CHAPTER 102: THE VEIN OF MY EXISTENCE

-A few days later, Goodsprings-

"Now that we are all here, the meeting can now proceed."

Sitting at a table were the leaders of Six’s territories and the Brotherhood of Steel army. Among those present were Rebecca, Elder Ron, Lloyd, and Tanya, along with various other officers in charge of various aspects of the Chapter’s base.

"Firstly, let us hear a report on all the vault tunnel developments."

Six began, directing the conversation.

One of the Brotherhood of Steel officers stood up, a clipboard in hand.

"The tunnel connecting Goodsprings, Primm, Nipton, and Novac, along with the REPCONN test site to Nellis Air Force Base, has reached half completion this week, sir. It is expected to be completed sooner than scheduled should we use all the power armor drones and droids to assist in the project."

He reported.

"I will speak to them to ensure that you get the assistance you need."

Tanya told the man. He nodded and sat down.

"Thank you, Tanya."

Six said, taking the folder that was filled with articulated blueprints, graphs, diagrams, and an outpour checklist of numbers.

"Articulate as always. Good job."

"How are the Knightmares Frame projects coming along, Lloyd?"

Six asked.

"We can’t rely on our power armors, if we face someone like Pilar again. We need more powerful units, so you can spend as much as you need."

"They should be finished soon, boss. But if you want quick shoddy work, it’ll affect the quality of the frames."

Lloyd replied.

Six leaned back in his chair, considering Lloyd’s words carefully. The Knightmare Frames were already powerful, but after what had happened with Pilar, they needed something beyond standard designs—something that could match the kind of monstrous threats they might face in the future.

"Quality over quantity."

Six finally decided.

"I don’t want rushed work. If we face something like Pilar again, we need these machines to be reliable, not just fast-tracked. Take whatever resources you need."

Lloyd grinned, pushing his glasses up.

"Oh, you’re gonna love what I’ve got cooking, boss. Give me a bit more time, and I’ll present something that’ll shake the battlefield."

Six nodded before turning to Elder Ron.

"What about recruitment and training? How is the new Brotherhood of Steel shaping up?"

Elder Ron folded his arms, his expression serious.

"We’ve had a steady influx of recruits—many drawn by the way we’re actually helping people instead of hoarding tech like the old Brotherhood. The new blood is adapting well to our doctrine."

"The integration of advanced training from Viktor’s experience and your own combat strategies has pushed our Paladins and Knights far beyond what they used to be."

"Good."

Six said.

"We’re going to need every advantage."

Rebecca, lounging with her feet propped up on the table, smirked.

"What about that whole ’we almost died and turned into eldritch nightmares’ situation? Are we just gonna ignore that?"

The room went silent for a moment. Most of them had already been briefed on what happened to Six and Rebecca after consuming the Third Umbilical Cord, but no one had spoken about it openly.

Tanya crossed her arms.

"That is a matter we must address, Father and Mother. Your transformation has had unforeseen consequences for myself and the rest of your children. It is evident that the power you both unlocked is still stabilizing, as all our eye colors have turned to amber gold and we are experiencing numerous changes. any of us could lose control—"

Six cut her off.

"You won’t."

His tone left no room for argument.

Rebecca, still grinning, stretched.

"Yeah, yeah, don’t worry, you little tyke. But if you start growing extra eyeballs and whispering in a forbidden language, I’ll smack you, okay?"

Tanya sighed, but a small smirk twitched at her lips at her mother’s jab.

"Moving on."

Six said.

"Ron, I want your best people in the Education capsules to become the best tacticians and start running simulations. We don’t know when the next invasion will hit, and I’d rather be ready before we’re blindsided."

Ron nodded.

"Understood. We’ll begin immediately."

Six’s golden eyes flickered, his mind already working through the next set of challenges.

War was coming.

And this time, they would be the ones to dictate how it played out.

"What’s the point of even making power armors in the first place then?"

A BHS officer questioned, slamming a hand onto the table.

"To build up our stocks of them and to produce better power armors later. Even if we stocked up on them now, by the time we would actually be using them for real, the armor’s would become obsolete to newer generation models."

Tanya explained.

Ron frowned.

"You don’t mean to say that the power armor’s will become useless soon?"

Six then took over.

"In a few months, they will. with new frames already development. The knightmare frames will be better than the power armors out now, but they won’t be forever. It would be best to invest in a more reliable and efficient knightmare frame later."

Ron exhaled deeply before responding, his tone weighted with concern.

"I’ve received word from the East Coast Chapter. And it seems they’re... rather mixed on Sarah Lyons’s leadership."

Tanya’s golden eyes narrowed.

"Mixed? What do you mean?"

