The Knight and the Paladin - A series of Oneshots

32 About the Railroad's greatest operation

I am standing here in the middle of the Prydwen's still glimmering skeleton. Searching, fearing. Until now I found four corpses, one belonging to Proctor Ingram. I collect their holotags as a reminder of what I had done. It's all I find, not Maxson, not Danse, nothing. Only those four and ash, lots and lots of ash... I feel so sorry for what I have done, and my heart breaks into pieces, shatters like a mirror hit with a fist. I am bleeding, crying, screaming.

The Railroad will pay for this.

They stole my life, my love, my everything. They made me do it, told me there was no other choice. I will give them no other choice than die at my feet, done by my hands. They made me do it...

***

Kate woke up screaming. Her heart was racing and she had trouble with her breathing.
"Easy...", a soothing voice said, drawing circles on Kate's back, slender fingers gently stroke her hair. Concerned ocean blue eyes search hers. Panic is taking up the whole space in her chest and she wants to scream it out. "Everything's fine. Take deep and slow breaths." All Kate was seeing were the blurred pictures of her nightmare, mixed with the color of her sister's hair. She let herself get cradled in Kathryn's arms while she kept crying. "Danse, please get Kate a can of water." He didn't give an answer but nodded and hurried away and came back a few seconds later holding out the can for Kate to take. She took it with a shaking hand, unable to keep it's contents inside long enough and spilled a bit of water on her bed sheets.

Dogmeat also was around, whining and making himself as small as possible. He wanted to comfort the human, but he couldn't get to her, so he kept laying low on the ground. His time would come soon enough and then he'd lick her face and she would smile again.

Slowly, just slowly Kate found back to a steady breathing, her heartbeat slowed down and she was able to speak again without stuttering at every word. Kathryn still held her and it felt so comforting. It was something both had missed very much. They sure as hell had some catching up to do.

"Do you want to tell me what you saw?", Kathryn asked her sister.
"I- I don't know...", she answered. She knew she had to speak about it if she ever wanted those nightmares to stop. Kate sighed.
"You don't have to if you feel uncomfortable."
"No! No... I need to do this."

She took a long drink of her water and a deep breath afterwards.

"I told you about the plans from the Railroad, you remember?"
"Yes, I do.", Kathryn said nodding.
"Well, it's about the Brotherhood. The operation is called Rocket's Red Glare, means that the Prydwen will get destroyed. And I know how..."
"WHAT?!", both Danse and Kathryn said in unison.

Kate looked like she got slapped. She felt guilty for keeping this so long and a well kept secret. New tears filled her eyes. Before Kathryn or Danse could say a word Kate described her dream. Even her sister was crying now and Danse looked very uncomfortable, sitting on the couch with his head in his hands. "We have to tell Arthur.", he then said quietly. Kathryn nodded but Kate hesitated. Danse saw that and tried to reason with her. "Kate, look. The Railroad is an enemy of the Brotherhood. This operation you described is a tremendous threat to us and we need to take action against it before it can happen." While he spoke those words he stood up and walked to her, crouching down and looking her in the eyes. He was determined to go, no matter the decision she made. To his surprise she nodded. "You're right.", she whispered and looked at him. She understood that it needed to be done. The Railroad could burn in hell for what they had done, what they would do. "I'll come with you."

Suddenly a knock made the three turn their heads to the door. Dogmeat growled and Danse grabbed his rifle, calling "Who's there?" before he slowly moved to look who was standing outside. It was a bald man in a white shirt and jeans and he wore sunglasses. "Woah, whoa, whoa! Easy... I'm just here to deliver a message.", he said with raised arms. "Deacon?", Kate asked from the inside. She stood up and walked to the door. "What are you doing here?", she then asked. "Charmer.", he said coolly. He then held out an envelope towards her. "Just here to deliver a message, as I said before.", Deacon then said sunglasses fixated on Danse who aimed his rifle at the bald man. "Anyway, I did what I had to do.", Deacon then said after Kate took the paper in her hand, he turned around and disappeared behind the next bush.

