บท 566: Hardin Dahed
The other men in Melissa's squad were looking between them questioningly... Most didn't know someone called Christine, nor did they recall her existence. After all, it'd been many years since she'd left, even people stubbornly holding grudges would've forgotten about it by now.
"Hey... Isn't she the one Veronica was bangin'" one quietly questions, getting nods of affirmation from the others.
Veronica ignores all this and continues to look Melissa over, "Seriously though, you look like shit... What've you been doing to end up like this?"
Melissa gives a dull laugh, "Overworking, what else is there? We've-"
"Stand down and shut up, do I need to remind you that giving information to those outside the Chapter is strictly forbidden!?" Jenkins cuts her off.
Veronica frowns at him, "Don't you talk to her like that, I know little guys are always angry, but you gotta deal with that privately."
Jenkins grits his teeth but shakes his head, "What are you doing here anyway? You aren't part of the Brotherhood, and neither is she. Some might say you're trying to spy on us..." he trails off meaningfully.
Christine shakes her head, "Technically I never left the Brotherhood. I'm only here to check the place and speak to Elder Hardin. After that, I'm not sure."
"No." Jenkins spits, "There is no reason for us to bring you to the Elder... Just go on your way and don't come back to our territory... Or I might not be so lenient."
Christine scowls, "That isn't your decision to make, you think Hardin will be happy if you send me away?... Fine." she turns to Veronica, "You win, let's go back to Bulwark." she says while slowly walking back.
Veronica gives a small shrug and follows along, "Maybe if we get back fast enough Afton wouldn't have noticed us leaving..." she mutters, deciding not to think about Glados' almost omniscient gaze around Big Mt.
"W-wait!" Jenkins suddenly shouts from behind them, "I'll take you to the Elder..." he sheepishly says, not willing to risk his career to spite the two women.
"Good."
With that, the duo is led towards the new Brotherhood base, past the make-shift walls and through all the hastily constructed huts the members were now using to keep their tools and other equipment ready to be used at any moment... Of course, they still utilised the bunkers as housing, no point wasting space after all...
Jenkins leads the duo through the place and eventually reaches a building larger than the rest, and once they are inside they are greeted by quite a weird sight... Elder Hardin was slouched in a huge chair, however, he wasn't wearing his Elder Robes as tradition usually dictates. Instead, he wore power armour without the helmet, but that wasn't what was weird about him.
Hardin seems to have torn up his Elder robes and used them to decorate his Power armour. It wasn't even done well, making him look more like a tribal warlord than someone belonging to the Brotherhood. If you consider his almost 'Caesar-Esque' posture, Veronica was beginning to get worried for the future of her old group.
As soon as they step inside, Hardin's brows begin twitching erratically, a frown now prominent on his face. "What does a traitor want now? Shouldn't you be happy we didn't execute you on the spot?" he asks, clearly annoyed.
Veronica crosses her arms, "You don't really believe that do-... Nevermind." she starts but holds herself back when she remembers the reason they were here.
Hardin sends a lazy glance at Christine, "And what do we have here? Another freak maybe?"
"Well, you could say I've physically as much as you have mentally... And physically? You weren't this bald last time I saw you." she shrugs.
...
"I have half a mind to have you taken outside and shot. Who are you? I don't know your face, those scars, your voice... Are you an assassin?" he suddenly asks, his arm visibly ready to grab his weapon.
"Mmhmm. Well, I guess you wouldn't remember that time someone dismantled your weapon and stuck it back together with super glue. Yeah, I doubt anyone remembers you running around the training field not firing a shot while not notic-"
Hardin begins unconsciously growling at the memory, "Christine." he answers, quickly putting two and two together... "I'm not one for tearful reunions, so what do you want?"
"I want to know what's been happening around here! Why you are targeting both civilian and military caravans that travel down the road! Why you are so flagrantly breaking the Codex!" Christine exclaims, nowhere in the Codex did it allow the Brotherhood to raid civilian caravans without an exceptionally good reason...
Such an occurrence had only happened a few times in BOS history, one where the civilian caravan was unknowingly transporting tainted goods, and another when a terrorist rigged bombs inside it... If Hardin couldn't answer this simple question then it would be a clear and prominent example of the Chapters moral degradation.
Hardin squints at her, "We require resources to retake our place in the Mojave as protectors of technology and peace. What other reason could there be?" he states, sounding like a crappy politician.
...
Resources? That's the reason?... Hardin didn't seem to be trying to hide it either... Had he gone mad? The way he was acting, dressing, and moving the Chapter it sounded likely. If it weren't for McNamara, she might've started to think the position itself is cursed...
That said, she still had a couple questions for him before they left. She wanted to leave as quickly as they entered, hopefully before her parents got wind of her visit. "What is the real reason you threw Afton out of the Chapter? Some BOS groups classify non-feral Ghouls as humans, as long as they aren't classified as an abomination, they should be allowed to live under our laws."
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