In The Shadow of Steel (Paladin Danse)

Part Nine

If someone were to have asked me how many hours I'd been on and off sleeping, I couldn't have told them. I had finally been detached from that stupid drip, meaning my getting out of bed was made a hell of a lot easier. I knew I'd been laying in it for far too long when my feet touched the cool floor, my legs wobbling upon impact. The clothes I had been wearing before had been folded neatly on a chair across the room of the infirmary, replaced by a tattered gown posing as patient garments.

The doctor was no where to be seen, and I was the only patient in the room, so I balanced in my position until I had regained the strength to walk towards the bright orange jumpsuit that was folded on a shelf. Hurriedly, I slipped into the suit and zipped it up, spotting a hairbrush and erasing the tangles that had taken over my head. I need to fit in. I need to blend if I'm going to find Shaun. Once I had made myself as presentable as possible, I crept towards the door and opened it quietly, peaking out into the noisy hall for the perfect time of escape. To the left appeared to be a canteen-like place, and a lot more people, so I bolted for the right. I reached the end of the corridor and found a large, rounded ladder. With another glance around and a deep breath, I clambered down the rungs toward the sound of a rather dominant voice.

It was at the bottom where I was met with a rush of people heading forward to meet the voice. I was surrounded, so had no choice but to blend with the crowd and pray not to be spotted.
I pushed to a halt in a wide-spread room with a large window at the far end, opening our eyes to the Commonwealth. I'm in the sky, I realised, that bloody ship. How the hell am I supposed to get Shaun and I off this thing without being seen?

"Brothers and sisters," my gaze snapped back to focus upon hearing the voice from before. A young man stood before the windows, straight and informative, earning everyone's full attention. I stretched myself into a linear position, copying the stance of the man to the right of me. He seemed to notice my distraction and nudged me, subtly gesturing towards the attractive man leading the brief. "The road behind has been long and fraught with difficulty. Each and every one of you has surpassed my expectations by rapidly facilitating our arrival in the Commonwealth. You have accomplished this amazing feat without a hint of purpose or direction, and most impressively, without question." He began to pace slowly, powerfully, back and forth in front of us. "Now that the ship is in position, it is time to reveal our purpose, and our mission. Beneath the Commonwealth, there is a cancer, known as the Institute. A malignant growth that needs to be cut, before it infects the surface. They are experimenting with dangerous technologies that could prove to be the world's undoing, for the second time." He paused, focusing the intense gaze of his at the ground.
"In recent history, the Institute scientists have created a weapon that transcends the destructive nature of the atom bomb. They call their creation, the synth." If he hadn't already had my full attention, he certainly had it now. "A robotic  abomination of technology that is free-thinking, and masquerades as a human being."
A few mumbles of disgust and disapproval could be heard around the room, but they stopped as soon as they started, allowing the man to continue with his speech.
"This notion, that a machine could be granted free will is not only offensive, but horribly dangerous, and like the atom bomb,  if it isn't harnessed properly, it has the potential of rendering us extinct as a species. I, am not prepared to allow the Institute to continue this line of experimentation. Therefore, the Institute and their synths, are considered enemies of the Brotherhood of Steel, and should be dealt with swiftly and mercilessly." I must find Shaun, now.
I started stepping backwards, slowly as to not make too much of a scene, fastening as I approached the back of the room. People around looked at me with confusion, but I couldn't allow myself to stay long enough to be recognised.
"This campaign will be costly, and many lives will be lost. But in the end, we will be saving human kind from its worst enemy...itself."
"Ad Victoriam!" The people around me shouted in unison, catching me off guard. I jumped slightly in shock and fell into somebody.
I was met with strong arms holding me up, but my guess as to who was prohibited due to facing the wrong way. A few people laughed as they saw the colour rise to my cheeks, but my humiliation vanished as quickly as they scurried away to continue with their daily chores.
"I was wondering where you might have ran off to." Oh crap.
Once I'd regained my posture I spun to meet the guy whose name I'd learned to be Danse.
"Where did you get that flight suit? Ah, guess you stole it from the infirmary, where you should still be."