"Who was that?", Kathryn asked her sister.
"Deacon, he's an agent of the Railroad.", Kate answered.
"Come on, open the envelope." Kathryn demanded now.
"Alright.", Kate sighed and opened the letter.

'We know you told them. There's no going back now. You're too late.'

Kate's eyes widened in shock, her hand flew to her mouth and she began to shake madly. "That can't be true...", she whispered. Kathryn took the letter and read it over and over before she gave it to Danse. His brows furrowed and he asked "What does this mean?" He looked at Kate and waited for her to answer. "It means that they will burn down the Prydwen. If we want to prevent that we need to eliminate them, now." After she said the words it was carved in stone; she had to kill her former family. "As long as Deacon is around they can't start their operation. We need to be faster than him.", Kate said thinking out loud. "Alright, then let's take a vertibird. We'll inform Maxson on our way. Prepare for anything, stock up your ammo while I call for a vertibird.", Danse ordered. The sisters obeyed and took as much plasma cells as their bags could hold, also stimpaks and water. Kathryn and Danse put on their power armors and Kate wore her armored coat, the ballistic weave in it preventing her from getting shot up like Swiss Cheese.

The vertibird arrived, Danse took the seat next to the pilot and radioed in to the Prydwen while Kate sat down and Kathryn armed the minigun. If they could shoot them from above, Kathryn would make sure that she shot everyone in her sights. Raiders and supermutants were firing at the aircraft and Kathryn took them out swiftly and soon they landed near the Old North Church. They hurried to the spot where they first met Kate and took a short break to talk about their next steps.

"Alright, we're gonna attack them from two sites. Kathryn, you know how to get inside. You'll attack from the front. If the door to HQ is closed, use some C4 and knock at their doors. Danse, you and I go to the escape tunnel and prevent that anyone can flee."
"Affirmative!"
"Roger that!"

Whether Kathryn nor Danse said something about Kate taking the reigns. She knew the place best and both trusted her. While Kathryn went inside at the front, Danse and Kate went to that escape tunnel. The ghouls were still there, Kathryn just looked at them this time, walking down the stairs where she found her way back in the catacombs of the church. Green blood was splattered against the walls, lightning her way through this dark place until she came to a wall with the Freedom Trail Ring. She knew the password and tried to activate the ring but nothing happened. Well, here goes nothing... Kathryn thought while she placed a bomb at the entrance. She activated it and stepped a few meters away before the bomb exploded. Shot after shot rang out from her rifle, killing agent after agent. Soon they tried to flee into the escape tunnel and Kathryn heard the laser fire from Danse's rifle. A grim smile appeared on her face, it felt good to be in action with him again. She knew the Brotherhood would be proud when they single-handedly wipe out the whole Railroad.

Danse and Kate had their hands full with the escapees trying to get past them. A woman with red hair aimed a rifle at them Danse didn't see before. "Stop shooting!", she called out to her men and women. Danse and Kate ceased their fire too but kept their rifles aimed at the red haired woman. "Charmer! What the heck are you doing?", the woman asked with anger in her voice. Kate looked at her, gaze fixated on the steaming rifle in the woman's hands. "I'm doing the right thing Desdemona." Without a warning or another word Desdemona shot at Kate which slumped down against the wall behind her with a thud. "KATE!", screamed Kathryn and opened fire again, ending the redhead's life with a well placed headshot. Hell broke loose as everyone started firing again. Only Danse and Kathryn were still standing after the bloodbath. Kate leaned at a wall, her left arm tucked over her right one and she panted.

