[h3][color=9e0b0f][b]The Pitt - Haven[/b][/color][/h3]

High within the palace of Haven, Marie looked to the hastily assembled war-council before her consisting of Scribe Abbadon, Guard-Captain Harlock, and High-Priestess Lulu. Abbadon had been in constant communication the front along the Ohio and had been relaying back updates from Krenshaw’s forward command center. The line was holding, that much was clear, but for how long was completely unknown. The full complement of the mutant’s force had not yet been deployed, and how much of their strength they were holding in reserves was still very much in question. 

But there was other good news to be had as well, and it was very welcome indeed. 

Abaddon handed her the report, hand delivered from a courier direct from DC - the letterhead stamped with the Enclave’s seal. Marie read through it, unable to contain a small smile spreading across her face as she read through the summarized after-action report. Enclave aircraft had launched a massively successful surprise attack on the southern mutant column, and had dealt them a severe blow.  

“Write back and address Supreme Commander Sutler directly,” Marie told Abbadon as she handed the report back to him, “Thank him for his soldier’s valor and congratulate him on their victory.”

“Of course my lady….” Abbadon replied with a respectful nod, “Though it may be a wasted sentiment.  Sutler cares little for the opinions of anyone he considers non-human. Ourselves included.”

“A blasphemous view…” Lulu added cryptically. 

“Maybe he’ll reconsider his view of humanity now that ten foot tall monsters are beating down his fucking door,” Captain Harlock sneered.

“My father once told me leaders speak in a language no-one else understands…,” Marie offered, folding her hands against the table they were all sitting around, “This is Sutler’s way of extending an olive branch to us, temporary or not, he’s looking for mutual cooperation against a larger threat. He wants an alliance.”

Abaddon rapped his bony fingers against the table, his wrinkled features contorted in annoyance, “The idea of working with The Enclave is…unpleasant…but I do have to admit that their technology is almost unparalleled in the wastes… and having air domination is nothing to sneeze at either.”

Lulu spoke up, the black-haired raider-priestess leaning her skull-topped totem against her shoulder, 

“Lulu has heard tales from among the Children of Atom preachers that were driven out of Enclave territory - coming to The Holy Pitt for Sanctuary. They tell of great persecution at the hands of this…Sutler…any who do not bow to his great temple of old America are made examples of.”

“And how are we any different?” Captain Harlock countered, “Lulu how many of those same preachers did you have tossed in the Allegheny when they first began to arrive?”

A smile wormed across Lulu’s face, “Many. But that was due to…misunderstandings. We believed them to be heretics who denied the Godhood of Our Lady…however they are merely misguided. Like children lost in the dark, they need to be taken by the hand and led to the light…”

“My point,” Harlock interrupted, holding up a hand to prevent the high-priestess from launching into yet another sermon, “Is that The Enclave has their way of keeping control….and we got ours. Besides we’ve been trading steel and slaves with them for how long now? Organizing a proper fucking military response with them seems a completely reasonable step to take.”

“I’m loathe to admit it…but the Captain is right,” Abaddon sighed, “We should meet with Sutler. Formalize some sort of binding treaty to ensure that for however long this war goes on, we can rely on some sort of cooperation between our forces that's in both our interests. I would, however, go one step further…if I may…”

“Go on,” Marie urged, curious where the old scribe was going to go with this. 

“The Enclave should not be the only group we establish formal communication with. Back when I was a member of The Brotherhood of Steel there were rumors of a secret society of scientists up north - a place called ‘The Institute. There was even an instance of their members visiting The Capital Wasteland at one point, traveling to what was then a prominent settlement allied to The Brotherhood.” 

“I’ve heard of em’” Harlock nodded, “We’ve got vassal gangs that used to hit The Commonwealth region - before they were driven out. Always used to talk about them like they were fucking boogeymen.”

“I assure you they are real, and I have a very strong hunch that ex-members of The Brotherhood of Steel are among their ranks now,” Abbadon continued, “Brothers and Sisters who fled following the debacle at Adams Air Force Base.”

Harlock frowned, “And you think they’ll be willing to join in the war?” 

“Do they really have a choice? Any alliance we form with either The Enclave or The Institute will be one of convenience anyway, nothing more, and for right now that needs to be enough for everyone involved.”

Marie stood up from the table, walking over to one of the many windows that looked out over The Pitt and its perpetual amber-hued skyline. Soot and grime crept in from the edges of the windows, forming a cloudy film across it.

She turned back to face her advisors,

“Abbadon, do you know of a way to contact them?”

“Directly? No. I don’t know if anyone in the wasteland does. But I have an idea - if we could get one of the tributary gangs that Harlock mentioned to broadcast a signal…I might be able to pique their interest. There were a number of coded distress signals used by Lyon’s Chapter of The Brotherhood back in DC. I could code one for a request for assistance against a mutant attack on a Brotherhood position - Pittsburgh of course - and sign the transmission with the authorization of a ranking Brotherhood member.”

Harlock raised an eyebrow, “Whose?”

Abbadon smiled, nodding towards Marie, “Paladin Ishmael Ashur of course. I’d use my own…but I didn’t exactly leave the Citadel on good terms, or rather, any terms that don’t involve a wall and a firing squad...probably best just to leave me out of it.”

Harlock sighed, “How do you know if any Brotherhood members in The Institute will even get the damn message?”

“I don’t, but I’d wager The Institute monitors any and all radio transmissions within a hundred miles of Boston…and knows the radio signature of a Brotherhood broadcast all too well. And anyone, or anything, listening in on the frequency that isn’t Eastern Brotherhood isn’t going to have a god-damn clue who’s trying to contact who and why - which, since we’re at war, seems like something we might want to consider, or am I wrong?”

Marie spoke up, halting any further debate,

“Get it done Abaddon and send the reply to Sutler as we agreed, informing him that we wish to meet to discuss joint-action against the mutants. We’ll see where things go from there.”