Disclaimer: This story is written using the setting and the characters of Bethesada's Fallout franchise, and as such, they all belong to Bethesada. Original characters, fictional locations, and such are all entirely made up and any resemblance to other people/places is purely coincidental. If you find a reason to sue me, proceed. Just be warned, I'm virtually penniless and have a cute little puppy that relies on me for food and a warm place to sleep. A puppy, people. Don't be cruel.
BRAVE NEW WORLD
Chapter 7 - Preparations
"That we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain, that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom, and
that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the Earth."
- Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States
Two weeks after picking up Danse and arriving in Lexington, Nate slumped back in the recliner in his personal quarters, or at least the room they had provided him at the local hotel.
He remembered this place. It had been a rough job, clearing out the Lexington Apartments of all the raiders occupying it. But he was glad to see some enterprising merchant had seen the value in fixing up the Apartments and repurposing it into a hotel. Given how many people came through Lexington, he had no doubt the bastard had long since made back what he had spent on renovations.
Sighing, the Sole Survivor poured himself some brandy in the empty glass beside his recliner.
There were several books on top of the table where his glass was, the top one's faded cover spelling out Moby Dick, though the bookmark in it showed he was nearly done with the book.
There wouldn't be any reading tonight, though. At least not unless there were yet more reports or other official documents. The General downed the contents of his glass then after swishing it around his mouth. It had been a very busy two weeks, after all. And it was only going to be even busier from now on.
Eamon Hollis, the young Captain, was busy assembling the Minutemen for the expedition ahead of them, going over all the records and determining the best available personnel alongside Ronnie Shaw, who was providing advice on who to bring in and who to leave behind.
The original plan had been for him to bring six hundred of their best with him, but arguments from all directions, from Colonel Preston Garvey and the others to John Hancock and Danny Sullivan and the rest, every influential person in the Commonwealth really, had changed things somewhat.
Instead, Nathaniel would be commanding a force of a thousand Minutemen, two hundred of MacCready's finest snipers and scouts, another hundred and fifty of Protector Ingram's Brotherhood Outcasts, six hundred of the best and the brightest from among the volunteers that had come pouring into Lexington.
They hadn't turned away any of the volunteers, actually. Beyond the six hundred that had been handpicked for the General's campaign, the remainder had agreed to sign up as reservists for the Minutemen, to participate in their training and earn the duster, before returning to their homes, free to carry on as civilians but swearing to answer the call if they were ever needed at a minute's notice.
That was at least one bonus in this whole campaign. Even with the Minutemen at half their strength throughout the Commonwealth, they would have reserves to call on, along with every settlement in the Commonwealth promising to provide support with their own town guards and security forces.
It was truly heartwarming, though. Seeing the volunteers standing and drilling together with the Minutemen, their numbers being divided into companies of their own, each company with a veteran Minuteman as their Captain and experienced Minutemen officers staffing them.
In a way, Nate had managed to solve one of his major problems. This way, he could train the volunteers in Minuteman discipline and tactics, while his veterans were getting the leadership experience they needed in commanding other men.
This way, he was training up his officer corps.
But that wasn't the real problem. No, it was the fucking Super Mutants.
He had expected fifty of them, maybe a hundred. Instead, far more of them had come. Near three hundred, maybe. Nate didn't know if it was that Strong had simply been especially persuasive, had simply threatened to kill them himself if they didn't come, or they had simply wanted to come along and kill as many people as possible.
Probably a combination of all three, along with ten other idiotic reasons that makes sense only to a Super Mutant.
And on top of it all, the Super Mutant leading the Super Mutants was already proving to be even more problematic than the rest of his kind.
Strong had sent him a simple message, written in his own hand, however crudely.
'Strong hopes Stronk dies.'
That had left them in confusion until they had met Stronk, an enormous mountain of a Super Mutant, practically on the verge of being considered a Behemoth. The Outcasts had damn near turned the heart of Lexington into a killing field, and the Super Mutants were every bit as raring to have a go at the Outcasts.
Nathaniel couldn't have told you which one of the two were bigger idiots.
Thankfully, through the combined efforts of Lieutenant Danse, Mayor John Hancock, and the Super Mutants' own Stronk, a disaster was averted.