"Fuck! What was that for a weapon?", Kathryn said as she tried to inspect Kate's wound. She tried to pull her sister away from the wall and Kate began to scream. Her arm was nailed to the wall behind her. "A- ah damn, it was a railway rifle...", she pressed out, the sleeve of her coat was already crimson red. "How can we get you off of that wall?", Kathryn asked, desperation audible in her voice. Kate looked up to her, determination in her eyes. "You have to pry me off." Even Danse's eyes widened at the suggestion. "Are you sure about that?", he asked concerned. Kate nodded. "Well then... let's do this." Danse knelt down as best as his power armor allowed it, held her at shoulders and with one hard jolt to his chest plate she was free. Kate screamed even more, tiny bits and pieces of flesh still clung to the railway spike while she cowered against Danse's chest plate. "I'm sorry.", he mumbled. Kathryn stepped out of her power armor, fury burned in her eyes and it almost looked like her head was steaming. "WHAT THE FUCK DANSE?!", she screamed. He leaned Kate back at the wall and stood to his full height, towering over Kathryn now. "Don't think that was easy. It was you or me. So I chose it was better if I pried her off of that wall instead of you." Although he glared at her, he wasn't mad or angry. In fact his voice was calm, his demeanor of a commanding officer who had years of practice and just knew how to get his subordinates under control with just a single glare.

Kathryn sighed and dragged her hands across her face. "Yeah, you're right..." A small wince remembered both that Kate was still there with a hole in her arm and bleeding. "Come on, Kate. Let's get you patched up.", Kathryn then said while she walked over to her sister. She helped her to stand and walked her to a chair. Before Kate sat down Kathryn gently took off the coat and put it aside. "Damn that looks nasty.", she whispered. Danse on the other hand made clear that really everyone was dead; that guy, Deacon, was missing under the dead and it seemed like they were fast enough to prevent the worst. But still, the bald man was still out there somewhere... Kathryn cleaned the wound as best as possible and administered a stimpak next to it. Kate sighed when she felt how the tissue of her muscles already grew back again and Kathryn wrapped her arm with a bandage. "You better put that arm in a sling for a while.", Kathryn told her sister and Kate nodded. "We should go, I bet that Maxson wants to know what happened." All three agreed to that and Kathryn put her power armor back on and they left the church. Luckily the vertibird still was standing where they hopped out of it, but something felt off.

"Well, well, well. Now who do we have here.", said a familiar voice. He walked around the vertibird, the lancer of the aircraft as hostage in front of him and a knife at his throat and eyes wide. Kate, Kathryn and Danse froze on their spots while Deacon rounded the vertibird.

"Deacon, you don't have to do this...", Kate said almost in a whisper.
"Do what? Kill him, like you killed the Railroad?!", Deacon asked while swinging the knife in front of the lancer's face.
"It was necessary.", Kate said, this time whispering.

Deacon snorted. "Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's Bullshit!" And then he sliced the throat of the shivering lancer. Three shots rang out into the air and Deacon was dead before the lancer hit the ground. His body dissolved into a puddle of ash and plasma.

"Fuck...", Kate exhaled as she fell down to her knees.
"Come on, we still need to get to the Prydwen. And I'm sure you want to see Arthur, huh?", Kathryn said with a wink. It was a mystery for Kate how her sister could be this cheering after the bloodbath they had caused. She blushed anyway...
"Alright Ladies, it's time that I get you to the Prydwen. So would you please mind and board the 'bird already?", Danse said a little annoyed.

Before he was able to fly the vertibird back to the Prydwen he stepped out of his power armor and told Kate to put it on and bring it back for him; he couldn't fly the vertibird properly with his armor on. Kate obeyed but felt very uncomfortable in the wearable tank. Gladly she just had to secure herself. Danse lifted the dead lancer into the 'bird and secured him while Kathryn armed the minigun again. Danse was an outstanding pilot, how he maneuvered them over the Commonwealth and interacted with Scabbard before they had clearance for docking at the Prydwen. The crew at the flight deck looked a bit confused as they saw Paladin Danse out of his power armor and walking next to it! Who was in there? At least they knew that Paladin Kay was in her suit, she had her helmet off.

