[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]

[Ferran holds out the holotape to Dr. Oberly.]

I'm glad it was resolved with minimal violence. Speaking of which, there are a few wrecked synths and two destroyed turrets in the maintenance tunnel.

[Ferran receives the box and inclines his chin in gracious acknowledgement of the gift. He'll open the box later. It would be unmannerly to open it now.]

Thank you, Dr. Oberly.

[coursers]

[The doctor takes the holotape. X6-88 watches him walk away, and waits to speak until after he's out of earshot.]

Good decision. Those men could still have a lot to contribute, they just need to learn their lesson.

[reformedcriminal]

[The edge of Ferran's lips curls in a tiny smile.]

I'm glad you approve.

[Oh look, X6 is having personal opinions and openly voicing them. Ferran wonders if X6 realizes it or if it just slipped out.]

Alienating their friends and silent supporters with an unnecessarily harsh punishment would be bad politics. Hopefully, I've earned a touch of respect, or at least a reputation for fairness.

[He raises his eyebrows slightly in question.]

What do you think of Shaun's choice of successor?

[coursers]

[And just like that, the glimmer of opinion is gone.]

That's a difficult assessment to make at this point, sir.

[reformedcriminal]

Fair enough.

Then I'll ask instead what the predominant feeling is among the scientists. As a courser, you're trained to be observant. I'm sure you notice trends as they arise.

At the moment, do you think they'll accept me when the time comes?

[coursers]

The scientists are uneasy. I have overheard several express Dr. Higgs' concern that Father is making decisions without consulting them. That he is being blinded by sentimentality, despite it not being in Father's nature. [Opinion slipped back out again.] They are equally concerned how you are not a scientist, and thus see you as unlikely to understand their work.

[reformedcriminal]

I see. I'll need to find ways to earn their confidence.

[He's good at that. He did it for a living back before the War. But he knows the tricks for gaining short-term trust. Find out what the person wants to hear and then say it. And when you plan to betray them later, it doesn't matter if it's bullshit. But this is different.

Still, he's had one victory today and that's enough to justify celebrating.]

Well, now that the crisis is over, I'm sure you don't find it interesting to follow me around. You can return to other duties if you wish.

[coursers]

[X6-88 pauses for a moment, uncertain if that phrasing comes from Ferran being more used to talking to humans than synths, or if it's a trap. In the end, he decides to take it as a hint that he wants to be alone -- or, at the very least, without a courser tail.

So he inclines his head.] Sir, [he says in parting, and turns to leave.]

[reformedcriminal]

[Once Ferran is alone, he looks in the box that Dr. Oberly presented him with.

...

Five Med-X, five Mentats.

...Well now, that's a reward that he can appreciate.

And ten minutes later, in his empty quarters, he's appreciating one of the Med-Xs very much indeed. This is far better quality that what he's found in the wasteland. Probably made in-house and not 200 years past the expiration date.

Ten minutes after that, under the influence of Med-X but hiding it well, he gives Dr. Li a particularly welcoming smile as they pass in the corridor.

And two minutes after that, they're in a supply closet with one of her hands down his trousers and the other with fingers curled digging into his arse. Her lab coat is open at the throat and Ferran is kisses and sucking along her collarbone.]

[redefinitions]

[On occasion, Shaun has to go and resupply the chemicals he uses in his dark room. He has some photographs he needs to develop, but finds his personal supply low, and he isn't so busy or ill at the moment that he needs to send a synth to do it, so he takes the trip down to pick it up himself.

Which... turns out to be an unfortunate decision.

The door whisks open and the main thing Shaun sees and processes fast enough is the look on Ferran's face, then the presence of a woman who is decidedly not his mother.]

Oh, [he says mildly in his surprise.]

[reformedcriminal]

[Oh fuck.

Don't look high. Don't look high.]

...Shaun. I, ah, wasn't expecting to see you here.

[Said like they've bumped into each other in the cafeteria and there's nothing at all strange about any of this.

