WAH

[capcious]

Who: WAH
Setting: WAH
Summary: WAH
Warnings: WAH
Other: WAH

WAH

Comments

[timesbureaucrat]

I am not "buddy-buddy" with the Director. He's my superior; I obey his orders.

...Mostly.

[He respects the chain of command. It's just that when he's right and other people aren't, he can't let hierarchy hold him back.]

And I'm asking you because strategies regarding the surface are typically the purview of the SRB. We scientists aren't supposed to be involved. I imagine it's to keep us feeling safe and secure and focused on our work.

[capcious]

[That was either surprisingly helpful or not fucking helpful at all. Zetta can't tell which. She wishes Deacon could be here with them; he'd be invaluable in figuring out this bastard.]

And you have a vested interest in this... why?

[timesbureaucrat]

Because if the Institute is going to attack the Brotherhood, I want to be a part of it, not stuck down in this hole.

[And if there's isn't a plan to hurt the Brotherhood, he may just have to do it anyway, but he keeps that to himself right now.]

[capcious]

[Zetta, instead of replying, just stares at him this time. Her expression clearly says, "I don't feel like repeating myself."]

[timesbureaucrat]

[Nathan crosses his arms, uneasy. He still doesn't know if he can trust them, but they're the only people he can talk to about this.]

They killed my...family. [Close enough. Comrades. Brothers-in-arms. And Jared.]

I want revenge. [He says the last calmly. Simply.]

[capcious]

[There. That gives her enough of the picture. Zetta unfolds her arms and leans her hands heavily against the back of the couch, on either side of Riley's shoulders.]

We don't know what Shaun's planning on doing about the Brotherhood. We talked a bit about them today, but it was mostly about the kinds of threats they pose to the Institute. Beyond that, haven't the foggiest. Sorry.

[timesbureaucrat]

[Nathan's shoulders slump in disappointment.]

He should order a strike on them quickly, before they can establish a foothold in this region. The Brotherhood are dangerous. They've gone up against people far better at warfare than the Institute, and they were victorious. They'll wipe us out if we don't get them first.

[An idea pops into his head.]

You could do it. You're independent agents. Unlike the coursers in the SRB, you don't need to wait for orders. And by acting swiftly, you'd be protecting Shaun and the Institute. ["Shaun," not "the Director." Trying to appeal to their parental instincts.]

I could help you.

[capcious]

[This time, Zetta's stare is dumbfounded.]

You're asking if you can hire us to do a hit on the Brotherhood of Steel? Honestly?

And behind Shaun's back? [Riley adds quietly, speaking up for the first time.]

[timesbureaucrat]

...

Yes, that's basically it.

I wouldn't say that you'd be acting behind the Director's back, however. No more than you usually do when you're up on the surface doing...whatever it is you do...cozying up to Railroad agents and such.

[capcious]

[Aaaaand just like that, Zetta's expression goes steely.]

And now you're reminding us that you could blackmail us. [Never mind. Both middle fingers are back up, pal.]

[timesbureaucrat]

[He snorts.]

Blackmail? You mean tattle to the Director? I do believe he already knows. In fact, he was the one who informed me about it. That makes my knowledge of your association rather useless as blackmail material.

What I meant was that the Director apparently doesn't mind. And he very likely wouldn't mind either if you dealt with Brotherhood on your own initiative.

[capcious]

[Zetta's skin is crawling. No, yes, of course Shaun already knows, he knew they associated with Deacon and who Deacon runs with. And Shaun hasn't asked them to divulge any information about the Railroad, even though he asked them to interrogate Deacon. It would've been so much easier to try to convince them to tell him whatever he wanted to know. Does he really not care about the Railroad? But if that was the case, he wouldn't be wiping out safehouses or making hits on HQ. What the fuck? What the fuck is he doing?]

We'll think about it, [Zetta says, so curtly she's almost snapping it out, but there's more teeth than heat in it.] It's not like we have an in, anyway. What are we going to do? Make some wax wings and flap up there to knock on the door?

[timesbureaucrat]

[Nathan nods once at her answer.]

I'd consider it a courtesy if you could give me an answer within one week. Because if you aren't going to attempt to destroy them, I will. And the longer the delay, the more dangerous the mission becomes.

If you do accept my proposal, I suggest infiltrating them. Present yourselves as promising new recruits and they'll welcome you in. You can gather intel, find their weaknesses, and determine the best moment and method to strike.

