mounting fear and premonition that Fort Strong was sitting on a hairpin trigger ready to blow.

With Nero fighting wildly and decimating everything in their path, Paladin Danse reflected on his own reckless path he took with scouting, how overwhelming firepower was always his first answer, and how that lead him into places he relied on an arsenal of weapons at his disposal to fight back. Now it was becoming more and more clear to him how he may of been captured by synths, and turned into one of their own. It was situations like this that lead to his downfall. Somewhere along the way, he was separated from his team for a long enough period for the Institute to make the switch, and return him back before any of Recon Squad Gladius was able to raise concern.

Part of him wanted to know exactly when it occurred, he wanted closure on the exact moment his old life ended, and new one switched out for a synth, but his memories were all flowing like a river, no bends or grey spots anywhere that stagnated the moment anywhere. He couldn't remember any time he went out alone, and now the only people he could've asked about a period of time he was gone were dead as well.

\111/

With the upper floors to Fort Strong free of super mutants, both strike teams regrouped and focused on the mutants in the basement. Forewarning that this next area would be volatile with explosives, and to check their aim, no wild shots or hosing of the enemy was allowed.

Moving into Fort Strong's Research facility below, the strike team rushed down the hallway past a workshop and into a generator room with a balcony where they were able to look down. Gaining the attention of super mutants and their mutated hounds that charged up the stairs as they all fired down.

The higher floor gave them the advantage to clear everything below them, with Paladin Danse leading the way this time.

"Is that all of them?" the leader of Strike team Nero, Knight Jon asked.

"<I believe so.>"

"Then get back up topside, and inform the Prydwen. Elder Maxson will want to know the location is clear. We'll secure the mini-nukes."

"<There should be a locked loading bay at the back, with controls to the doors down here.>" Meathead offered, "<If there's power to the gate, it'll be easier than carting everything back upstairs through the lift.>"

"Find our backdoor then,"

"<Rodger that,>"

Keeping close, Meathead searched for what he knew to be true, that there would be a way to access the underground area, especially if the weight of the crates containing the mini-nukes was anything like he imagined.

When they came to a large depot room, the walls had metal crates around the walls, with a forklift off to one side. Except for a large wooden crate in the center on the back of a semi-trailer. The wheels were all depressed and flattened, and the room ticked with radiation.

One Knight was quick to pop open a crate, but was confused at the emtpy container.

"There's no mini-nukes anywhere. They're all gone!"

Crate after crate, they popped them open, "They should be here!"

"Get the crate on the trailer opened, that must be the experiemental weapon they were working on." Knight Jon commanded.

Aside from the smaller crates that filled up two pallet widths, there was a large military container sized crate chained up, encased in metal and wood.

"We need to get out of here, an...anti-Brotherhood cell knew we would be coming! We're sitting ducks and we need to leave while we still can," Paladin Danse argued.

"We can't leave here empty handed, I don't care about raiders who know about us. This crate matches the build of an old Abrahms tank, if this is what our reports say it is, the tank is outfitted with a Fat-Man Launcher, loaded and ready to ship. We're not leaving here without this tank. A weapon like this will turn the tide of ground warfare to the Brotherhood's side permanently."

"<This semi-trailer is from the outside, it's all rusted and worn, can't you see that?>"

"It's her. She knew we were coming here and emptied the whole armory! She took it all!"

As they moved to open the shipping container and Meathead suddenly felt a surge of emotions welling up from inside. "<DON'T OPEN THAT BOX! Don't open it!>"

Their gieger counters were ticking away, counting the amount of rads in the air, "All our equipment says that there's radioactive material, whatever mini-nukes are left are in here." A knight from strike team Nero said,

"Open it!" Knight Jon commanded,

As they popped open the lid, there were several Glowing Ghouls all mangled and smashed into the box, still alive and clueless, but wrapped around a metal car-sized casing stamped with M-28. Strapped on top was a digital-timer with red numbers counting down from Ten. Nine. Eight. Seven. Six. "Bomb! We got a live-bomb! Bomb!"

Meathead broke free and ran for Danse, the fear apparent on his face, he sprinted,

Five. Four. Three.

Magic spell building up behind his eyes as he grabbed Danse and yanked him sideways through a teleport.

Danse was about to yell at Meathead, as soon as he realized they reappeared two miles north in the lower level of a parking garage underground. Surrounded by defunct and rusted cars sitting in sand and water, the words were on Danse' lips to demand to know what happened when a massive mushroom cloud and explosion vaporized Fort Strong, the entire island.

Danse shoved Meathead down the moment they heard the explosion, the shockwave blasted out over the Commonwealth, the explosion visible for 30 miles. "Damnit!" Danse yelled.

There was a vertibird circling wide around the Fort Strong Island as it was knocked into the Charles Bay, crashing and bursting into flames as the propellers thrashed through the water, shaking and tearing itself apart as metal scrap went everywhere.

The Prydwin Blimp rocked sideways before correcting itself as the massive blast sent shudders through the hull. Leaning into the control tower, the whole crew and Brotherhood was shocked at the bright light and blast rising up from the crater where Fort Strong once was. Everything not bolted or nailed down was suddenly thrown sideways to the floor as the automatic stabilizers fired into action to keep the blimp stable and return to level.

