The Danse Dilemma

6. Welcome Aboard

I was quickly awoken by a loud thud on the buildings roof, and the sound of the building creaking giving a bad vibe that it could crumble down upon us. Without being able to go back to sleep, I get up and get dressed and heard chattering from behind the door. I head out the door. I notice Danse is up and in his power armor, giving orders to someone I didn't recognize last night. As I walk up to Danse, the soldier scurried off. "Excuse me, Danse?."

"From now on, you need to address me as Paladin Danse, or just Paladin. Understood soldier?" Danse leaned over to me with a stern face and I nodded.

"Yes sir, Paladin."

"Cavalry has arrived... And it looks like they sent in the big guns." He informs me. Come to think of it, there's a lot more people in here than I thought. "We call our ship "The Prydwen". She's loaded with enough troops and supplies to mount a major offensive. If she's here, Elder Maxson's here. And that means we're going to war."

"Who's Elder Maxson?"

"Maxson is the commander of this division of the Brotherhood of Steel. He's the model of what every Brotherhood soldier hopes to become. If we're going to war, I can promise you that he'll be leading the charge. That being said, you're about to get to know the Prydwen, up close and personal. I've received orders that we're both to report to her immediately. Follow me up to the roof of the police station... We're going for a little ride." Danse says proudly.

I stomp up the stairs, following Dogmeat and Danse's armored footsteps. As I stepped out onto the roof, there sat Vertibird. The sun gleamed off the top of the massive set of blades that rotated impossibly fast. I fumbled around to get out of the blind spot and found someone manning the Vertibird, wearing clothing similar to Haylen's. The pilot was a young man who lifted Dogmeat in. We boarded the Vertibird and Danse grabbed at a bar on the ceiling. "You're going to want to hang onto that mini gun in front of you there. It's loaded and ready to fire. If you spot anything hostile during the flight, I suggest you put it to good use. Make sure you properly identify your targets before you start shooting. We don't want to have any mishaps and fire on the locals." Danse yells over the Vertibird's loud blades.

I look at all the buildings below me, being slightly terrified of heights. "The Commonwealth looks different from up here, doesn't it? It never ceases to amaze me how drastically your perception of the battlefield changes from the air. We're gonna need that edge when we take on the Institute. They've already proven that they're technologically superior, which means there's no telling what types of weapons they'll have in their arsenal. Hopefully, our air superiority and tactical know-how will make the difference. Now all we have to do is find them... And I'm betting that Elder Maxson will have a plan already in place by the time we arrive."

I look over at Danse as he continues with a sad face. "I wish everyone down there believed in our cause, but they've been blinded by rumors and misinformation. They don't realize that the Brotherhood of Steel is the Commonwealth's last hope for survival. Every man, woman and child below is in mortal danger. If we fail, it's only a matter of time before the enemy overwhelms the population. Cleansing the Commonwealth is our duty, and I will gladly spill my own blood if it ensures our victory." He says with pride. "We're on final approach to the airport... the Prydwen should be coming into view just a head. We'll be meeting Lancer-Captain Kells on the flight deck. Just stick close to me and answer all of his questions."

After a moment or two passed, a large blimp came into view and took my breath away, this thing was massive! There was a landing strip where other Vertibird's were coming and going, like bees in a hive. "There she is. Its been far too long since I've been aboard. All right, soldier... this is the moment when everything changes. I hope you're ready." The Vertibird locked into the electronic bays of the Prydwen and we walked off the dock onto the walkway. Danse turned left and headed down the catwalk, me and Dogmeat following in line. "Permission to come aboard, sir?" Danse asked his superior.