John got up from the stool and, removing his sunglasses, stared into the microscope. He watched as the disease worked through the sample. He observed closely, noting that it appeared to be destroying all of the white blood cells.

"Well, I will admit that it does bear a similarity to something I have encountered before." John thought back to his time before the war. He remembered what the plague had done and how it worked it's way through the bloodstream, feeding on the white blood cells in it's host. He remembered that they were at a point where they had thought they had a cure for it. Unfortunately, they were never able to test their theories. The bombs fell and the plague was wiped out, along with a large portion of humanity.

"I don't know how your history is, but before the war, there was a plague outbreak. Although there are differences, this does bear a slight similarity to that." John lifted his head and replaced his sunglasses.

"You know, I think I need to have a talk with our host." John turned and exited the tent. As he walked towards Aston's tent, the guards eyed him suspiciously. Walking through the flap of the tent, he saw Shun engaged in conversation with Aston. As he entered, Aston's personal guard, eyed him suspiciously and trained his rifle on him. John reached down to his belt, and using two fingers, removed his laser pistol and placed it on the table.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but I think now would be a very good time for us to have that talk." Anger was in his eyes, still hidden by the glasses, but his tone was devoid of any emotion.

Aston looked down at the weapon on the table, he was confident in Francis' ability to protect him and trusted Clarke not to do anything rash. The look of in Clarke's eyes was a veritable cocktail of emotions, anger, hate, contempt. Aston reached over and put the laser pistol into his top draw before letting out a deep sigh and beginning to speak, his voice betraying how tired he was, he hadn't slept for nearly a week.

" You know that my door is open to you at all times. Do you have any concerns about combating the virus, equipment you need? test subjects? I'm all ears."

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wanted it to be longer but I have about three more minutes before I have to go to work so I'll pad it out later

John took off his glasses and glared at Aston. He had to resist the urge to yell at Aston. Right now, more than anything, John needed to remain calm. He still had a small amount of hope that he could reason with the Doctor. Though for some reason, he doubted it. In order to reason with this man, John would have to appeal to his sense of ethics and morals. Something John was pretty sure that Aston was lacking in. At this point, John was ashamed in what Aston's interpretation of being a doctor was.

"No. For the moment, we appear to have everything we need. Including test subjects, thanks to you." John sneered at Aston and took a breath before continuing.

"What I would like to know, is what gives you the [censored] right to call yourself a doctor? You obviously have no regard for the well being of those you have supposedly committed your life to serving." John paused for a moment, hoping his next words wouldn't be lost on Aston.

"When I became a doctor, I had to take an oath. One I have spent my entire life to uphold. It's an oath that has a great deal of meaning for me and it is how I have chosen to live my life. Now I come here because of a chance to work with a brilliant doctor, only to find out that he has taken that oath and distorted it to his own purposes." John reached into his pocket and removed a small piece of paper. Passing it to Aston, he continued.

"On this paper is the Hippocratic Oath. I do hope you will take the time to read it. These are the words that every person who has chosen to be a doctor should live by. Being a doctor is not a job, it's a calling. One that I am starting to wonder if you are actually suited for." John paused again and put his sunglasses back on.

"Now, there are two things that I would like before I get back to work. The first, apart form the return of my weapon, is all the information you have already collected on the disease, including the knowledge of what you actually plan to do with it. You see I have a fear that you may be planning to weaponize it in some way, and that is something I will not be a part of." John paused again. He was starting to find it difficult to keep from losing his temper, and had to admit, that he did feel a slight urge to inflict harm on this man. Something which went against everything he stood for.

"The second thing that I would like, is that when this is all over, that you never contact me again. I am very ashamed to admit that I know you right now and will NEVER work with you again." John had finished his speech now. He looked around the tent and felt his concern starting to rise again.

"And by the way, what happened to the other doctor. The female ghoul. You left the lab with her earlier and she hasn't returned. What have you done with her." John was fearful that he already knew what the answer was. Still he wanted to hear Aston say it.

Aston smirked through Clarke's, self righteous speech and pulled out the laser pistol from his drawer, not handing it back but toying with it as he thought through how he would reply to Clarke's emotional outburst. Eventualy he leaned froward on his chair before asking Francis to wait outside. He leaned froward as close as he could get to Clarke before speaking.

" I have the right to call myself a doctor becasue I have beaten back every disease in my path, I have saved this wasteland more times than the so called Brotherhood Of Steel and the Lone Wanderer combined. I have seen this oath and I respect those that follow it but if I stick to the guidelines that it lays down then we are all set for a fate far worse than the one you invision. In times of need morality must be put aside for the greater good, the needs of the many outway the needs of the few, and other endless cliches. "

Aston paused before going over to the cupboard in the corner and pouring himself a glass of vodka, he then walked over to his bookshelf and pulled out a folder while downing his glass with one mouthfull. He casualy tossed the folder to Clarke. On the folder was a stamp mark detailing EU in bold red letters.

" You asked if the virus was to be weaponised, the truth is it alreadey has but not by us. We have been ignorant to the world Clarke, ignorant to the burnt husk of a planet we thought to be devoid of life apart from us but over the waves life remained. In London they survived, In Paris they held out resiliant, in Venice the canols ran red with blood but people remained, all over Europe life in its barest form struggled to sustain itself. Over time they rebuilt in Cardiff, a city fortified beyond measure readey to take the world as thier stomping ground. They sent spys, spys carrying dart guns filled with MAD. This is what we fight agianst."