The three strode into the airship and went to the med bay first. Kathryn wanted Kate to be check by Cade. And by steel she wouldn't tolerate a No for an answer. But to her relief Cade took Kate in and examined her arm. "Who ever did the first aid, well done.", the doc said. Kathryn thanked him with a pleased smile on her face. While the sisters were at the med bay Danse brought back his power armor to its bay. Kathryn came a few minutes later and put hers away too. She sighed long as she stepped out; sweat plastered strands of her hair onto her face and she looked tired. Danse walked over to her and put a steadying arm around her waist. "Hey, are you okay?", he asked her. Kathryn leaned her head against his shoulder and closed her eyes, another sigh escaped her lips. "I'm worried, Danse.", she then said and hugged him. "I don't think that's necessary.", he answered and wrapped his arms around her. No one was around and Danse took the opportunity to steal a kiss from the woman in his arms. He hoped that it would reassure her and he could feel how she melted more and more into his arms; it was a sweet moment until someone cleared their throat. They parted and looked who interrupted their moment of silence. Of course it was Arthur. He heard that they were on board and since none of them showed up he went on the search for them himself.

"Arthur.", Danse said surprised. The young man smiled at his friends, almost laughed when Danse's face went red while Kathryn stood there, still in the arms of the man she kissed seconds before and blinked at her elder. "What's the matter?", she asked. He cleared his throat again and put on a more serious face. "We need to discuss what happened earlier.", Arthur answered. They knew that of course, but they still wondered why Arthur came down from the command deck. Danse and Kathryn nodded and began to walk next to their leader. "Let me get Kate first before we discuss anything. She might bring more light into this darkness.", Kathryn said as they stood at the med bay. She went inside and came out a few moments later with Kate. She had her right arm in a sling, just as Kathryn told her before at the Railroad's HQ.

Arthur's whole demeanor changed when he saw her. He looked like he stood at attention now, like he was scrutinized by a commanding officer. Danse found his behavior a bit weird, Kathryn on the other hand chuckled and Kate blushed. The four went up the ladder and Arthur invited them to his private quarters. For Kathryn and Danse it wasn't a surprise anymore and they just sat down. Kate on the other hand was fascinated from the room and took everything in that she could reach with her eyes. "Kate!", Kathryn hissed and startled her sister out of her wonderment. She blinked and sat down. Arthur couldn't contain the smirk on his face as he too sat down.

"Now, would you care to elaborate what had happened earlier?", Arthur asked.
"We eliminated the Railroad. We knew about an operation against the Brotherhood and took matters in our hands.", Danse answered.
"I know that already. I want to know how you knew about that and where to find them?", Arthur asked next.
"Because I told them.", Kate said with a small voice.

Silence

Arthur stared at her, his steely gaze boring into Kate's ocean blue eyes. She held it for a long time before she looked away and swallowed.

"I was a member of the Railroad. I know I should have told you sooner...", Kate began. Arthur inhaled sharply and looked at her.
"You didn't tell me in Concord. Why?", he asked, his voice sounded normal, but the look in his eyes betrayed him. He looked hurt.
"Because I was afraid. I enjoyed your company so much, I- I didn't want to ruin it...", she said. She looked down at her hands in her lap.
"I see.", Arthur just answered.

He thought back to the conversation they had and to the moment when he fucked her in the Museum of Freedom. If he was honest with himself he knew she never really left his head afterwards. He realized that he would forgive her if she'd just apologize.
Kate explained Rocket's Red Glare to Arthur and how they chose to attack the Railroad. He was impressed by her tactical thinking and nodded from time to time.

"I'm sorry Arthur.", she whispered.
"I forgive you.", he said almost whispering too.

Kate looked up at him as he walked around the table to her. He knelt down and took her hands in his. "I enjoyed your company too. And I want to thank you for making the right decision."

He then gently pressed his lips on her forehead and smiled.