Fallout 4: AR

57. Lessons in Ethics

"Meet with the Brotherhood." It's never just that easy, I thought sourly as I squirmed in my handcuffs, waiting to be released from Knight-Captain Cade's purview.

No sooner had we come into view of the gate guard than we had been halted at gunpoint, questioned, told to wait, questioned again, threatened (at which MacCready had nearly punched the Knight, power armor or no, until I snapped at him to stand down), questioned yet again, and then, finally, we were allowed to meet with Paladin Danse. Our arrival was cutting it quite fine, as Danse had been preparing to depart back to Cambridge. However, as soon as word reached him of who was at the front gate, he abruptly ordered the vertibird to land at the airport instead.

MacCready was welcomed with a cordial greeting, but when his back was turned, another Brotherhood Knight secured me in a set of handcuffs. Danse apologized for the precaution, assuring me that as soon as my identity was confirmed, I would be released. I met my partner's gaze with a significant one of my own before reluctantly agreeing to the temporary (I hoped) constraint. MacCready nodded sharply to Danse, an unhappy frown on his face, and came to stand next to me. In this slightly humiliating manner, we made our way to the waiting vertibird and aboard the Prydwen.

Despite our protests, Danse led MacCready to the meeting room at the bow of the Prydwen while I was taken to the medical bay and Knight Captain Cade's examinations. Cade was almost apologetic in his ministrations, especially after I sharply pointed out the buried cathodes. "It's a formality we need to observe, Sarge," he disclosed quietly, "this examination. If you had disappeared for several days, then this examination would be more of a necessity. But I'm pretty much convinced you are who you say you are." When I demonstrated the fact that my Pip-Boy couldn't be removed unless I allowed it, he nodded thoughtfully, typing into his terminal. "Good to know. Your Pip-Boy also isn't from this world, so there's that too. The materials scan completely differently."

Once he had finished typing up his report, he came over to the examination table. "I'm going to send this along to Elder Maxson. Once I receive an update on your status, I'll release you from my, ah, care. In the meantime is there anything, other than unlocking those handcuffs, I can get for you? Water, perhaps?"

Still somewhat nettled at the institutional lack of trust, I nevertheless had tried to keep my voice pleasant. "Water would be very nice, thank you." I kicked my legs a little, the blisters on my feet burning unpleasantly. "I don't suppose you have a pair of slippers, would you? Wet leather and miles of walking don't make for happy feet."

"No, they wouldn't, would they? Let me see what I can do for you. Here's some water to get you started."

It's never easy.

-0-

When Danse arrived to escort me to Maxson, I took the opportunity to ask him, privately, about the aftermath at Bunker Hill. More specifically, I confronted him about his insistence that I was as good as dead. "I don't appreciate the lack of trust, Danse. I know I'm not exactly Wasteland material, but I'm not helpless." Just a coward. "Not to mention tearing my bodyguard up inside. He was already upset that I had been kidnapped while under his protection."

Danse raised his eyebrows at my reproach. "It wasn't doubting your abilities," he explained in a stilted tone. "It was more the necessity to present the worst-case scenario to your partner so he would be prepared. Since you did come back, he should have been pleasantly surprised."

"He was surprised, all right." I muttered sourly. "You realize, I hope, that he nearly killed me thinking I was a Synth?"

Danse stopped dead in his tracks, a shocked look on his suddenly blanched face. "I... I didn't know he would have reacted so strongly. I'm sorry."