Ron crossed his arms.

"It’s because of those damn hardliners still clinging to the old ways—still hoarding technology, refusing to assist the locals, and treating anyone outside the Brotherhood as a liability. They’ve been undermining Sarah Lyons ever since Elder Lyons passed."

His voice carried an edge of frustration as he slammed a hand on the table.

"They’re tainting our cause in the Capital Wasteland! The people trust the Brotherhood because Sarah and her faction have been helping them, but these hardliners? They only care about hoarding technology, not progress."

Six leaned forward, his expression unreadable.

"And how bad is it?"

Ron hesitated for a moment before answering.

"Bad enough that there are whispers of a possible coup. If the hardliners push too far, it could split the East Coast Brotherhood further in half."

The room fell into a heavy silence.

Rebecca scoffed.

"Oh, great. Another civil war is in the making. Or, y’know, we could just kick their asses and take over. That’d be fun."

Ron let out a tired sigh.

"Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that."

Six sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"We can’t let that happen. If the East Coast Chapter fractures, it’ll leave the Capital Wasteland vulnerable to the Enclave remnants, super mutants, and raider factions."

Tanya’s mind was already working through possible solutions.

"Father, we need to act preemptively. If we let this fester, it’ll become a full-blown crisis."

Six acknowledged his young daughter with a nod, gently patting her on the head. Tanya was an unexpected blessing for the VI family. By all accounts, she was a true genius, embodying the best qualities of both her grandfather and grandmother without any of their flaws.

He was more than delighted to have her, as his group occasionally needed an occasional lucky break now and then.

"Then we send support. Multiple Prydwen’s carrying supplies, reinforcements, and the firepower needed to keep Sarah in control."

Tanya, however, was already deep in thought.

"If we’re going to intervene in the East, we need to do more than just send supplies and troops. We need a strategic plan, one that won’t just reinforce Sarah Lyons’s position but also change the Brotherhood’s structure there for the long term."

Six nodded.

"Then start working on it. Coordinate with Ron. I want a full breakdown of their power structure, key figures, and potential allies. We’ll need leverage if we’re going to clean house."

Ron nodded in appreciation, though his expression remained tense.

"That should help stabilize things, but it won’t be enough. The hardliners won’t go down easily even if we show up with extra guns. They’ve been ingrained in the Brotherhood’s philosophy for decades."

Six crossed his arms, his golden eyes glowed faintly as he smirked.

"If they refuse to change, then we’ll give them an ultimatum—fall in line with Sarah’s leadership and ours, or get the hell out of the Brotherhood. We’ve already proven here that hoarding tech isn’t the way forward. If they resist, we’ll give them a choice—adapt or be left behind. I don’t care how deep their roots go; if they won’t change, they’re dead weight."

Rebecca grinned.

"Oh, I like this plan."

Tanya, however, was more calculating.

"A direct approach could work, but we need leverage. We need to know who the key figures among the hardliners are, their weaknesses, and how to dismantle their power structure without causing a full collapse."

Six pointed at Ron.

"Get me a full breakdown of the East Coast Chapter—who’s loyal, who’s on the fence, and who’s causing problems. I want to know who we can turn and who we need to put down."

Ron nodded.

"Understood. I’ll have a full report ready within the week."

Six exhaled, feeling the weight of yet another challenge stacking on his shoulders. First, the Knightmare Frames. Now, the East Coast Brotherhood was about to get a wake-up call, and on top of it all, the looming threat of another invasion.

He glanced at Rebecca, whose golden eyes flickered with amusement.

"You’re thinking too much again."

She teased.

Six smirked.

"Someone has to."

She rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, yeah. Just make sure you don’t stress yourself into growing tentacles or some other weird eldritch thing."

The meeting continued with reports on infrastructure, logistics, and future operations. By the time it ended, one thing was clear—if the hardliners refused to adapt... Six would make sure they were removed.

War wasn’t just coming.

It had already begun.

"Wahahahaha, are you ready to continue your training, boyo?"

Laughter boomed from the tall, muscular man wearing a long red captain’s coat. Beneath his coat, he sported a blue shirt and a yellow sash around his waist. He wore dark blue pants and what appeared to be black sea boots, topped off with a pirate hat featuring the Jolly Roger, placed over a yellow-spotted bandana.

His fierce grin and intense eyes were nearly always present, complemented by thick black hair and a short, robust neck.

And his most striking physical feature was his curved, thick black mustache, which Six envied so much that he started growing his own.

The man’s name was Gol D. Roger, a pivotal figure, and the vein of Six’s existence ever since he summoned him to the Fallout World, where he became his fighting instructor.

"Huuuuuuuugh!"