\111/

Libertalia was rolled over in the shockwave and follow-up wave that slammed into Nahant. The rotting seaside pillars and pilons crumbing from inertia as the waves shifted and boats rocked up against each other. The ships collapsed into the sea, dragged under and then swallowed up.

The Robco Factory jolted as its lights blackened as it missed a cycle, then restarted again. The deafening roar was heard far away in Nuka-World.

As the skyline turned back to its normal grey color, the sky growing dark again, Danse went to the beach and fell to his knees.

As seawater filled up the crater left by the bomb Athena placed for the Brotherhood to find, "Son of a BITCH!" Danse said, anger outpouring as he imagined Athena's face again and again. "She can't keep getting away with this!"

"She told me! She told me she was going to do this! She told me that she knew our targets! And I let her do this!"

Danse looked up to Meathead in desparation, "Meathead, please. You track people by emotions. WHERE is ATHENA? We need to put a stop to her; NOW. She's insane! She's going to do more of...of THIS! She's got more planned!" Danse yelled, pointing to the smoke cloud billowing over East Boston.

"<I can't sense her.>"

"How can you not sense where she is?"

"<Mona's hiding her! The Windigo is hiding her and her movements. Mona jacked me out of the loop I share with Nate, and since then I haven't been able to track him, just the people around him. She's hiding Athena as well. I can't sense Athena, I can generally tell which direction Mona is in, but I don't know where she is! I promise you, if I knew where she was, I would tell you...but I don't....but...>"

"But what? Where the hell did she get a bomb like that and all those Glowing ghouls?"

"<Same place where you would hide a bunch of nuclear material in the last place anyone would ever look.>"

"In plain site..." Danse said automatically without thinking, then his head turned South. "In the Glowing Sea."

"<It's already radioactive soup, it's like trying to find a bag of trash in a garbage dump.>"

"So we've got to get down there then...but first...what do we do about showing back up? Surviving? How do we explain this? They'll think we're deserters, or synths, and I'm already a synth! I'm half-dead in their eyes already, but once the Brotherhood finds out it's over! You may of saved our lives, but now we're both doomed to answer questions we can't answer without exposing ourselves. We've got no options left."

"<We always have options, Danse. I can think of half a dozen ways right now, but any of the ones that involve going straight back to the Brotherhood are going to be messy for the both of us if we don't get our stories straight.>"

"And the other options?"

"<You run. Play dead. I don't have much qualms about changing my appearance, but I wont leave you out on the rack to dry. Any story we tell would have to give reason as to why we were so far from ground zero to begin with. Any excuse, any reason they hear is not going to be taken lightly, when a whole squad gets wiped out, and with us as sole survivors...the questioning is going to be more intense the second time around. The unicorns are going to get more technical with scans, x-rays and checkpoints are going to spring up overnight. The longer we stay around the Prydwen and the Brotherhood now a death sentence for the both of us. We've got to come to terms with that, Danse. I'm already ready to not go back, and make a break for it.>

""Well...I have to go back...I haven't gotten anywhere close to being able to access the communications center. She's going to bring down the whole Brotherhood to get to Sola and Firelance, and I can't let...I can't let her destroy the Brotherhood. They're my family who raised and trained me. I get back to the Prydwen, force my way into the comm center if I have to, and put out the message to Sola and Firelance."

"<Danse, you can't do that. One because I wont let you ruin your reputation like that, and two, because the Brotherhood wont let you ruin their reputation like that. This was exactly what Athena was hoping for. The smack in the balls she wanted to welcome the Brotherhood with into Boston. I may not know much about the Brotherhood, but I do know how a bunch of soldiers operate. Calling out now would be seen as defeat, everything Athena already wants and is expecting to happen. Tell me if you think Elder Maxson would say something similar or otherwise...>

"Calling out now...would be seen as a mark against us...You're right. We're playing into her game. Elder Maxson would never admit defeat or call out for reinforcements so early in the game. They've been here less than a day and this...would send things into overdrive. Accelerate the Brotherhood's timeline, rush them, make us sloppy and anxious. Nobody's getting any sleep tonight, that's for sure."

"<And on the first day too. I...can feel the emotions from the Prydwen from here, Danse. They're confused, and angry...calling for anyone, would be seen as crying out for help...This is the biggest blunder she could manufacture and make the Brotherhood fights on their heels the whole way back to where they came from.>"

"But they have to know what happened. What we're dealing with, who are enemies are. Where would we even go?"

"I know, Danse. I know. But I know a guy who may know where she is..." Meathead said, wincing. "Nuka-World. Nate and I are heading to Nuka-World sooner-than-later now. Nate may be square with Mona, but Athena is going to keep us bound to her schedule of fucking over the Brotherhood, using the raiders from Nuka-World, to get to Sola and Firelance."

"Who's the name were you about to say?"

"<A guy named ...uegh...Pickman. Bonafide raider serial-killing murderer. And artist. He goes after raiders.>" Meathead said, shaking his head.

"Why do you keep doing that with your head?"

