[closed] the only constant is change

[capcious]

Who: the Fallout AU crew
Setting: the Commonwealth
Summary: BoS things, institute things
Warnings: Fallout warnings, smut
Other: [original notes] [first post] [second post] [third post] [fourth post] [fifth post] [sixth post] [seventh post] [eighth post]

- minor timeskip to when the BoS has its feet under it again, shaun asks riley to go up and keep an eye on them and deacon goes with
- they get assigned to a BoS squad composed of AU versions of chancellery guards (paladin archimedes o'hallan, knight-captain anthony norris, lancer-sargeant alex reyes, knight riley reynolds, knight everett wynter, knight henry "hal" saller, aspirant 'jack' "deacon" 'priest')
- maybe some minor quests involving getting to know them, gotta get some solid Bonding going
- sarrith (sarah, secret enclave remnant) and sal's romeo and juliet romance
- that one quest where you get the nukes from the glowing sea for the BoS
- wynter's mistake and gradual ghoulification and the position it puts the squad in
- blind betrayal

- shaun announces ferran officially as his successor
- ferran dealing with the short institute quests that result from that
- shaun discovering ferran's a slut and trying to talk to him about it
- zetta freaking out bc they're spending all this time waiting for her to recover and dealing with the BoS, and not having the time to try to figure out a way to save shaun
- zetta, in general, driving shaun slowly up the wall because she's cooped up and needs to be kept occupied or else Bad Things Start Happening, why is this shaun's life, this was not what he was expecting at all
- ferran going on missions with x6-88 / house divided, warwick
- nathan and zay's one night stand with ferran becoming not a one night stand any more
- at some point we need to have nathan call deacon a mongrel to his face so zetta can go positively nuclear
- zay finding out nathan is taking buffout

- build towards the railroad and institute being on better terms (not *stable*, but they need to be in a position where they're willing to make an alliance at the battle for bunker hill and afterwards to take the BoS down)
- probably need to do a meeting with dez and carrington, bc jfc (and ferran being the next director makes it easier to make negotiations on the institute's behalf though shaun probably doesnt fully trust him with that wrt the railroad yet, shaun needs to see ferran make decisions that benefit the institute OVER the railroad for that)

- mass fusion happens before battle for bunker hill, lighting a fire under the brotherhood's ass (still use it as the faction cut-off point?)
- at the battle, brotherhood wins -- keeping them a legitimate threat and serving as the push for the institute and railroad to work together against them

[image] [lyrics]

well, oh, it seems you're a lot like me
you dug yourself into places you never thought you would be
but don't you fret, and don't you mind
the only constant is change,
and you never know what you'll find

yeah, tomorrow i might wake up nice and clean
and i might believe the things i said i didn't mean
and this might turn and wind up just the way we'd dreamed
and i might become the things i swore i'd always be

Comments

[gallifreynpcs]

He's just pissy because he had to go a whole week without flying.

[Hal adds.]

If Elder Maxson says you're good, you're good.

[inhonorof]

[... well, that punctures it a little.] That's still... ["A bit much for just not being able to fly," Riley almost says, but decides against it. And Maxson isn't exactly a measuring stick he wants to use to judge people by. He decides to go on a different track.] I'm just glad I was able to get you out of there. [He kisses Deacon's temple again.]

[ersatzeverything]

Me too. I wasn't looking forward to Institute hospitality.

[Where Riley sees the reference to Maxson discouraging, Deacon sees it as an opportunity to pry.]

So, tell us about Elder Maxson? Like, we've met him, of course, but how'd he get to be Elder? Being...uh...not very elderly.

[O'Hallan speaks up first.]

He was appointed Elder after Elder Owen Lyons and then his successor Elder Sarah Lyons died. The title is an honorific acknowledging the person's wisdom and stature, not literal age.

[inhonorof]

[... this... makes Riley realize something. He doesn't know what Maxson's age actually is.] How old is he?