[capcious]

[Personally, Zetta thinks it's insane. There's a part of her that acknowledges that it'd be a useful opportunity to gather information on the Brotherhood for the Railroad, too. But -- fuck. They didn't want to be doing this shit with the Institute to begin with. They came in to get their son and blow shit up on the way out. Fuck. Fuck. This isn't what she fucking wanted.]

A week. Got it. [She wants to be done with this. She wants to put it out of her mind and focus on her fucking family again.] We done here?

[timesbureaucrat]

[His eyes narrow slightly. As evasive and prickly as the conversation was, this is still the closest he's come to opening up to someone in the last ten years. To feel that it wasn't properly appreciated has him bristling.]

Yes, I think we are.

Leave.

[safeshot]

[Riley feels like he's walking in on the middle of a TV show he hasn't been watching. He's been more than willing to let Zetta have control over the situation, and Ferran seems to have taken a backseat as well, but... It's almost amazing to watch. This man is so much like Zetta. Riley isn't sure what's making her so cold to him, but he can see that he's finally responding in kind.

This is absolutely going to be too little too late, Riley has no doubt, but he figures it's worth trying to soften the edges anyway. He stands, to show that he's not planning on pushing their luck, but he offers his hand out for a shake along with a small smile.] It was good to meet you. [... as if this was some pleasant visit. He isn't realizing it's his Pre-War showing.]

[timesbureaucrat]

[Nathan looks at Riley's hand like he just offered him deathclaw feces: it's baffling and unwanted.]

Your attempts at Old World pleasantry might be a bit more believable if we'd actually been introduced, Mr. Reynolds.

[safeshot]

[Riley laughs sheepishly, sticking his hands in his pockets.]

Alright, fair enough. I guess we kind of skipped that part. Still, I mean it.

It's not often Zetta decides to actually give a straight answer to someone when she's in a mood like this. [Not that she's agreed to help him get revenge, not yet, but the fact that she didn't say no straightaway even though she's pissed is telling, too -- No, Riley's meaning when she gave up the answer to the question of Shaun's plans.]

[timesbureaucrat]

Let me guess, you're the "good cop?"

What has she got to be so vexed about anyway? It's my mortal enemy that's waltzed into the Commonwealth.

[safeshot]

Nah. I'm just the only one with any people skills.

[Zetta snorts behind him and he glances over his shoulder at her, grinning. Her arms are folded again and she's several steps away from the couch towards the door. She's clearly wanting out of this room, but Riley turns back to the conversation.]

Well, I mean... The Brotherhood isn't the only problem. Just the newest one. I'm sure I'll get to hear all about whatever's bothering her once we get out of here.

[timesbureaucrat]

[Riley's persistent friendliness is getting Nathan to lower his hackles against all odds. But as he begins to think more rationally instead of in anger, two truths become clear to him. 1) He wants to destroy the Brotherhood of Steel. And 2) He doesn't want to alienate Zetta needlessly. She's the only person in ages worth talking to.

He sighs in defeat and holds out his hand for a handshake.]

Dr. Nathan Lone. How do you do.

[safeshot]

[Riley blinks a couple of times, clearly surprised that this is actually working at all, let alone so well, but he doesn't hesitate to take the offered handshake.]

Riley. [Because there's no point in saying his last name, obviously. And now it's time for him to pull out a social card he learned a long time ago:] So, what is it you do here? [Ask about his job. If there's anything he learned from being around scientists thanks to Zetta, it's that showing interest in their jobs and projects almost always gets them to warm up. Hell, it works on Zetta, too.]

[timesbureaucrat]

[The technique works as well on Nathan as it does on all the other scientists of Riley's acquaintance.]

I work in Advanced Systems, mostly weapons' development, but lately I've been working on a special project I was hand-picked to carry out. Researching the development of a synth child.

[He's not sure what practical purpose this project serves, but his ego is stroked to have been chosen for it, regardless.]

[safeshot]

[The synth child. The one that's based off of Shaun when he was younger. The one that Zetta and Ferran wanted him to meet.]

So you look after him? [Riley has to try to keep himself from asking what he's like, and instead stay on the track of looking at it as a project.] What all does that usually include?

[timesbureaucrat]

Largely it's a matter of exposing him to stimuli and observing how he responds.

I've given him tests in mathematics and logic, monitored his activity levels and physical abilities, read books to him...