The Super Mutants were redirected to Rocky Narrows Park, though Stronk and two of his fellow Mutants stayed behind in Lexington. And the Outcasts were rewarded with a double reprimanding by both the General of the Minutemen and the Protector of the Outcasts.
"Fucking hell..." Nate groaned as he refilled his glass.
Aside from the Stronk debacle, everything else had been pretty smooth.
The Brotherhood Outcasts' detachment, those that had been assigned to participate in the procession, had been stationed behind the Super Duper Market. The mercenaries of the Free Militia, on MacCready's orders, were camped around Mystic Pines and Mass Gravel & Sand. The volunteer companies, west of Lexington, just between the Assembly Plant and Jalbert Brothers Disposal. The rest of the Minutemen were still pouring in, forming new squads and establishing new companies, establishing their own camps all around Lexington, with orders to serve as a buffer zone in between all the various groups.
All the while, representatives from every single settlement, every faction, every group with a say in the Commonwealth, had arrived in town to find out about what was happening.
The chief members of the alliance were all represented. Danny Sullivan of Diamond City. John Hancock of Goodneighbor. Alicia Kessler of Bunker Hill. Marcy Long of Quincy. And Ephraim Hayes of Lexington.
Beyond that... Sanctuary Hills, Abernathy Farm, Tenpines Bluff, Concord, Sunshine Tidings, Breakheart Banks and Lynn Woods. Greentop Nursery and the Slog, Taffington, West Everett, Salem, Finch Farm, Nahant Wharf, Nordhagen, County Crossing, College Square, Beantown, Weston, Fiddler's Green, Forest Grove, Vault 81, Trinity Plaza, Fairline Hills, Egret Tours, Jamaica Plains, Somerville Heights, and Warwick.
There were even people from the Atom Cats, the Combat Zone, Croup Manor, Mahkra Town, Drumlin Crossroads...
Along with representatives from some of the last remaining cities to hold out, having never officially joined the Commonwealth alliance, something they saw as sacrificing their freedoms and independences in exchange for Minuteman protection. Instead, they paid and relied on the Free Militia for all their security.
Malden in the northeast, East Boston in the east, and Norfolk County in the south, though the real problem was Roxbury.
Adrian Hargraves himself, the Governor of Roxbury, had caused a commotion when he turned up in Lexington as well.
Just another problem for the Sole Survivor to deal with, he supposed.
There came a knock at the door before it creaked open, Danse popping his head in. "Sir, everyone's ready."
Nathaniel nodded as he got out of his recliner. It was a nice break while it lasted, he sighed as he thought to himself. "All right then, Danse. Let's go."
The two made their way down Lexington Apartments and through the streets of Lexington, toward one of the buildings they had decided to use for the growing gathering of civilians, representatives, and soldiers.
At the very least, Nate was happy to notice, Danse was fitting in nicely enough. While some had been angry and some were even vocal about their displeasure, most of the people were simply surprised to see Danse joining their ranks as the General's chief of staff.
Though Nate suspected that this, along with the Super Mutants issue, was why they were forcing an extra four hundred Minutemen on him, just to keep his ass protected. It was ridiculous to begin with but he didn't see any point in arguing against everyone.
Besides, another four hundred guns wasn't something he would have really turned down, not when he would need every single one he could get.
It took the pair some time but they eventually made their way into the large room. There were dozens of tables all over, along with hundreds of chairs and couches and seats everywhere. Over the loud chattering and shouting, it took the Minutemen some time to quieten everyone down enough for them to notice the savior of the Commonwealth had finally arrived.
Amidst loud applause and cheering, Nathaniel made his way through the hall and up the stairs onto a makeshift stage Teagan's specialists had taken the time to build. Makeshift but sturdy as hell.
He gestured for everyone to quiet down once more. "Thank you, everyone. I'm glad to see you all made it here." The General smiled. Behind him, the chief architects of the gathering, the five people he had handpicked to run in the election, were all sitting down in their chairs, listening as Nate spoke. "It's been a long time since I've seen all of us together in the same place. Too damn long, by my thinking, really." There were scattered agreements. "Now, I'm sure many of you... Scratch that, I'm sure all of you are wondering what the hell's going on." Louder murmur and agreement.
