At The Precipice Of Something New

Something Foggy

Far Harbour
October the 1st, 2289
18:17

It was, nearly done with their meal, in the Last Plank with her friend, the Minutemen, and the detective and detective's secretary, Kasumi Nakano felt herself again.

The multiple, varied scan images of her own brain secured in the largest pack she could find while scrambling to get all of her things together to leave Acadia, Kasumi contentedly sat, taking in conversation around her, occasionally chiming in at the lighthearted nudge under the table of her friend Ada across from her. The two girls snickered at something they whispered to each other under their breaths, every so often snatching at each other's fries or, as the detective so stubbornly referred to them, chips. Her thoughts meandering, Kasumi took another long sip of the strawberry milkshake the detective had procured for her. Don't know how he made that happen on an Island this remote, but I missed these. Hopefully mom's berry patches are all still doing well. She turned towards the door into the establishment from where she was sat in one of the booths as the clacking and clanging of the windchimes rang out and were cut off by the slamming shut of the door in quick succession. The chatter in the establishment far from abating for or in response to she who entered, the attention of those beside and across from Kasumi was quickly drawn towards she who entered at the woman in question snagging a chair over and sitting down on it, her gun falling to the floor beside her and the chair oriented backwards, almost as though it were a horse and not a chair. Her green eyes glinted mischievously behind her thick rimmed, black glasses, and she turned her gaze to the General of the Minutemen, trying not to smile.

"Avery said the town council decided you'll have to perform the Captain's Dance before they'll let some of your Minutemen join the town from the mainland?" She said, unable to hide the smirk darting across her face when he nodded. "Well, seeing as we both desperately need more hands on deck and I'd like to win another bet against Allen, I'm going to help you."

Preston laughed. "Still causing mischief all these years later, Caitlin? Didn't you always talk about wanting to perform the Captain's dance as a kid?"

"That's got nothing to do with helping you out," She replied, stretching out her hands. "And I am not a child anymore. I'm the shipwright, handyman, and the only one keeping the Harbour afloat besides Captain Avery. The ship-body and keel have taken a beating the last few months, to be sure, but she might not be standing at all if it weren't for some of the help you've given. Or," Her eyes glinted mischievously and another smirk darted across her face. "The spite you've stirred up in coming back."

"I'd been gone a good long while, but I did hope to come back and help one day with the Minutemen," Preston could not help but smile. "I'm plenty happy to do what I have to in order to provide you all some additional support."

"What's the Captain's Dance?" Kasumi said, finishing her milkshake and pushing the empty glass aside. "Is it a pre-War ritual?"

"Not pre-War," She said, cracking her knuckles. "But it is a rite of passage from around here, 'bout the last hundred and fifty years. It used to be how we chose the Captain, but, the more of us there've been, the more unified we've had to be, especially as we've been crammed closer and closer together for the last fifty or so odd years."

"Longer," A gruff voice said from behind her. "Little less than a century, from everything I've learnt."

Caitlin rolled her eyes, leaning back to look at him. "Sometimes I forget you can talk, Longfellow."

"I ain't one for much chatting," He said, taking a swig from the flask of beer in his hands. "Good to hear you're going home," He said, briefly tilting his head at Kasumi before turning to Derek. "Also heard what that synth from Acadia was saying 'bout you from the rad eaters. Guess he's trying to sow doubt over your good intentions but, at least here in the Harbour, you don't need to worry about it. I should know. We ex-Brotherhood members all got a certain look to our eyes."