[center][h1]Armann Storstrand[/h1]
[img]https://i.imgur.com/slMdT6f.jpg[/img][/center]

The gunshot had interrupted their patrol of the area, just as the trio of gargoyles had taken their leave and headed back to their preferred hunting grounds. Armann for one had just about thought of indulging Maine's desire to take the fight to their enemies, but this gave the rag-tag squad yet another welcome distraction. "Stay sharp." His last command to the group before taking point and rounding the corner to the sight of a rather large group of people in hazmat suits and two in power armor. It wasn't the first of such groups they had come across, but they seemed different in that it was the first time he had seen one of them actually take a shot at the wall.

"It is meant to keep things in."

Easy enough to find the shared comm channel, and moreso to determine that the two accompanying them must have been the leaders of this ill-fated expedition. For a brief moment he considered extending a hand to what was clearly two more Brotherhood soldiers having ventured into the darkness of former New York, but as he started his eyes drifted lower and noticed the sword at the hip of the one at the front. Only one person he had known bore a sword like that, and the spear across their back as well as the faded insignias and carefully maintained armor only confirmed it.

"Swordwind."

[color=ac00e6]"[i]Star-Paladin[/i] Khaliya, if you will Paladin Storstrand."[/color]

Khaliya's response was terse and hard-edged, and from the relatively short distance between them he could see the narrowing of her eyes behind the lenses of her helmet. It was to be expected, their last discussion had not exactly ended on good terms. Jeremiah on the other hand seemed more than happy to have the company, coming forward and shaking his hand before taking turns with the other two.

"Paladin Storstrand, we didn't expect to see you. Elder Maxson said you and your squad were lost in battle not too long after you went out on patrol."

Others had gathered around them, hearing the entire exchange over the shared channel either because Khaliya chose not to switch to a private BoS one, or because she didn't care. At this point, he couldn't quite be sure which.

"I'm sure he did, unlike Khaliya I didn't simply heel to his orders. Suppose I should be thankful at least that we have another of the Pride here and the Swordwind no less. I wonder though, did you slip Maxson's leash and get assigned here as we did?"

Bold words spoken so openly, Prism and Jeremiah both took a step back for their own reasons. The Talon Leader as she had thought two survivors of the Raven Rock Incident might have a little more camaraderie than that, and him for knowing full well what would be coming after such a challenge. A couple others made their own comments, the Legionary trying to communicate in a language vaguely reminiscent of the Brotherhood's various mottos, while Marvin whispered aloud his own thoughts on this very opportune encounter.

[color=ac00e6]"We're not here on Brotherhood business."[/color]

"Very well, we'll discuss that at The Bunker. As for you," Armann stared at Servius for a moment to indicate who he was speaking to, "I have no idea what you just said, so you'll have to try again once we're under shelter. For the rest of you, let's get moving and we can get settled and out of this accursed rain."

Her reply was terse but surprisingly not as hostile as he had expected. Regardless of how he wanted to counter in depth though, the others in her group were quite correct as the black rain was intensifying and already sheets were coming down around them. Armann gave a slight indication to follow, nodding to both Finn and Maine to take up flanking positions and for Jeremiah to take rearguard. Slowly they progressed up the empty street until the bank was there in sight, the outer walls fortified with what they could salvage and Finn could make work.

"Right, decon is right through these double doors. Do not proceed until the machine has finished. We try not to irradiate where we sleep."

And like that they were through. On the other side as they were misted and hit with the UV lights to scour their suits and armor to decontaminate them, a pair of doors opened to the bank proper. Warm lighting filled the interior, string lights for the most part that had been nailed into the walls at various points and the sound of a fusion generator in the basement powering everything before them. It had clearly been lived and worked in for some time, with a few bunk spaces made out for the three Brotherhood who had escorted them here, but others left empty. Not quite empty as Khaliya herself emerged from the decon room, parking her armor in a repair frame and pocketing the fusion core.

Four bunks had tags hanging from the posts, a box on each with belongings that spoke of a life lived and someone who wasn't coming back.

"Khaliya." Storstrand come up to her, nearly a foot taller but sharing the grim expression that she too wore as she saw the cost of their post. "Whenever they're ready, we'll have that talk."