Meanwhile Dr. Li pulls her lab coat back into place.]

[redefinitions]

Clearly. [Shaun's eyes flick to Dr. Li, but honestly, she is far from his concern at this moment.]

I believe we need to talk. Come to my quarters shortly.

[reformedcriminal]

Yes, Father.

[Shit, he shouldn't have called Shaun "Father" even if everyone else does. That's...awkward. Shit.

Ferran wonders if he can will himself sober within the next fifteen minutes.]

[redefinitions]

[.................. yeah he's just going to leave now.

And try to spend the time scrubbing his brain.]

[reformedcriminal]

[Dr. Li leaves shortly after Shaun does, tucking her hair back into place and not saying a word to Ferran. She fully intends to pretend that nothing happened and Ferran had better go along with it if he knows what's good for him.

Ferran straightens out his clothing and tries to pull his mind together well enough to talk to Shaun without screwing things up further. Ten minutes after he'd been caught in flagrante delicto, he makes his way to Shaun's rooms.]

[redefinitions]

[When Ferran arrives, the shutter to the balcony is closed. Shaun is seated at a small table, on which there are two glasses of water, one set before Shaun and the other in front of the empty chair opposite him.

When the door opens, Shaun looks over. He nods slightly and says in greeting,] Father. Please, have a seat.

[reformedcriminal]

Of course, Shaun.

[Thank God he remembered to not call him "Father" this time. Ferran carefully sits and reaches for the water. Maybe if he drinks enough he can flush the Med-X out of his system faster.]

So, what did you want to talk about? I did a fairly good job with Higgs and Loken if I do say so myself.

[He'll go with optimism and act like this might not, in fact, be about him trying to get off in the closet with one of the chief scientists.]

[redefinitions]

Yes, you handled the situation well. [X6-88's report was favorable. Interesting, but favorable. But Shaun knows better than to admit -- more likely, confirm -- that the courser is actively watching him.]

But that is not what I called you here for. [This isn't a conversation he ever expected to have. He isn't quite sure how to approach this. He takes a deep breath.] I have no doubt I do not need to impress upon you the importance of the role of Director. This means I find myself... [an artful pause] surprised by what I just witnessed.

[reformedcriminal]

At least it wasn't Zellweger and Lone with me in the closet. It would have been crowded.

[Fuck, he shouldn't have said that. It's like Med-X turns his filter into a funnel.]

Sorry. I mean to say that I understand the gravity of the post of Director. And that is, ah, likely not the best way to establish a rapport with the scientists.

[He looks over those words after he says them. Yes, those words sound nice. Although maybe he should have tried to sound more contrite.]

[redefinitions]

[Ferran isn't entirely being his typically composed self. Shaun's eyebrows twitch.]

Surely that wasn't your intention. [Please, tell him it wasn't.]

[reformedcriminal]

No. [Ferran laughs, but it's a little too sharp and explosive. Not like him at all.] No, of course not. If that was my intended method for winning everyone over, I'd be exhausted by the end of the month. Even I have my limits.

No, it wasn't really...intentional at all.

[redefinitions]

Do explain.

[Shaun is fairly certain he doesn't entirely want to know the answer to this, but it's important. Especially so since he didn't know whatever problems exist here were problems before he made his decision.]

[reformedcriminal]

I was there. She wanted it.

[Ferran isn't sure how else to explain it. Especially with his head floating on Med-X.]

I...my intention was to stop sleeping with people who will soon be subordinates. But I...I slipped.

[redefinitions]

[Good. Shaun allows himself to lean back in his chair. He still doesn't understand the likewise slip in Ferran's usual eloquence, but at least this was an accident, one he doesn't plan on repeating. This shouldn't be a continued issue.

... for the Institute.]

But only those soon to be subordinates. [It's not-quite-a-question.]

[reformedcriminal]

Well...it doesn't include Zetta or Riley, of course. Or Deacon. [Or other people not included, but he has just enough sense to stop there.]