Chapter Text
Curie watched as Kimber walked ahead of them, she held the .44 in her hand her grip tight given the whiteness of her friends knuckles, the gun was now freshly reloaded and ready, Kimber had abandoned her 10mm shortly after finding Kellogg’s stash of rounds.
“You read people Nick, what’s Blue thinking?” Piper said in a low voice breaking the uncomfortable silence.
“I think she is trying to figure out how to save her nephew” Nick replied “Her anger just destroyed our best hope of finding the Institute” Nick reached into his pocket “He had some Synth tech attached to his brain, but well” Nick showed a device with a piece of brain matter attached but the device itself was broken with a hole in the edge exposing wiring and damaged circuitry, clearly damage from Kimber’s shot.
“Nick!” Piper exclaimed “Why the hell are you carrying that around with you!”
“For a friend who want to know more about the Institute” Nick replied quietly tucking it away in his pocket pulling out an old rusty lighter that had seen better days as Kimber turned at the noise then he spoke louder “It may be rusty Piper but its as old as me, well I think it is, who knows” he gave a light chuckle and Kimber turned back and continued walking, so they followed, he sent a glare at Piper who mouthed a ‘sorry’.
They made camp in the ruins of an old building using bricks from the broken wall to build a barrier around their fire so it was hidden and they could still keep them warm.
“I fucked up” Kimberly said as they finished their meal.
“No Blue” Piper said but the Vault Dweller just shook her head.
“I did, I killed Kellogg and we needed him to find the Institute” she sighed “Thats why Steph went in the army and I became a Lawyer, my anger was useful in a courtroom, its not useful in war, we make too many mistakes” She laughed at their shocked expressions “Before you say anything look at the fucking world around you”
Piper was stunned to silence looking at the detective, Curie too looked to Nick but her fellow Synth was equally as stunned by the reasoning and Curie had to admit such a train of thought was damning in itself, but she knew better.
“The world is broken yes” Curie said “But that was a war no?” Kimberly locked eyes with her but remained silent, Curie felt her heart flutter under the gaze “I am sure many emotions were involved before the bombs dropped, not just anger as you say”
“I guess” Kimber said looking down at the gun in her hand she opened it, the gun fell to the floor with a dull thud since she was sat cross-legged and had her hands resting in her knees, the gun didn’t fall far.
“Nobody will mourn Kellogg” Nick added “You ended the threat his existence posed” Kimberly just nodded and Curie saw her hand shaking.
“I...” Kimber began, and then Curie realised the one fact that mattered, Kimberly had killed wasteland creatures, non-human Synths and Ferals but never a living person. It was Nick, Piper and Curie herself who had handled the raiders and any other aggressors up to that point much to Kimbers initial shock but now, Kellogg was her first kill, Curie stood and moved to sit next to her taking Kimbers shaking hand in her own.
“It is okay, he was a bad person” Curie said simply, Nick seemed to catch on as he whispered something to Piper and she paled as if remembering her first kill.
“That’s the thing now Blue” Piper said sadly, Kimberly looked at her and Piper gave her a weak sad smile “Its kill or be killed”
*****
“Is that a zeppelin?” Kimber said in bewilderment, Piper looked around and saw what she meant and was awestruck.
“People of the Commonwealth, we are the Brotherhood of Steel” a broadcast began and she saw Vertibirds begin flying off in every direction as it continued to speak.
“Deep into that Darkness peering...” Nick began.
“Long I stood there wondering, fearing” Kimber finished, Curie made an excited noise.
“Edgar Allen Poe, the Raven” Curie chirped, Kimber laughed as did Nick.
“Hello!” Piper said unamused “Am, I the only one who can still see the massive flying tank!”
“A flying tank?” Curie said looking at the airship “Looks more like a zeppelin”
“Point stands!” Piper said folding her arms.