The General smiled again, nodding to himself. "Yeah, I know you're wondering that, wondering what we've got planned now. First of all... It's been eight years since this alliance started. Eight years since the Institute. Seven, since the Brotherhood War. And we've had plenty of peace. Plenty of victories. We've made the Commonwealth safer. Worked together for her prosperity. For her rebuilding. For her future. And from where I'm standing, the future's looking good."
More applause and cheers. Nate nodded again. "We've labored tirelessly to make that future a reality. And I'm proud to say this... That future is nearly here."
"But!" The General went on quickly, before anyone could applaud again. "There are those who continue to stand in our way." His eyes passed over where he had seen the Governor of Roxbury recently, noting that the man was staring daggers back at him. No doubt the bastard thought he was talking about him.
"The Commonwealth is at peace now, but there are enemies outside her borders! Enemies who mean to destroy everything we've worked for! Because to them, we are the real danger. To them, we are a threat to their way of life. If we succeed here, their way of life is obsolete. If we succeed here, they have no place in our new world." He looked around the room then, feeling every single pair of eyes on him alone. "Our Director of Intelligence, Jonah Monroe, brought a report to us recently. It said that the Gunners are preparing for a new campaign in the Commonwealth. They're looking to come back, hit us hard, and split the Commonwealth up. Take us back to the way things used to be. They want us divided, they want us isolated, and they want us afraid!"
There was only silence then. Nate cleared his throat. "The Commonwealth is united only because we wanted an end to those days of bloodshed and terror. Because we wanted an end to the tyranny of fear, of the raiders, of the Institute, and yes, of the Gunners as well."
"And we sent them running once!" He smiled then. "Yes, they're coming back, but... The fact remains. We've beaten them once. We'll beat them once more, this time on their own turf."
At this, people realized what he had just said, and they started clamoring. Nate held up a hand, silencing the clamors. "I am assembling a force for a preemptive campaign into lands south of the Commonwealth, perhaps as far as Rhode Island. The mission is to strike at the heart of Gunner territory, at Battleship Cove, and put an end to the Gunners. Permanently."
In the silence that followed, Nate sighed and went on. "Beyond that, I intend to march through Rhode Island and Connecticut, push into New York." The General could see many of the representatives, even some of his own people from among the Minutemen, especially Preston Garvey among them, standing up and shouting their disapproval. He shouted louder then, refusing to step back down. "And from New York, I will march into the Capital Wasteland, lay siege to the Brotherhood of Steel, demand that they surrender Arthur Maxson, and remove him from power!"
He slammed the podium then, sending papers flying and a glass of water crashing off the stage. "LISTEN TO ME!"
Silenced by the battlefield roar, the representatives fell quiet, though their anger was still bubbling just beneath the surface.
"There is nothing, NOTHING, rational about what I am proposing right now! It is simply this... In my heart of hearts, I know that more than the Gunners, it is Maxson who poses the greatest threat to our Commonwealth! His defeat during the Brotherhood War left him unhinged! He returned to the Capital Wasteland with only a fraction of the army he came here with! He returned home disgraced! There is nothing more dangerous than a madman looking to redeem his failures, because he's going to try even harder next time, and the Commonwealth will bleed even worse if that happens!"
And they started clamoring again, shouting at the savior of the Commonwealth.
"HOW MANY?!" Nathaniel exploded once more, angrier than any of them.
He had to make them see. He had to. "How many more sons and daughters are you willing to sacrifice!? How many more husbands and wives, fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters, how many more people are we supposed to lose before we put an end to this threat forever!? How many more until we say, enough is enough!?"
"I have fought in a war more terrible than anything any of you have ever seen! You think the Institute's reign of terror was bad? You think the Brotherhood War was horrible? You. Have. Seen. Nothing. I fought in the Sino-American War! I was there at the Battle of Anchorage! I fought on distant battlefields half the world away! I've seen too many people die! I've lost too many friends!"
Then his voice grew quieter. "I was there when the Great War began. The day the world ended. The day humanity wiped itself out. Can you imagine the horror of that day, of thinking that everyone you've ever known and loved is gone, that your world is gone?"
Nate laughed then. But it was a hollow laugh, devoid of all feeling. "I'm not the Sole Survivor just because I walked out of Vault 111 alone. I'm the Sole Survivor because I'm the last one left, the only one left, who remembers what the world was like before it burned in atomic fire!"
