[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

[coursers]

[During the mission at Libertalia, X6-88 observed both of the Reynolds (as well as their companion who turned out to be the Railroad agent Father allowed into the Institute), but Father's Mother ended up taking up the majority of his focus. She was loud, she was always the first to push back against him... She was the biggest concern. Mr. Reynolds, on the other hand, seems to be quite the opposite. Composed, tactful, quieter. And not so adamant about Railroad delusions, as far as X6 can tell. He can understand why Father chose him over Mrs. Reynolds as his successor.

How he handles this situation should be telling, as well.

So far, he's handling it carefully, but directly stating his intentions. Relief shows in Dr. Newton's features.] Thank you. [He moves to the terminal near the entrance to Bioscience and starts working on unlocking the maintenance tunnel.] Here we are. Just give me a moment... There, it's unlocked.

[He turns to face Mr. Reynolds again.] Remember, they control the defense systems. Be careful. [He hesitates.] For what it's worth, I have every confidence in you. Higgs and Loken do not speak for all of us.

[reformedcriminal]

I appreciate the support, Dr. Newton. I hope Drs. Higgs and Loken come around, for everyone's sake.

[It's surreal, playing this part. Not pretending to be a respectable person of authority--that's a comfortable enough mask--but in the Old World any time he'd slipped into a position of power and respect within an organization it was for the sake of being able to better betray those who were insufficiently loyal to the government. What's unnerving is that for all that he feels that he's playing a part, this is real.]

What sort of defenses should I be prepared for?

[coursers]

[X6-88 is the one to answer.] There are turrets positioned within each department, sir.

[reformedcriminal]

Lovely. I don't suppose there's any way we can disengage them from outside?

[It's that or try to destroy them before they can get a lock. Otherwise just one turret could make him extremely dead very quickly.]

[coursers]

Play that holotape on any terminal in there -- you should be able to find some in the maintenance tunnels -- and there'll be a command to shut them down.

[reformedcriminal]

[Ferran nods once in acknowledgement.]

Let's get this over with.

X6, stay close. I may need backup if this doesn't go well.

[First things first, access the tunnels.]

[coursers]

Yes, sir.

[The entry hall ends in a closed door, due to the lockdown. But along the right wall is another door, one that's open -- the maintenance tunnel.

True to his word, X6-88 folows close behind Ferran.]

[reformedcriminal]

[Ferran draws Kellogg's .44 pistol and checks the clip. If things go well he won't need to use it, but it always pays to be prepared.

He enters the maintenance tunnel, keeping himself up against the wall and moving carefully, looking for turrets or other security. If he gets more goddamn scars because of two recalcitrant scientists, he's going to be pissed.]

[coursers]

[The maintenance tunnel is quiet and empty. Though it's cluttered with miscellaneous supplies, it's easy to navigate the curving hallway.

At the end is a closed door, but it opens easily on command. In the next room, a pair of armored gen 2s snap their Institute rifles up.]

By order of the Institute, you must be destroyed, [one of them intones.

X6-88 calmly shoots it in the chest, sending it careening back.]

[reformedcriminal]

[Ferran ducks out of the way of the open door, pistol raised and ready as he shouts into the room.]

I am Director Reynolds, head of the Institute. I order you to stand down.

[coursers]

[The synth still on its feet continues firing. X6-88 drops the first and redirects his fire on the second.

No, you're not, X6 thinks wryly, knowing exactly why that didn't work.]

[reformedcriminal]

[Well, it was worth a try. He would have hoped that the Gen 2 synths would obey him at least, even if some of the scientists are reluctant.

He leans around the door frame and fires two shots at the synth's chest.]

[coursers]

[The final synth collapses in a heap. X6-88 returns to the ready position, waiting for Ferran to take the lead.]

[reformedcriminal]

It seems that no one is keen to recognize my authority.

[Ferran moves forward cautiously, but Gen 2s are not stealthy. If there were another one in the room, they would have heard it.

But there's still the turrets that he was warned about. He doesn't know where they are.]

[coursers]

You aren't Director yet, sir, [X6 explains mildly.

He waits for Ferran to get further into the room before he begins to follow, matching his slow pace. He makes a quick survey -- quick for a human, at any rate.] Clear, [he announces.]

[reformedcriminal]

Would that have made a difference? Surely shooting at the Director's appointed successor isn't a terribly helpful security response any more than shooting at the Director would be.

[When X6 gives the all clear, Ferran rushes to the door on the other side of the room and stands with his back up against the wall, ready to open the next door as soon as X6 is in position.

Despite, or maybe because of the danger, there's a slight smile on his face.]

[coursers]

[X6-88 chooses not to answer that, as he assumes any response he could have would be less than satisfactory.

Instead, he simply follows the Director's successor to the door, taking up the wall on the opposite side, and waits for him to open it when he's ready.]

[reformedcriminal]

[Ferran reaches over and triggers the door to open. Then waits. Listens. There's no sign of Gen 2s so he steps carefully into the doorway and scans the hall.

Then he hears the soft click-whir of a turret locking onto a target.

Ferran ducks back behind the wall just as laser blasts fire on the place he was just standing, burning scorch marks into the floor.]

Bleedin' hell!

[His heart's racing. God, what a rush. Ferran starts to laugh.]

X6, you fire first. The heat from your lasers might help weaken the shield casing. Then I'll follow up with my pistol.

[coursers]

[X6-88 doesn't understand what is amusing about this situation, but he isn't going to ask. (Not that he wouldn't understand the thrill of danger, but this isn't an expression of it that he does understand.) He just follows his orders and leans around the doorframe to open fire on the turret.]

[reformedcriminal]

[Ferran waits a few seconds for the laser blasts to bombard the turret, then adds three loud shots of the .44.]

[coursers]

[There's a small explosion as the turret bursts apart, shooting metal scraps of shrapnel everywhere. Not a problem for them, since they aren't in the hallway.]

[reformedcriminal]

[Only one bullet left in the chamber. Ferran reloads now while its safe and he can take the time to make sure he doesn't drop one.]

Thank you, X6.

[He steps into the hallway and makes his way towards the observation chamber.]

It's a pity there isn't a central location from outside Biosciences where we could power these down. Do all the divisions operate on independent systems?

[coursers]

[X6-88 follows, Institute-issued laser rifle held ready.]

I do not know, sir, [he answers readily. Coursers are not taught precisely how the Institute is powered, especially not things like the turret systems.]

[reformedcriminal]

I suppose it might be for the best if--

[Click-whirrrr.

Ferran jumps back, knocking into X6's arm, just as another turret begins to fire.]

[coursers]

[X6 grabs a fistful of the back of Ferran's shirts near his collar and physically hauls him back into the other room, actually near-picking him up in the process and twisting to keep himself between Ferran and the turret's line of fire.]