“Pipers right, my guess is they are here for the same reason you are” Nick said looking at Kimber “They want the Institute” Nick started walking and the others fell into step behind them “Looks like we found another way in”
*****
As they were walking through Cambridge they neared the Police Station and someone shouted for them to stop, Kimberly had her .44 out in seconds and Nick did the same with his revolver.
“Stay away from the Station or state your business” Nick noticed the dead ghouls piled neatly to the side behind makeshift defences.
“Just passing through” Piper called.
“Likely story” the man called readying his Laser Rifle to fire “Move on”
“Wait” Kimber said looking at the man “You’re with the Brotherhood”
“Move Along” the man replied.
“Please I need your help” Kimber said.
“Move” the soldier replied his rifle now raised and pointing at Kimber, who despite the fear she must be feeling held her ground, Nick felt proud of her.
Nick pulled Piper aside as the Soldier moved his gun to the side and fired a warning shot towards them.
“Be careful you fool” Piper yelled “You almost hit me!”
“That was a warning!”
Kimber pulled the hammer back on her .44 and the Soldiers gaze shifted to her as did the barrel of the laser rifle.
“I’m warning you scavver”
“Stand Down!” came a male voice “Rhys what is the meaning of this?” as the newcomer approached.
“Scavvers Sir” the Soldier replied “Armed and approaching the outpost”
“Everyone’s armed out here you fool” the newcomer replied “You know its remarkable you passed basic training”
“Knight Maxson” came a third voice over heavy footsteps as someone approached in Power Armor “Hold your tongue, Rhys has as much right to be here as you do”
“Yes Sir” the one called Maxson said as he saluted and turned back to the station as the Power Armor turned to face Kimber.
“I am Paladin Danse of the Brotherhood of Steel” he said, it was good that Nick could read lips as a Vertibird flew over head and began lowering itself onto the roof Nick only just managed to catch his hat, Pipers was pinned to her head by her hand, and Kimberly’s coat was billowing madly, as she wore it open.
“Right on time” Danse laughed.
Curie watched as Kimber walked ahead of them, she held the .44 in her hand her grip tight given the whiteness of her friends knuckles, the gun was now freshly reloaded and ready, Kimber had abandoned her 10mm shortly after finding Kellogg’s stash of rounds.
“You read people Nick, what’s Blue thinking?” Piper said in a low voice breaking the uncomfortable silence.
“I think she is trying to figure out how to save her nephew” Nick replied “Her anger just destroyed our best hope of finding the Institute” Nick reached into his pocket “He had some Synth tech attached to his brain, but well” Nick showed a device with a piece of brain matter attached but the device itself was broken with a hole in the edge exposing wiring and damaged circuitry, clearly damage from Kimber’s shot.
“Nick!” Piper exclaimed “Why the hell are you carrying that around with you!”
“For a friend who want to know more about the Institute” Nick replied quietly tucking it away in his pocket pulling out an old rusty lighter that had seen better days as Kimber turned at the noise then he spoke louder “It may be rusty Piper but its as old as me, well I think it is, who knows” he gave a light chuckle and Kimber turned back and continued walking, so they followed, he sent a glare at Piper who mouthed a ‘sorry’.
They made camp in the ruins of an old building using bricks from the broken wall to build a barrier around their fire so it was hidden and they could still keep them warm.
“I fucked up” Kimberly said as they finished their meal.
“No Blue” Piper said but the Vault Dweller just shook her head.
“I did, I killed Kellogg and we needed him to find the Institute” she sighed “Thats why Steph went in the army and I became a Lawyer, my anger was useful in a courtroom, its not useful in war, we make too many mistakes” She laughed at their shocked expressions “Before you say anything look at the fucking world around you”
Piper was stunned to silence looking at the detective, Curie too looked to Nick but her fellow Synth was equally as stunned by the reasoning and Curie had to admit such a train of thought was damning in itself, but she knew better.
