Level 21 (2 Perk points floating)
S-3 Armorer 1,
P-(+)10 Rifleman 1, Locksmith 3
E-2
C-6 Lady Killer 1, Local Leader 2
I-6 Gun Nut 1, Hacker 2, Science 1
A-(+)6 Gunslinger 2, Action Boy 2
L-3
(Astoundingly Awesome 8, Barbarian 4, Covert Operations, Junktown Vendor 2, Tesla Science, Wasteland Survival 9)

I wake up before dawn and check the place out a bit, starting with the terminal. They certainly seem friendly and welcoming, though things in the wasteland aren’t always what they appear to be. I decide to suit up in my power armor and go investigate the caravan remnants before returning to ask around.

The caravan I spoke with last night is also heading out early, safe and sound. I decide to walk with them a ways to see if anything goes wrong. I leave them at the crossroads and head towards the caravan attack site. Oddly, there are still valuables on the bodies. Deezer’s lemonade on one body confirms they definitely stopped in Covenant. I return to find out more.

As I step out of my power armor, I hear two people talking. One lady is telling another to get something ready for the caravans. She protests that she’s supposed to be working on the.. other project.. but then agrees. I approach the hesitant one, Talia. She initially says she’s not supposed to talk to me… because she’s busy. But I talk to her again and she’s friendly enough, if a bit skittish. I press my luck and ask questions about the missing caravan. She’s awfully quick to say they never came here. When I bring up their synth paranoia, she says the test is supposed to make sure the synths don’t get in, “they” promised. Asking who “they” is shuts down the conversation.

None of the settlers are very talkative, except Jacob Orden, who apparently runs the town. He is quite friendly, even when I start asking questions. He deflects with humor and charm like a skilled politician. Right off the bat he seeks to discredit Dan before I even start my questions, but in a polite way. He doesn’t even react overly harshly when I mention Dan said they were lying.

Piper actually approaches Deezer on her own and carries on a conversation about his lemonade while I’m walking away. I’m actually kind of amazed by it. I never expected followers to do things on their own other than maybe sit down on nearby chairs. I approach to see if I can get some more information from the robot, but sadly no.

I head to a house that’s been converted into a makeshift jail. The seeming sheriff won’t engage in conversation, just keeps talking about his various laws every time I try. But he leaves and I’m alone in the room briefly. I ordinarily wouldn’t hack this terminal, but given the circumstances. It’s my first master terminal, and I upgrade my perks so I can hack it. There’s a draft of some report about a fisherman who has set up near their “compound” and discussing what to do about it.

There’s also what appears to be a list of the town’s citizen and whether there are any concerns about each in terms of supporting their “mission” whatever that is. Ms. Fitzgerald’s report shows many concerns, particularly about warning folks about synths, badmouthing other settlements, and mentioning the Institute. Why would those be concerns? Is this an Institute plot I’m unearthing?

Mr. Huntley’s antisocial behaviors have been noted, but he doesn’t look like as good a way in as Ms. Fitzgerald. Talia McGovern, who I spoke to, has a file that mentions her nervousness, and also compassion as a potential problem. That doesn’t sound good. Everyone, even the doctor, seems to be in on whatever they are plotting. But a man named Swanson seems to be working directly for the compound as they perform some sort of “test” but for what?

Ms. Fitzgerald is cagey at first when I bring up the compound, but when I switch conversation to Dan and the caravan she starts chatting. She’s angry with him, so I butter her up and encourage her and she mentions the compound and making the Commonwealth a safer place, and if they did attack his caravan they did so with good reason.
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That’s all I need. I tell Dan what I’ve found out and he agrees to meet me at the compound entrance. I decide to talk to mayor Orden one more time before I leave. He blatantly offers a bribe of 100 caps for me to stop the investigation, and I’d be welcome back any time. I don’t want anything to do with his creepy town if that’s how he’s going to be, but I’m a charismatic person so I try to persuade him of a compromise. He says he’ll let the compound know I’m coming and I can make my case to them. Looks like I may finally be able to solve something entirely through diplomacy. But I’m taking my power armor to the area just in case.

It’s a rainy afternoon as I skirt the lake over to Mystic Pines, near where the Compound’s entrance supposedly is. I run into some mirelurks so I decide to skirt a little wider. Over some sewer pipes where the entrance is, I find two skeletons, one in a wheelchair. Someone has lit candles nearby. It’s equal parts creepy and touching.

I dive into the irradiated water and swim to the sewer entrance. I find Dan inside. He says some people are up ahead and he’ll follow my lead. I leave my power armor (making sure to save in case something catastrophic happens) and move ahead in my sharpest suit. My Charisma is 10 in my current outfit. A notification says Piper idolizes me now. Wow, I guess switching to the pin-striped suit was the right call.