"<Because he's a real piece of work, and he owes me a favor. He gives off ' he wants to fuck me' vibes or worse. So, yeah. I'm not too keen on tracking the guy down.>"

"Well take one for the team and tell me where he is."

"<No! Hells no. You think Athena's trap was bad? Where do you think she learned to set up booby traps? No. To whatever you're thinking; No. Pickman is a special case that needs to be handled delicately. I'll track him down. Tomorrow. As soon as we get back to the Brotherhood and answer all the questions coming our way, and right after we get the stamp of approval to go out on our own again...okay? IF! That's a mighty big 'IF' they let us out of their sights again. I wouldn't let us out of their sights after what just happened, so...?! Danse. Whatever the Brotherhood uses to ferret out synths, you better be damned sure to expect it coming. The second that happens, expect to make a break for it. I'm getting you out. Understand? Family or not, they will want to fucking hang you from the flight deck of the Prydwen above all of Boston if you decide to stay. You've got to come to terms that that axe is coming down, and it's aimed straight for your neck whether you love the Brotherhood of Steel and want to stay committed to it, or not. Elder Maxson isn't going to be any happier once he hears that you survived, but are also a synth. If anything, they'll expect this whole explosion was a Institute cover to slip synths inside the Brotherhood! Whatever truth you think they want to hear, is not the one you should be rattling off when they ask us questions, Danse. You got me?>"

Danse's teeth were grinding, chattering as the hard accepted truth wore him down.

It only took a glance towards the smoke filled crater wafting everywhere across Boston, "<I'll do it though. Don't worry. I know where he lives. First thing's first though. How are we going to explain how we survived?>"

"Get us back there. They'll be mobilizing a vertibird squad this instant to check out the damage. We need to be close enough, but far enough away to where it's believable we were in it. Can you create fire with your magic?"

Meathead nodded, "Burn the outsides black, smoke them up. We'll need to get them looking like they just got pulled from the fire."

"<What about when someone notices it's not regular fire damage?>"

"We all work on our own suits. You included. It's up to each Brotherhood knight to maintain their own working suit. We'll sort out the rest of the details later. Only Ingram and a few others would be able to tell that the damage isn't from the blast. That's why we'll be hosed down outside at the airport in decontamination chambers before getting anywhere near the Prydwen. Right now, we need to get back there and bury ourselves in the rubble for them to dig us back out." Danse sighed, "Thank you for saving me. How did you know it was going to explode?"

"<I felt the ghoul's emotions coming from inside, so I knew it was a trap, and not just radiation from the mini-nukes.>"

"Any ideas on a story? One that puts us outside the Fort?"

"<Since I'm the rookie, that's easy. They put me on mutant sweep-up, poking my head through all the buildings around the Fort to make sure there weren't any mutants hunkered down somewhere. As for you...I'll put you in the rubble. Tell them you were sent up to radio the Prydwen about the lack of mini-nukes when the message came blaring through that there was a live bomb in the basement. Hold still, I'll take us back. Fort Strong's basement would've been reinforced to block out any radio signals as well.>"

\111/

Setting the stage, burning Danse' suit to a crisp black, damaging all the systems, scorching the backside and bashing the power armor in. Meathead had to crush the sides of the arms, legs, helmet, and damage the eye ports as well. The whole backside was bent and warped, crimping Danse in. It was hard to gauge how far out from the blast zone they had to move, but once there was enough signs of remaining of the brick walls, Meathead swept Danse under and buried him the wall of a house from the faux-town. Under a wall of concrete and rebar, he was impossible to see from above, and it would take a team of at least five people without the use of magic to get him out. "<Do you have an S.O.S. signal on your suit?>"

"Yeah."

"<Wait ten minutes then activate it. Can you move? Can you breathe?>"

"Yeah. I can move just enough. Meathead...can you sense anyone else from the assault team?"

Meathead shook his head, "<No, just us...Here they come. Just stay here. You're completely hidden. I'll be back.>"

\111/

Meathead decided to be as far as he could believe on the base island. Taking steel rebar and gouging scratches across his power armor, He could only find traces of the mutant behemoth coated in dust and rubble, and applied the same dirt and scorched makeup to his armor as well.

Sure enough, a second vertibird was sent out from the Boston Airport, Meathead signaled for them, as he wandered around buildings, throwing over walls, raising his hands to call out for any surviving Brotherhood members.

Danse heard the vertibird coming in to land, activating his SOS transponder, it squealed and chirped.

The signal allowed a team of three to dig him out of the rubble manually as the other three spread out and looked for survivors as well.

"Paladin?" They shouted out,

Danse laid there, eye ports leaving him in total darkness, he couldn't tell who was calling his name until rubble was cleared away. His heart was racing in his chest, the suit felt claustrophobic, having been snugly crushed around him to give the appearance he was impacted in the blast. That his suit was the saving grace as to why he was still alive.

"I'm here!" He shouted, playing the role.

"We got a live one! Over here!"

Above him, dirt and bricks were moved away, the weight pressing down on him getting less and less. "I'm still pinned down!"

"I'm here!"

\111/

Next Chapter: Ch. 98 Prevent Estimated time remaining: 1 Hour, 40 Minutes