[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

[reformedcriminal]

Interesting.

[And disappointing. Eternal youth is off the table. But it does bring up a point that might help Deacon.]

And yet the mission of the Gen 3 synth project is "mankind, redefined." The Institute clearly has no philosophical objection to the general notion of altering how we think of humanity. What fundamental traits of humanity were unacceptably reduced? Were the end results of the tests involving cybernetically altered people less human than the Gen 3 synths?

[redefinitions]

The primary subject of cybernetic experimentation was Kellogg, [is Shaun's only answer, letting the man's nature speak for itself.]

[reformedcriminal]

I see.

[Ferran doesn't need an answer to the synth question. It's enough to have used the moment to perhaps give Shaun something to mull upon later. Gen 3s being more "human" than Kellogg is a low bar, all things considered, but it's a start. And Kellogg, for all his inhumanity, was never considered an object without free will.]

[inhonorof]

The Brotherhood... [Riley starts, but hesitates because he's re-entering the conversation. He feels Zetta uncurling her fingers to gently rub her hand against his back.] The Brotherhood want me to look into Kellogg, and... Dr. Virgil. They -- I found the terminal entry Kellogg wrote, talking about tracking a renegade. They don't know that's Dr. Virgil, and I've already talked them into leaving him alone before this. So... So, we came up with the idea to string them along, keep them distracted, get them to waste some resources. Feed them fake intel to chase and make sure they're motivated enough to keep going after it.

[reformedcriminal]

Don't tell Dr. Lone about it, or else he'll want to lay land mines along their route.

[capcious]

[Zetta snorts.] I don't think that exactly counts as condusive to "encouraging them to keep at it." Dr. Lone has no jurisdiction over surface missions, in any case, [Shaun points out, voice mild save for an undercurrent hinting at his continued displeasure towards Nathan's self-assigned surface expeditions.]

[reformedcriminal]

We may need to send him to the surface again at some point. After he's been sufficiently penalized for unauthorized missions.

He has contacts up there still. People with military training. We might need that. I know the Institute prides itself on its self-sufficiency but the Brotherhood has an army and the coursers, deadly as they are, aren't soldiers.

He refuses to share information about his contacts and considering the type of people they are, I doubt they'd agree to meet with strangers even if we could find them ourselves.

[Introducing the Institute to the last of the Enclave survivors in the area may not be the best thing for the Commonwealth, but might help keep the Institute alive if the Brotherhood finds them.]

[redefinitions]

I disagree. The Enclave was already defeated by the Brotherhood, and that was when they were organized and well-armed. I fail to see how the scattered and weakened remnants would have anything worthwhile to provide us.

[reformedcriminal]

Isn't there useful knowledge to be gained even from failed experiments?

[redefinitions]

Whatever there is to learn from the Enclave's failure has already been learned. More firsthand accounts will not change anything for us.

[reformedcriminal]

[Deacon watches the exchange carefully, already wondering what he's gonna say to Dez if Ferran wins this argument. He thinks swearing might be involved.

Ferran crosses his arms over his chest.]

One thing you perhaps haven't learned from the Enclave's mistake is that it's useful to have allies if you're in a fight.

[redefinitions]

As I stated, what remains of the Enclave are few. Even if I were so inclined, they would hardly be worth the effort to attempt to unify, as the support they would be able to provide would be scant.

[reformedcriminal]

[Ferran throws up his hands and gives up.]

My God, you're Zetta's son all right. [Stubborn.]

I'm merely thinking of the Institute's well being, but the decision is yours.

[redefinitions]

[A note of softness returns from Shaun's voice where it had been gradually, subtly hardening.] I know, and I've no doubt of this. But in this instance, I disagree that it would be advantageous to us to reach out to the survivors of the Enclave.

[reformedcriminal]

In that case, you may want to keep a close eye on Dr. Lone, because despite the disaster of his last romp on the surface, I doubt he's going to be willing to stay in the lab and behave. His hatred for the Brotherhood clouds his judgement.

[And speaking of personal histories complicating the situation....]

Are you sure Dr. Li will remain loyal to the Institute?

[inhonorof]

[Riley pipes up, his voice still defaulting to quiet.] She's not happy with things here. But... She doesn't trust the Brotherhood. She's been told about some of the things they've been doing, and... she's not going back to them.

[ersatzeverything]

Oh hey, someone with morals. Yay.

[Because seriously, being unhappy with the Institute and distrusting of the Brotherhood is the only right call if you care about ethics and stuff.

He wonders for a brief moment if she might be convinced to leave the Institute and join the Railroad. It'd be a long way before they could trust her with anything sensitive, but maybe eventually Carrington could have a grouch buddy.]

[capcious]

[The corner of Zetta's lip twitches in amusement at Deacon's comment.] We should decide what goose chase we're sending the Brotherhood on. [Shaun tilts his head.] Yes, but it isn't necessary to do so now. We can discuss it after you've had some rest. Perhaps before dinner?

[reformedcriminal]

Before dinner, then. It will give these two time to clean up from their mission.

[Ferran inclines his chin at Riley and Deacon.

He's going to need to clean up as well after cuddling up so close to Riley. His clothes are probably a mess.]

[capcious]

[Shaun nods.] Until then, [he says in parting, then sees himself out, closing the door behind him. Riley settles back against Zetta again, and she pulls him closer. That whole thing with Kellogg really explains Riley's mood, how off he's been. Riley reaches one hand out to Ferran, quietly asking for him to come back.]

[reformedcriminal]

[Now that Shaun is gone, Ferran returns to Riley's side, arm around Riley's waist and ankle crossed over Riley's.]

We killed Kellogg. [They never told him that story.]

We were looking for Shaun, and for vengeance, and the trail led us to Fort Hagen. Kellogg was waiting for us.

[inhonorof]

[Riley shivers, despite the warmth against him on each side.] I... [He swallows.] Deacon... tried to warn me. There wasn't... [He hesitates.] Much left? [Zetta finishes for him.] There was enough for the Brotherhood, apparently. Maybe I should've hit him with another plasma grenade after he was dead.

[ersatzeverything]

Uh, removing the courser chip was messy enough, thanks. Scattering bits of him across the room wouldn't have helped.

[capcious]

I suppose it would've made finding the brain implant more difficult and altogether less likely. [Zetta. This isn't the kind of thing to joke about. Zetta.]

[ersatzeverything]

[Wasteland humor. If you can't laugh at the effects of death and destruction, what can you laugh at?]

See?

So, what we should of done was courser chip recovery first and then...wait for it...Flamer.