[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

[crowspy]

Soooo why are you freaking out?

[bostoncrossing]

I'm--

It was enough trouble getting away from my work just for this meeting. Why waste my time on another when my presence isn't required?

[Carrington crosses his arms over his chest defensively.]

[crowspy]

'Kay, now you're being defensive. And weird. I could poke holes in your argument there, but I dunno if I even need to. It's a pretty obvious excuse, dude. What the hell is wrong?

[bostoncrossing]

[In this situation, Deacon would probably weave and elaborate lie and come out the other side with no secrets revealed.

Carrington isn't like Deacon.]

They don't know that I was with the Enclave and I'd like to keep it that way for now.

[crowspy]

[Bellamy relaxes again.] Okay, see, that's an entirely reasonable thing to want. I mean, if you're gonna be helping us back them, it's only gonna be a matter of time before the jig is up, but. You know you can just. Say shit like that, right?

[bostoncrossing]

Oh do you tell your innermost shame to people you barely know and scarcely see?

[crowspy]

Uh, I meant the whole, "I don't want them to know my past associations" bit, but, sure, bite my head off. It's cool. [Bellamy doesn't sound all that bothered.]

[timesbureaucrat]

We're straying from the topic at hand, rather.

[Although he is terribly curious why Singh is so bothered by this. Singh doesn't comport himself like a person who cares what people think of him.]

So, we're agreed to consider the proposal and make a decision after everyone has met with the Old Worlders. I'll see if I can arrange that meeting the next time I see them.

[crowspy]

[Bellamy settles back and tilts his head to the side in acknowledgment. And, amazingly, doesn't have a comment to add. That about sums it up, alright.]

[timesbureaucrat]

My next concern is a...ah...more personal affair.

Dr. Xavier Zellweger.

[That's Zay's cue.]

[recalcitrare]

[... damn. Zay takes a deep breath, pushes away all outward traces of tentativeness, and strides into the room, back straight, chin up. God, he hates this. He doesn't want this much attention centered on him, especially after not having stood there and listened to them argue this entire time. He comes to stand just behind and to the side of Nathan, resisting the ridiculous urge to try to hide behind him. It wouldn't work, anyway; he's taller.]

[timesbureaucrat]

[Nathan glances behind him to make sure that Zay is there and hasn't fled.]

Dr. Zellweger is a colleague of mine at the Institute and my... [They already know. He can say it. Why is it still so hard to say it to them?]

...partner. [Good enough.]

The risk of the Brotherhood attacking the Institute is unacceptably high and I want to make sure that he would have support on the surface in the event we're forced to evacuate.

[recalcitrare]

[Zay can't quite keep from huffing softly as Nathan stumbles, yet again, to call them by title. Evidently, Nathan has reason to be cautious in introducing him, given that little exchange that happened at the beginning, but they already know, and they don't have issues with it -- assuming they can be believed. He's debating whether or not he should say, we're dating, at the end of Nathan's explanation -- uncertain if the timing is right, if teasing Nathan in this moment would be right -- when the most vocal member of Nathan's group speaks before he can decide.] So this is the chef, [the man (who looks more like a pile of filthy laundry with legs to Zay) quips, his eyes sparkling although he isn't grinning. Zay reflexively scowls at him, but he doesn't seem to notice. At least his tone is serious as he rolls on.] Figured you brought him for an actual reason. [He stretches his legs out in front of him and crosses his ankles casually.] I suppose you're wanting to make a meet-up plan should the shit hit the fan, then? [Some of the tension leaves Zay's shoulders. He was half-expecting to be made fun of more, but the pile of laundry seems to be focused on being more or less professional at the moment. (But not all of his tension. It doesn't guarantee the mockery isn't coming.)]

[falloutpslnpcs]

[Regan scowls.] He's not one of us. Why should we protect him?

[Louis rests a hand on her elbow--although with Regan still in her power armor, she can't feel the touch. It's just an instinctive gesture on Louis' part.]

He might as well be one of us. His genes are good, his organization is a direct continuation of an American institution, and he has close affiliations with the Captain. And it's not just him we're protecting. Whatever plan we come up with will be something we can use if any of us are attacked by the Brotherhood.

[crowspy]

If the Cap'n not only told him about us, but brought him here, I'm pretty sure he's gonna get dragged along with us anyway. And if you wanna leave his back unprotected so he'll get shot, then you can deal with the consequences.

[falloutpslnpcs]

What is the plan if things go FUBAR? Do we evacuate from the Commonwealth?

[John has friends here, a life. But if the Brotherhood takes over, his presence will put those friends at risk.]

[crowspy]

That's what I've been assuming, honestly.

[timesbureaucrat]

If the Brotherhood is victorious, we convene here, or, if this location is compromised, Outpost Zimonja. Then, this time, we travel far enough away that the Brotherhood expansion can't catch up to us again.

[Nathan glances back at Zay.]

[recalcitrare]

[Zay isn't sure why Nathan looks to him. His instinct is to reach to settle a hand at the small of Nathan's back, but he doesn't want to touch him in front of all these people -- doesn't want to touch him with so many people watching them. Last night, when it was just the doctor, that was one thing. But here? Where his presence is being scrutinized? (His jaw is a tighter than normal.) Softly, he says to Nathan,] You'll have to show me where they are on a map, in case we can't relay directly there and we get separated.

[timesbureaucrat]

[Some of the tension unwinds from Nathan when Zay responds only with a practical consideration. He was afraid that even after the agreement they'd made between themselves, Zay would be spooked by this talk of running across the wasteland to lands unknown.]

I will. And I'll go over best routes and how to deal with potential hazards along the way and help you pack an emergency bag. If the worst should happen, I'll make sure you're ready.

[recalcitrare]

[Zay wishes he could kiss him, even something as soft and simple as a kiss to the temple. Instead, he simply nods, his expression quiet but loaded with emotion.]

[falloutpslnpcs]

[Sara grins at them and has to stop herself from saying something about how adorable they are. This is a serious discussion and she will be taken seriously.]

So how do we decide when it's time to give up and run?

[crowspy]

[Zay notices Sara grinning, and he narrows his eyes at her.]

And we need a code to announce over the radio for it.

[timesbureaucrat]

Code: "The stars have fallen."

If the Institute is seized, the Minutemen crushed, or the Railroad obliterated, we'll confer and assess our chances against the Brotherhood with reduced assets. I want to see those Brotherhood bastards destroyed, but I'm no Captain Ahab.

[recalcitrare]

You'd better not be, [Zay mutters.]

Roger, [the laundry man is saying at the same time, with another two-fingered salute.]