“The world is broken yes” Curie said “But that was a war no?” Kimberly locked eyes with her but remained silent, Curie felt her heart flutter under the gaze “I am sure many emotions were involved before the bombs dropped, not just anger as you say”
“I guess” Kimber said looking down at the gun in her hand she opened it, the gun fell to the floor with a dull thud since she was sat cross-legged and had her hands resting in her knees, the gun didn’t fall far.
“Nobody will mourn Kellogg” Nick added “You ended the threat his existence posed” Kimberly just nodded and Curie saw her hand shaking.
“I...” Kimber began, and then Curie realised the one fact that mattered, Kimberly had killed wasteland creatures, non-human Synths and Ferals but never a living person. It was Nick, Piper and Curie herself who had handled the raiders and any other aggressors up to that point much to Kimbers initial shock but now, Kellogg was her first kill, Curie stood and moved to sit next to her taking Kimbers shaking hand in her own.
“It is okay, he was a bad person” Curie said simply, Nick seemed to catch on as he whispered something to Piper and she paled as if remembering her first kill.
“That’s the thing now Blue” Piper said sadly, Kimberly looked at her and Piper gave her a weak sad smile “Its kill or be killed”
*****
“Is that a zeppelin?” Kimber said in bewilderment, Piper looked around and saw what she meant and was awestruck.
“People of the Commonwealth, we are the Brotherhood of Steel” a broadcast began and she saw Vertibirds begin flying off in every direction as it continued to speak.
“Deep into that Darkness peering...” Nick began.
“Long I stood there wondering, fearing” Kimber finished, Curie made an excited noise.
“Edgar Allen Poe, the Raven” Curie chirped, Kimber laughed as did Nick.
“Hello!” Piper said unamused “Am, I the only one who can still see the massive flying tank!”
“A flying tank?” Curie said looking at the airship “Looks more like a zeppelin”
“Point stands!” Piper said folding her arms.
“Pipers right, my guess is they are here for the same reason you are” Nick said looking at Kimber “They want the Institute” Nick started walking and the others fell into step behind them “Looks like we found another way in”
*****
As they were walking through Cambridge they neared the Police Station and someone shouted for them to stop, Kimberly had her .44 out in seconds and Nick did the same with his revolver.
“Stay away from the Station or state your business” Nick noticed the dead ghouls piled neatly to the side behind makeshift defences.
“Just passing through” Piper called.
“Likely story” the man called readying his Laser Rifle to fire “Move on”
“Wait” Kimber said looking at the man “You’re with the Brotherhood”
“Move Along” the man replied.
“Please I need your help” Kimber said.
“Move” the soldier replied his rifle now raised and pointing at Kimber, who despite the fear she must be feeling held her ground, Nick felt proud of her.
Nick pulled Piper aside as the Soldier moved his gun to the side and fired a warning shot towards them.
“Be careful you fool” Piper yelled “You almost hit me!”
“That was a warning!”
Kimber pulled the hammer back on her .44 and the Soldiers gaze shifted to her as did the barrel of the laser rifle.
“I’m warning you scavver”
“Stand Down!” came a male voice “Rhys what is the meaning of this?” as the newcomer approached.
“Scavvers Sir” the Soldier replied “Armed and approaching the outpost”
“Everyone’s armed out here you fool” the newcomer replied “You know its remarkable you passed basic training”
“Knight Maxson” came a third voice over heavy footsteps as someone approached in Power Armor “Hold your tongue, Rhys has as much right to be here as you do”
“Yes Sir” the one called Maxson said as he saluted and turned back to the station as the Power Armor turned to face Kimber.
“I am Paladin Danse of the Brotherhood of Steel” he said, it was good that Nick could read lips as a Vertibird flew over head and began lowering itself onto the roof Nick only just managed to catch his hat, Pipers was pinned to her head by her hand, and Kimberly’s coat was billowing madly, as she wore it open.
“Right on time” Danse laughed.