[gallifreynpcs]

Twenty. But he was sixteen when he was appointed Elder. [There's a hint of envy in Everett's voice.]

[inhonorof]

Sixteen? [Riley can't help but think of himself and Zetta at that age. Sixteen. Sixteen years old and appointed to lead an army.] Why? I mean... How does a sixteen-year-old get appointed to Elder?

[gallifreynpcs]

Not easily. Elder Maxson was the younger person ever to be made an Elder of the Brotherhood. But after Lyons and his daughter died, Brotherhood leadership was in chaos. We were weakened after our war with the Enclave, a schism was tearing the Brotherhood apart, and the super mutants in the Capitol had acquired a leader that was starting to successfully pull them together into an army.

Arthur Maxson is a very skilled warrior, and the Maxson line has special significance to the Brotherhood. Elder Maxson is the direct descendant of Roger Maxson, who was the founder of our order.

[Anthony takes a more jaundiced view, unlike Hal's hero-worship.]

[inhonorof]

[There's a sinking feeling in Riley's gut as he realizes that Maxson probably didn't have much choice in it. He was a symbol from the day he was born. Is this something he actually wanted? Or did he feel like he couldn't let everyone down, that he had a duty, despite how young he was? And now Riley can't help but think about Shaun, too. What was his childhood like? He was captured as part of a science experiment. He loves the Institute, believes strongly in them, in what they can do. He seems happy with his job; Riley is pretty sure it's something he wanted. The Institute gave Shaun a freedom that Maxson didn't. "A very skilled warrior," Anthony says, but all Riley wants to reply is, "he was just a kid."] That's a lot of weight to carry, [he says quietly.]

[gallifreynpcs]

[O'Hallan breaks in.]

Elder Maxson bears the weight of authority with dignity and pride. If it weren't for his leadership we'd still be in the Capitol quarreling with our Outcast brothers.

[inhonorof]

Outcasts? [Riley wonders if he's going to be looked down on for not knowing anything about Brotherhood history, but... well. He has a pretty good excuse, even if the lie about being found in a cryopod in an Enclave vault isn't true.]

[gallifreynpcs]

[It's Hal who answers.]

Over a decade ago there was a schism. Elder Lyons thought that the Brotherhood should work with the local people of the Capitol, help them. The Outcasts thought that this was a violation of the codex and refused to obey. Then it got messy. Outcasts and non-Outcasts were killing each other over it.

My dad was killed in one of the skirmishes.

So Elder Maxson ending that civil war...it was a big deal.

[inhonorof]

[Riley's expression starts out incredulous, but now it's just heartbroken for him. There was a war about whether or not it was okay to... help people... With his free hand, he rubs his forehead.] I guess I'm too new to all this. But I don't know why... [He shakes his head. He probably shouldn't say this. There are circumstances where he can understand being reluctant to help people. And he shouldn't ask, since Hal's father lost his life for it.] I'm glad it's over.

[gallifreynpcs]

[Anthony reads between the lines enough to see at least the general shape of the unasked question.]

The codex contains the laws of the Brotherhood. Before Elder Lyons, Elders interpreted the laws to state that the Brotherhood's mission was to gather technology to keep it from those who might use it unwisely. And that was the only mission. Helping those outside the Brotherhood would be an unacceptable distraction. Elder Lyons disagreed with that interpretation of the codex, but the Outcasts were determined to keep to the old ways.

[inhonorof]

[Riley loses some of his tension. He can understand this now. People never like change, especially when it leads away from a feeling of superiority, of power, of safety. ... but. That information leads to an important question.] What interpretation does Elder Maxson take? He talks about helping the Commonwealth, but... [... he probably can't finish that sentence, either. But he thinks it's vague enough that it could be interpreted in more than one way.]

[gallifreynpcs]

Elder Maxson believes in Elder Lyon's interpretation. [Hal says.] One-hundred percent. He was practically raised by Elder Lyons and his daughter.

