The Capitol Building

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

When the door from Milliways opens, it opens into a dim and dusty space that smells like still air and old smoke. Things burned here, once; things died here. The scorch marks on some of the walls bear that out, as do the fractures and chip-marks in the tiles of the floor. It takes some blinking and adjusting to the dimness to see the place more

Comments

[themysciradiana]

"Great Hera," Diana says quietly, reaching out to rest her hand ever-so-briefly against a crumbling bit of masonry.

Some things never change, and the ravages of total devastation are among them. But a brief moment of sorrow, of connection, is all that they have time for. Diana turns to look at Ellen.

"How likely is that?"

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

"Probably not that likely. Most of them were concentrating on everything happening at the Capitol end of the Mall," Ellen admits. "On any other day they'd be in and out of here, but..."

Well, on any other day Ellen wouldn't've gone to Milliways to find help. On any other day the Rangers' escape tunnel back to Seward Square wouldn't've collapsed and left no choice but to try and push through the Capitol somehow.

[takiena_called]

Finn doesn't have the context to appreciate the level of devastation, but he does briefly look at Diana with a quick shred of concern.

He glances back to Ellen, curious. She's the one who knows where everything is right now, and he doesn't actually have anything to add to the conversation (though he does have a new sword for this trip that he's pretty happy with).

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

"The outer door's not far," Ellen says. "We're on the northeastern side of the Mall. It's all one huge fortified trench system, like I mentioned back in Milliways. Cross will signal us if she sees any danger- we should be able to get down the stairs otherwise and start heading in the right direction."

She rubs at the back of her neck with one hand briefly.

"I'm ready when you are, so..."

[takiena_called]

"I'm ready," Finn pipes up, amused. "I'll be splitting off from you guys pretty soon, though," he reminds them; he doesn't really fight in groups. Even when maybe he really ought to.

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

Ellen nods. "We'll keep an eye out for you anyway," she promises. She's a lot more accepting of Milliwaysers' claims of being able to fight alone ever since she met John-117. "Let's go, then."

The door opens onto the shadows of Greek Revival architecture; this is, after all, the National Archives building, and the front face is all pillars and broad marble steps. That may very well be what's kept it recognizable all this time. The buildings that were merely concrete and brick, scattered all around the area, have long since started to come apart under the assaults of time and combat. The ones sheathed in stone are... well, not whole, but certainly more viable despite what happened here so long ago. In the distance, the sound of gunfire can be heard, as can the sound of other, more exotic weapons.

There are, however, more immediate concerns. The most notable is the tall, armored figure who steps out of the shadows, the butt of some hefty melee weapon visible over one pauldroned shoulder, the squared-off outline of a laser rifle in its

[themysciradiana]

"Star Paladin Cross," Diana says, not bothering to make it a question. There is no sign in her expression that anything about this hearkens back to Paradise Island after the OMACs were through with it.

"Is there anything else we need to know before we begin?"

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

"The mutants haven't noticed us primarily because of the Enclave," Cross says. "I counted four or five Enclave in power armor still standing. The others may have gotten into the building already. They have a Vertibird on the ground. More importantly, they brought a Deathclaw with them. It's obeying their officers' orders."

[takiena_called]

Finn glances up at Cross in quick acknowledgement, listening to her as he peers--peers is the right word; the look is not so much assessing as curious--at the area spread below them.

(The sounds aren't any of them foreign to him, so he doesn't take time to classify what they might be.)

There are some turrets on the ground, above the trenches, with large mutants manning them. He glances back to Cross. "What's going on down there?"

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

"Mutants holding the line," says Cross. "The Mall's their territory, as far as they're concerned. For every mutant you see out there, there's at least another three in the trenches, just waiting for the first sign of someone foolish enough to think they're safe."

[takiena_called]

Finn grins.

"Do you guys need me for anything?" he asks, glancing back at Ellen and Diana, "Or should I go check it out?"

He doesn't seem to notice it, but his foot is tapping with excited energy.

[themysciradiana]

"Don't let us keep you," Diana says mildly.

"But don't be so eager that you forget yourself, either."

It is a caution that most warriors need at one time or another.

It is not even limited to the very young.

[takiena_called]

There's a flash of amusement at that, but he nods his head slightly in acknowledgement to Diana.

It's good advice!

He glances to the others.

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

Cross inclines her head in Ellen's direction, murmuring something too low to hear. Ellen glances up at the Mall, then back to Cross. "We could use another set of eyes," she says, and then turns to Finn. "Go ahead. Be careful- it's nasty down there. We'll rendezvous when it's all over..."

[takiena_called]

"Up here?" he asks, and at the confirmation continues: "I'll be here when it's done."

If they notice--if they're looking, and they're busy so why should they?--as he heads down and to the right, his stride starts shifting from that of a confident but lanky teenager to something smoother and not necessarily constrained by his current musculature. He's surprisingly good at skiving past the bullets of the guards, though there are a few close calls.

(If he starts laughing about when his awesome new sword bursts into flames, well... it's awesome. And he's just about out of hearing distance, anyways.)

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

Ellen watches him go, but only for a moment. Then she squares her shoulders and turns east, towards the gouged-out, half-domed remains of the Capitol Building. The steps are visible from here, with figures scrambling every which way, some dark-armored, some huge and green. Now and then a flash of something pinkish-tan can be seen, lunging among the others, spewing blood everywhere it goes. Off to the left side of the steps squats a silver-grey beast of an aircraft with the rotors of its engines stilled and pointing upward.

"The Enclave's the armored ones," Ellen murmurs. "I don't know why they're here, but I can guess."

"If there's anywhere other than Vault-Tec headquarters that would have the location of a GECK still hidden away somewhere," Cross adds, "it'd be here. And if they find that, the Wasteland is almost certainly doomed."

Ellen swallows and unslings the bulky, tube-girdled rifle from her back; the barrel begins to glow green.