I try to walk quickly up the ramp towards the guards up ahead. That’s the wrong move, and they attack. I reload my save and try walking in the spotlight to the main guy but staying on the floor below. I convince him I’m just here for the job and this doesn’t have to get ugly so he takes me back. This place is a lot dirtier than I expected given how clean Covenant is. They are “questioning” a subject, (or as Dan says, torture) and Manny, my escort asks why they aren’t done. The doctor says he’s just reviewing data on question 4. I move on for now, but I know I could pick the lock and save whoever is in there later if need be. Piper’s going to get a great story here if we make it out.

We come to a bridge and Manny calls across for them to extend it. I make note of that feature in case we have to fight our way out. Honestly, this is the way to go whether you intend diplomacy or not. I’m getting walked past all the defenses and taking note of them as I go. Finally, I get to the person in charge, Doctor Chambers, who suggests that Amelia, Stockton’s daughter, is actually a synth.

Apparently they found Amelia to be over 70% likely to be a synth and that’s why they attacked the caravan. Dr. Chambers had family who were attacked by a synth and that’s why she’s doing this. In fact, she was a child whose parents were killed back in the Diamond City massacre I read about in Piper’s paper. Apparently some synths are medically impossible to detect without an autopsy, but there is a psychological test. Shades of Asimov. Apparently “autopsies have shown the test is improving” which sounds unethical to say the least. That clearly means they’ve had false positives, and that means murdering innocents. Apparently that is acceptable to these folks, and the clinical manner they go about it is disturbing.

The doctor offers me a deal, to leave her to her work and she will pay me more than the reward I’ve been offered. I think the Institute is dangerous, and a test to find synths would be beneficial. Her goals are worthwhile, but her methods are deplorable. I can’t just leave Amelia to die if there’s even a slight chance she’s human. This is a classic video game moral dilemma: unsettling but offering more for the “evil” option. Doctor Chambers refuses to let us leave with Amelia. This might get ugly after all. I was really banking on a persuasion option here. So far this game has given me very little opportunity to handle things peacefully. Looking around online, I see that even choosing to take the deal will lead in a fight with Dan. There is no way to settle this without blood, and while I expect that to typically be the case it would be refreshing to see a peaceful resolution possible from time to time.

I handle the sudden fight remarkably well for a man in a nice suit, but I take the time to armor up. I check the nearby terminal, which reveals more about the Compounds plans and their use of Covenant to collect data and their orders to temporarily stand down after grabbing the last caravan too close to Covenant and attracting attention. Also apparently someone named Boyd is their next suspect. I unlock all the cells. The more distractions the better if we want to get out of here.

I speak with Dan. He takes the girl and leaves. Well thanks, Dan. Not like I could use your help against all these probably angry soldiers or anything. How is he even going to get out anyway? What does he have a Stealth Boy? Actually, I have like 5 Stealth Boys… I consider that option. In the meantime, since no one’s coming back here right now, I use the nearby chemistry station to cook up some drugs. I might need them. In the process, I level up, so that’s good.

I get into a firefight at the door, but it’s nothing a stimpac won’t cure. Further down I see Dan actually did kill some folks on his way out. I debate whether to just follow his trail, or take the whole place out. Moral quandry both ways. If I leave any alive, I know there are other doctors that might end up carrying on the pursuit (even if they aren’t as fanatical as Dr. Chambers). On the other hand, if I kill them all would I just be killing misguided but well-intentioned people out of spite?

I find myself by where the other doctor was torturing someone. I figure I’ll kill him just to be safe. I sneak up, unlock the door and kill the guard, hoping the doc might talk so I can see if I should spare him. Doctor Blythe pulls on me so I have to kill him. There’s a holotape on his desk. I play the tape. It’s a recording of the torture and questioning. The man doesn’t sound like a synth at all, just… scared. I feel justified.

There are guards up ahead I’m forced to fight, but at least it seems Dan has reprogrammed the turret here. Good on him. Resourceful guy, that Honest Dan. I reach my power armor, pop the fusion core back in and head out. It’s evening by now. While trying to make sure Piper is getting out of the water, I spot a fisherman, likely the one mentioned by the terminal in Covenant. I approach, but he doesn’t seem to want to talk, so I move on.

Not sure Covenant would be the safest place for me to sleep tonight, but Mystic Pines is just at the top of the hill. Piper sits down in the reception area and I decide to unwind and try to talk to her. She asks if I have a minute. She thanks me for the advice I gave her about the importance of family. She goes on to talk about how much she appreciates me putting up with her, that many people don’t give her that chance because she’s nosy, but she’s just trying to right the wrongs she sees. Apparently her paper changed things for the better, but people stopped wanting to talk or confide in her. After this heart to heart I select the romance option, and it’s successful. She admits she has feelings for me and asks why I would want to be with her. I tell her she doesn’t have to be perfect. I get a message that I’ve reached the highest level of affinity with her and have the Gift of Gab perk (which gives me a sweet double XP for speech challenges and discovering new locations). I’m also given the message that sleeping with a romanced companion nearby will give me the Lover’s Embrace perk temporarily. Nothing more romantic than a nursing home full of corpses…