Fallout 4: AR

37. Journey to the Prydwen

"Looks like the cavalry arrived," MacCready commented neutrally. "Wonder what they're going to do with all these additional reinforcements."

"Help the Commonwealth, I hope." I quirked my lips at his cynical snort. "Maybe we can get them and the Minutemen to work together," I mused quietly.

"Now that's the impossible dream, Boss." His tone was pure skepticism.

"Hey, it could happen!"

As soon as we came within sight of the main gate, a Brotherhood Knight in full power armor challenged us. "State your names. What business do you have with the Brotherhood of Steel?"

I snapped to attention to address the Knight, to MacCready's unveiled amusement. "Anne and MacCready. Paladin Danse requested our presence."

"Roger that," he turned to call behind him. "Knight Sohal, please let Paladin Danse know his visitors have arrived." He turned back to us. "Wait here."

"Can we at least come inside the gate?" MacCready asked a little sarcastically. "I'd rather not be out in the open like this. We're sitting ducks for a sniper."

"Negative." was the formal reply. "No civilians without an escort. If Paladin Danse requested your presence, he needs to accompany you."

I sighed and turned to whisper to MacCready, "Maybe I should have joined them. At least then we could go right in." Speaking a little louder over my shoulder at the gate guard, I commented a little snarkily, "Then it's a good thing that the Brotherhood has completely cleared out the area of feral Ghouls... with absolutely no assistance from any passing civilians whatsoever." The unnamed guard shuffled his armored feet slightly, but made no reply, and I couldn't see his face inside the helmet. Sighing, I stepped over to lean my back against the fortified wall.

We didn't have to wait long, fortunately. The resounding clank and thump of moving power armor announced the arrival of Danse long before we heard his crisp military tones. "At ease, Knight. Allow our guests to enter the perimeter. They are under my authority and protection, is that clear?"

"Yes, Paladin Danse," the gate guard saluted. "Anne and MacCready? Permission to enter the outpost is granted. Ad Victoriam."

"Thank you, Knight." I said, knowing he was just doing his job, but happy to be inside the protection of the compound at last.

Danse was standing in the exact center of the courtyard area, in the same intimidating power armor, minus the obscuring helmet. Does he ever get out of that thing? I wondered, remembering he had slept in the exoskeleton when we were last here. He smiled broadly as we approached, declaring, "I got your message last night. Looks like you made good time to get here." He gestured to the roof of the police station. "I have a vertibird ready to take us to the Prydwen as soon as the crew fires it up."

"The Prydwen?" I asked him.

Danse beamed with pride, his voice ringing with conviction. "The Prydwen is the airship you may have witnessed arriving a few days ago. It's our mobile headquarters in the Commonwealth; truly amazing, isn't it? A triumph of Brotherhood engineering." He gestured for us to precede him into the augmented police station. "You've been awarded a unique honor to board her. Usually we don't allow civilians inside Brotherhood installations."

Passing through the station on our way to the roof, we noticed several more Brotherhood members inside. The separate rooms had been cleared of debris and fixed up into a much more livable space. More terminals had been set up, each with a Scribe busily typing away. A very quick peek into the side office showed several double bunks had been installed where there were only a couple of sleeping bags before. "You've been busy since we've been gone." I remarked as we ascended the stairs.