But he thinks that we shouldn't completely abandon the old ways. The Brotherhood shouldn't ignore the outside world, but we've got to acknowledge that technology in the wrong hands is dangerous and that an important part of helping the outside world is to keep them from using that technology to hurt each other. Raiders are bad enough without them having power armor and plasma rifles.

[inhonorof]

[Now isn't the time or place to try and question the codex. They need them to trust him. He can raise more questions later, if they seem trustworthy enough. He thinks Anthony might be. He's not sure about the others yet.] You can say that again. [Riley squeezes Deacon's hand, wanting to check up on him.]

[gallifreynpcs]

[Everett speaks next.]

That's where we come in. The people of the Commonwealth would never be able to fight and defeat the Institute by themselves. Add to that escaped Enclave officers getting cozy with the local psychopaths and loaning out their power armor. The people of the Commonwealth don't have the technology to win against enemies like that. The codex says we can't give tech to them, but we can help them by defeating their enemies for them.

[inhonorof]

[... wait, what? Riley's brow furrows.] Enclave people are working with raiders? Seriously? [Riley hesitates, but decides this question is worth asking. He'll just have to tread carefully.] What about afterward, though? After -- the Commonwealth is safe. [He can't say "after the Institute is gone." The thought of it makes him feel sick, which... makes him feel guilty. But if the Institute is gone, then... Shaun... Riley takes a deep breath to bolster himself, to make sure he can keep going.] If the plan is to come in, help them, and then leave... Then that'd be -- without helping them set up infrastructure or giving them the tools to defend themselves against such big threats in the future.

[gallifreynpcs]

Who said anything about leaving? [O'Hallan speaks.] Elder Maxson intends to establish a permanent Brotherhood presence here.

[inhonorof]

[Riley's hand tightens on Deacon's again, this time not out of comfort. If there's anyone who is supposed to try to negotiate with the Brotherhood on the behalf of the people of the Commonwealth, it's him. Riley is the General of the Minutemen. And the way Maxson treats him is suddenly political -- or, he realizes, has been political this whole time. How could he have been so stupid? Why is it this that reminds him that he has a duty? One that he's been neglecting because he's been wrapped up in everything happening at the Institute -- which is important, but... Riley isn't aware of the way he just paled, or the expression on his face like he might be ill.]

[gallifreynpcs]

And once the Brotherhood of Steel is secure and growing in both the Capitol and the Commonwealth, we'll be ready to take on the last bastion of the Enclave in Chicago.

[Wynter concludes while Deacon holds onto Riley's hand, stiff and tight-lipped.]

[inhonorof]

[Riley wants to press his nose against the side of Deacon's head and close his eyes, but he can't. Even if he didn't have appearances to keep, there's something else here he didn't know. He rubs his thumb over Deacon's knuckles like worrystones.] There's more Enclave? I didn't think there were survivors. [He wonders if Nathan knows.]

[gallifreynpcs]

We've found some old recordings and intercepted eyebot transmissions that the scribes say could indicate an Enclave presence in Chicago. It might just be that somebody left the radio on. Or it might be a small outpost that was abandoned by the main forces.

...Or it might be an army.

[Anthony's expression is grim. The Brotherhood's military capabilities have expanded by leaps and bounds over the last decade, incorporating Enclave gear into their own, like the vertibirds, reconstructing massive war vessels like the Prydwen and Liberty Prime. If there's another war between the Brotherhood and the Enclave, it may look a lot like a pre-War kind of war. And everyone knows where that ended.]

[inhonorof]

[So it still won't be safe for Nathan to try to make it out there. What would the travel even be like on foot? He can't imagine. ... that... that may be the best place to try to turn the conversation.] I wonder what Chicago is like, now.

[gallifreynpcs]

The Brotherhood tried to send scouts out that way a while back. We never heard back from them. [Anthony says soberly. O'Hallan adds:]

If the Enclave has an army out there, that would explain why.