Aston paused to get himself another drink before continueing " You should not be so quick to judge me, do you think it was my choice to infect you? do you think I did not fight tooth and nail so that you could work un-impeeded? The unified government felt that it held two benifits, one that it would give you an added incetive to work harder and two that if we failed that the wasteland would never hear of our failure and not begin to doubt the governments ability to protect its citizens. If you must know I myself am one week and two days into the incubation period."

Aston took a breath before carrying on. " Taya was an unfortunate case, she was given a different cocktail of chemichals designed to create an enzyme against the virus. We chose her for this unsurviveable role because she was un-beknownst to her in the latter stages of terminal lung infection. Unfortuantely the enzyme did not materialize and her death was without the martyrdom we invisioned for her. As for not ocntacting you in the future should we both survive, I will belatedly follow your wish, although it is a shame we could not meet in more forgiving circumstances."

Aston handed Clarke his laser pistol back to him. " I trust you will not shoot me while I still have work to do. Tell none of the others about Europe.

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the plot thickens

Ru felt like he was shewed out of their way too fast. Aston's behavior really suprised him. They were friends after all, or at least thats how Ru saw themselves as. He learned practically everything he knows regarding science from Aston. Hell, Ru met Aston at the age of ten. Still, Ru was aware that Aston could shut out most things when he's working.

"Damn! I didn't get the chance to say [censored]. What the [censored] does he mean by "contamination"? Whats contaminated? What does he want me to do? Ahhhh! [censored] IT!!! I need answers!"

Ru started storming back to the tent, and gave the Enclave soldier that tried to stop him the middle finger as he strut passed him. Just as he was ready to crash the little meeting they were having inside, John came out of the tent looking just as pissed as he did when he entered. He was holding some files, but Ru couldn't be bothered by that now.

"OKAY! Aston, we've been down this road before man! You get too absorbed in your [censored], and you shut down to other people. The only way I can get through to you long enough is to act like a total [censored]." Aston looked rather suprised by Ru's outburst. He obviously didn't get through sorting his thoughts from his last discussion.

"Look! I appreciate the pressure you're in, I REALLY DO! But I want to know why half the people here want to string you up! We have infected people wandering around outside the base, and dropping dead. Half the guards dont have the proper equipment to deal with the infected. Where the [censored] are our gas masks!? And what the [censored] do you mean by CONTAMINATION!!!! Good God!!! I trust you with my life, I really do, but I need you to show me enough respect to help me get my job done! We made a great team during that cholera epidemic in Rivet City, but we were honest with eachother then. I DONT expect you to tell me everything, but Jesus! I'm a day late and everything looks like its gone to [censored]! Help me to help you!"

John took the pistol from Aston. Holding it in his hand for a moment, he smiled and jammed it into Aston's temple. Even though it was on the stun setting, it would still kill him at this close range, John observed Aston's face for a moment and noticed a small amount of sweat appear on his brow.

"You claim to be serving the greater good. It is unfortunate that the greater good cannot be truly served by an act of evil." John continued to smile and jammed the pistol harder into Aston's temple.

"Many have come before you and have committed atrocities in the name of the greater good. Killing and torturing with no regard for life. I have seen it many times, and no matter the end result, those people were nothing more than murderers. They didn't deserve to live, and neither do you." John tensed up and inhaled as he pulled the trigger.

The gun made a clicking sound, instead of firing the bolt into Aston's head; something which would surely have killed him. John removed the weapon from Aston's head, and disengaging the safety, replaced it back in it's holster.

"Unlike you, I do not feel it is my place to judge who is worthy of life or deserving of death. I have been practicing medicine for more than two centuries and have never once taken a human life, be it in self defence or to further medical science." John's tone was harsh and he continued to smile.

"There is one thing you should know. I firmly believe in every aspect of my oath. Including the part about not conducting research on an unwilling subject. Had you had the balls to stand up to your superiors and just asked me to be a guinea pig, I would have done so willingly. I do not fear death and would gladly give my own life to save another. But then I guess that's the difference between you and I. I have a conscience and a moral compass." John stopped talking and, picking up the file folder, turned and walked to the door of the tent. As he was about to leave, he turned back to Aston.

"And as for staying silent about Europe, my silence comes with a price. I will do as you ask and in exchange, you will not perform anymore tests on anybody else unless they consent to it. Although, I must admit that having a live test subject infected with the disease at a later stage of incubation would be useful. As such, I think you should be that test subject. It seems only fitting after all. And also if you would be so kind, I will take a sample of the enzyme you have created. You can have Shun bring it to the lab at your earliest convenience." John was still smiling and his tone was unchanged.

"Oh and one more thing. You speak to me of your accomplishments. Believe me, I am well aware of what you have done in the past. Quite frankly it was one of the reasons I came here. Your reputation precedes you Aston and to be perfectly honest I was looking forward to working closely with you. Hell I was even thinking that when this was over I would stay in the Capital Wasteland and we could be colleagues." John now reached into his pocket and removed an envelope and let it drop to the ground.

"You said in that letter, that I was part of what inspired you to become a doctor. If that is indeed the case, I can only hope that there is some shred of decency and humanity left inside of you. And maybe, just maybe, you will see that the things I have said are true. If we cannot stand up to those in power and prevent them from making the mistakes of the past, history will repeat itself. And I highly doubt that this world will be able to withstand another war." John stared down at the floor for a moment before continuing.

"You know, I believe people can be redeemed for the mistakes they have made. Anyone can be forgiven. When all this is over, I think it will be time for me to return home. If you can find your conscience and remember the real reason that you became a doctor, perhaps you could come with me. I have heard that Toronto is in a rebuilding stage, and they need good doctors. I only hope that that is what you truly are." With that, John walked out of the tent and returned to the lab.