The Human Condition - Fallout 4 | OC x Danse |

17 - faith or pandemonium

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Boston Airport

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"...I can't believe Super Mutants were human once. How could science have gone so wrong?"

I heard the words as I passed by two guarding Knights at the airport, nodding a greeting to them. I frowned to myself while approaching Ingram, wondering how realistic it really was that I could save Virgil with that serum. The way Super Mutants were... it seemed like there was no going back.

But... science had brought them there. Maybe then science could bring them back, too.

I walked up to Ingram who turned towards me expectantly, motioning for me to speak. I cleared my throat and stated, "Elder Maxson said you'd help me build the Signal Interceptor."

A smirk played on her lips. "So, it looks like you're calling the shots around here now, huh?" My eyes widened but she laughed, indicating it was a joke. "Alright, I'll bite. What does your new miracle device do?"

I squared my shoulders, trying to speak confidently. One time I'd stuttered an apology to Ingram and she about hammered it into me that I needed to be bold and unapologetic with my words. That's been ingrained in my head ever since.

"The Institute uses teleportation to get in and out," I explained, holding up the blueprints and pointing accordingly. "This machine can hijack their signal and send me instead."

"Teleportation!?" Ingram echoed, gingerly taking the plans from my outstretched hands. She peered at the small words, seeming to absorb them into her mind. "...Molecular transmission via encrypted RF waves? Okay, even I have to admit... that's genius."

She put the plans down at her side, looking up at me excitedly. "This explains why we've been picking up anomolous energy readings all across the Commonwealth! Not to mention how they get their tin soldiers to come out of the damn walls. And this little beauty allows you to literally hijack a return signal... instead of grabbing the intended target, it grabs you instead." She crossed her arms and smirked again once her rant was finished, all the pieces coming together. "Impressive."

"It all does sound impressive, but..." I shook my head, looking at the complicated lines and structures on the paper. "Can you really build it?"

Ingram chuckled, jutting her thumb towards the Prydwen above us. "If I can keep that flying pile of junk in the air, I can work miracles." She held up the plans again, narrowing her eyes at the scribbles and lines. "It's difficult to make out the details here, but I'm thinking you can get started by building a Stabilized Reflector Platform."

I raised an eyebrow. Me? But Ingram didn't notice, listing more necessities.

"...It's going to take a cargo hold full of high-grade metal, but I'm sure we have plenty of it right here at the airport."

I guess I had built some stuff before — Sanctuary wouldn't look like what it did now without my help. But Sturges was the main credit for that one... he could teach a mole rat to build a shack. So it was only a step above to try to get my brain to understand it all.

Not wanting to look incompetent, I straightened up again and nodded. "Just tell me what we need so I can get started."

"Sorry that I'm boring you," Ingram muttered sarcastically, scribbling down some notes. She handed me a list as my cheeks burned. "You're also going to need a massive power source to get the Signal Interceptor running."