Lyons

Ellen was doing her best to listen carefully, she really was. But between the unfamiliarity of Elder Lyons' office, the uncomfortable chair, the constant coming and going of Brotherhood soldiers and scribes, and the few scraps of sleep she'd managed to snatch the night before, she was lucky to folllow even half of what she was being told. Only the relative familiarity of one word snapped her back to full focus; she blinked at Lyons a moment before the rest of the sentence made sense. "A GECK," she said slowly. "They can't operate Dad's purifier without a GECK?"

Lyons nodded, his lined face grave. "So Dr. Li assures me," he said, gloved hands interlacing in front of him. "At least, according to your father's last words to her."

That was the sort of thing you didn't forget. Ellen nodded slowly. "I... okay," she said. "So they're stuck, then? It's useless to them?"

"I only wish it were." One hand stroked his short grey beard. "For all that the Enclave's leadership was cast down decades ago, they still retain considerable manpower. And, unfortunately, they've dedicated a great deal of it to this area. Our reports, such as they are, indicate that Enclave patrols are already being sent out to scour the Wasteland. Most likely, in search of a GECK."

Ellen's stomach twisted. Linden's words were echoing in her head, about the Enclave's virus, their plans for everything mutated they could reach. If they got the purifier working, and people started turning to them- if they still had the virus-

"Which is why," Elder Lyons' voice interrupted, "you are going to have to find it first."

"Me?" Ellen squeaked. "What?"

"I'm sorry, Miss Park. More sorry than I can possibly say. I would not ordinarily ask this of someone not of our Brotherhood, but..." He sighed, a lifetime of God alone knew how much responsibility showing in the lines of his face. "Someone must find that GECK, and swiftly. Any mass effort on the Brotherhood's part will only draw the Enclave's attention. Our forces must be ready to move against them in full strength as soon as the GECK has been secured for installation."

Ellen's mouth felt as bitter-dry as the morning after a sickness. "So I have to do the finding," she said slowly. "Alone."

For the first time in the conversation, Lyons' expression gave just a hint of brightening. "Well," he said, "not entirely alone. One traveler in power armor is hardly likely to draw Enclave attention to you. And it so happens that I've had a volunteer already. One who knows you."

She blinked. "Um," she said. "Who? Kodiak? ... Hoss?"

Lyons shook his head. "No, Paladin Kodiak is among my daughter's elite squad," he said. "And Paladin Hoss remains in the field. Perhaps I spoke a little imprecisely. Star Paladin Cross knew your father better than you." He gave a faint smile. "You were only a few days old at the time, after all."

( "Ah, I remember it well- you stayed in my saloon, after all. Your father, his Brotherhood of Steel friend, and you, the suckling babe with nary a tit to suckle." )

"May I suggest the two of you begin by speaking to Scribe Rothchild? If you can tear him away from his work on Liberty Prime, that is," said Lyons. "I think you'll find his information of use..."