Steel Waste

A week after Afton had spoken with Katie Stanton Miles had actually approached him. He was sitting in his quarters reading a book about how biological humanoid move and how that translates into machinery.

"Er, Afton?" Miles asked from behind him, causing him to quickly turn at his unexpected visitor.​​

"Yeah?" he replies, not continuing as he wanted Miles to say what he needed.

...

"I'm sorry for... Acting like I have... I've been trying to get better as quickly as I can but, I'm exhausted, I-We need to be prepared for when the NCR attacks. I won't have them taking anything else away from me, I won't let them." he quickly says.

Miles wasn't as cold as he'd been before, but his obsession with the NCR didn't seem to have changed... Perhaps his mother had shifted his focus from personal strength to collective, he could imagine the boy would accept that as there was only so much a single person could do... That meant he wanted to help, as well as receive help from Afton.

This wasn't really what he had in mind, but at least Miles was started to introspect on his situation, admitting he was exhausted was the first step after all, and it was very rational to be worried about the looming fight with the NCR.

"What do you want me to do Miles?"

"I want you to help prepare me, Melissa and anyone else who wants to fight against the NCR."

"Why not ask Doran? I'm not a teacher, and am nowhere near qualified enough to teach it." he says, more to excuse himself from having to tutor others.

"You're one of the best Initiates, the teachers have other duties and won't prepare us fast enough."

...

Afton shakes his head, "I'll help you Miles, as I always have, but anymore than that is asking too much, I'm still learning and training, I can't spend that amount of time training others. If you want to do it yourself, then that's up to you."

Miles nods, "That's fine... At least you're trying."

In the end he and Miles worked out a time where he'd tutor Miles in some of the advanced things he knew, tutoring him at the firing range, some basic melee skills, and other things that may be needed.

They'd do this once a week for an hour or two, similarly to the arrangement he Christine and Veronica had. Well, they used to have...

A week after he'd made the arrangement with Miles he left to go meet with Christine and Veronica, only to find Veronica standing there in the room, alone with a worried look on her face. When he entered she turned towards him, "Afton? Have you seen Christine? I haven't seen her all day and can't find her!" she quickly asks, almost panicking.

"Are you sure? Where is she usually?" he asks, trying to remain calm at the rapidly declining situation.

"I've already looked there! I've looked everywhere!... She... She might not even be inside Helios One!" she exclaims as she runs through her thoughts. Veronica quickly turns to him with a determined look, "You stay here and wait to see if she returns... I'm going to look outside for her, we... Have a hidden spot that we'd spend time together in." she says before sprinting out of the room.

Afton tries to follow after her but knows that he'll not be allowed outside due to the NCR becoming more aggressive as time goes on. He starts wandering around the halls in-case Veronica had missed Christine, unfortunately, she wasn't anywhere to be found.

Veronica hadn't even put on her Power armour as she left Helios One, the guards at the door questioned her briefly but she gave a lie about how the Elder had given her permission.

She stayed well away from their usual patrol paths, as the NCR would most likely be monitoring it. Instead she climbed and shimmied around the mountain until she got to an isolated spot... It'd be the perfect overlook for NCR snipers had they been aware, or even able to get to this position. The only way to access it was from the side closest to Helios One, making it impossible for them to get to.

It looked over the facility and all the roads, allowing her to see the distant Gibsons scrapyard and many other places... It was a good spot, Veronica's favourite spot.

She wasn't alone when she finally reached the top however, Christine had her legs dangling off the cliff with a forlorn look on her face, "Christine!" Veronica shouted as grabbed the girl away from the edge, fearing her lover doing something stupid. "I'VE LOOKed EVERWHERE FOR YOU, DO YOU KNOW HOW WORRIED YOU'VE MADE ME!?!"

Christine smiles slightly before her expression returns to a frown, "I'm sorry Veronica, for everything." she says ominously.

...

"What? What do you mean?"

Christine tugs her collar to the side and reveals her holotag, it was a metal border with holographic technology in the middle that displayed her information. One detailed her name, age, and parentage, while the other detailed her rank and experience within the Brotherhood of steel... She unclipped the one holding her personal information and forced it into Veronica's hand. "I want you to have this... To remember me by." she says, her eyes glistening as she attempts to hold back her tears.

Veronica's eyes widen at this, "Remebm-No, you're not going anywhere! You can't leave us all behind, I won't let you!" she says, grabbing Christine possessively, dropping the holotag onto the dirt.

Christine hugs her and they remain silent for a while before she responds, "Then come with me." she says simply.

Veronica slowly exhales through her nose as she thinks about it, "Why, why are you leaving? If something's bothering you I can help, you know I will."

"There's nothing you can do about it, I want to stay but I have no choice..." she says, not explaining the situation further.