One of the representatives found the courage to answer him then. "There are Ghouls just as old as you, General!"
"Yeah," he nodded in agreement, before countering. "And for them, that world was two hundred years ago! They can barely remember it now! A handful of memories is all they got now, if they're lucky! But me?"
He grunted in annoyance. "It was only eight years since I left that world. I remember all of it. Every last bit of it. I had a wife. A son. I lived in a beautiful blue house, right in Sanctuary Hills. I had a job as a mechanic at the local Red Rocket..."
Then he stared back at everyone in the room. "Ask yourselves this... Which life do you think I'd want? The one I had, or the one I have now?"
He chuckled then. "Because to me, the answer's easy. I'd trade everything in the world just to be able to live through that day again, just so I could die with my family."
No one spoke. No one dared to. There was only silence and shame and sorrow.
But he went on. "I'm doing this... So that kind of thing never happens again. Because you know what? Maxson has plenty of technology left in his arsenal. Technology burned this world to cinders. And if we're not careful, if we don't do something about it, Maxson is going to unleash that technology on us again. And this time, it may very well be the end of humanity."
Once everything had calmed down and the representatives had debated the merits of the General's campaign, it was quietly decided that the campaign would proceed. Though, Nate knew it was both Hancock's forceful support and Danny's playing the devil's advocate that earned him the Commonwealth's support.
He'd have to thank them both later. The General sighed as he remained where he was, seated beside Blake Abernathy, who gave him a heartfelt pat on the shoulder.
Gwen McNamara, on the other hand, had taken center stage. "Greetings are in order, my fellow representatives of the Commonwealth as a whole and of communities thus far uninvolved, I thank you all for coming. And I thank the General," she turned and gestured toward Nathaniel, "for all his service to the Commonwealth for the last eight years and for his passionate speech and his willingness to serve the Commonwealth, even as far as to defend her from any and all enemies of the Commonwealth."
She turned her focus back on the audience. "Now... With the General away on his expedition, Colonel Preston Garvey will be remaining here in the Commonwealth, commanding what remains of the Minutemen and defending the Commonwealth in Mr. Howard's absence. A number of us have decided that it would be best to take the next step toward strengthening the authority of the alliance and of the Commonwealth as a whole. I believe most of you, if not all, recall the last attempt at uniting the Commonwealth? Our predecessors established the Commonwealth Provisional Government. Whenever it was the Institute that sabotaged those proceedings or not, that no longer matters. The Institute no longer exists. In contrast, our alliance has endured for eight years now. It is now time to make a second attempt."
She gestured toward the General once more. "On his advice, we have determined that the best way to proceed is to begin from the top and work our way down. Therefore, we will be hosting our very first election for the position of President of the Commonwealth."
There came a loud clamor, the air full of surprise and excitement both, as representatives stood up and cheered on this measure. While there were many that remained unsure, and some that felt it unnecessary, the majority cheered on the measure.
"Today is the 17th of August. That leaves us eighty six days, nearly three months, until the 11th of November, a date also recommended by the General and collaborated by our own archivists from Vault 81. Within those three months, candidates will be nominated and recorded. Beginning on the 11th of November, a year of campaigning will ensue, allowing each candidate to travel throughout the Commonwealth, hold rallies, host communal meetings, debate each other, and other pre-approved activities, all of which are listed on this paper." Gwen held up a document. "A copy will be given to each and every representative at the end of this assembly. By the time it is the 10th of November once again, all campaigning will cease. On the next 11th of November, every citizen of the Commonwealth will vote on the candidate they wish to see as President. Every vote will be counted and recorded over the length of two weeks. The candidate that gains the most votes to his or her name will be elected President. On the 25th of November, the President of the Commonwealth will be sworn in through a ceremony, in which he will take an oath, to be decided upon by this assembly at a future date, to serve and defend the Commonwealth."
Gwen placed the paper back down on the podium, took a moment to recompose herself and help herself to a sip of water. She knew she had everyone's interest then.
"The President, after being sworn in, will then decide on his or her Vice President, then members of his or her Cabinet, which may comprise of as many people as deemed necessary. After that, the President and his Cabinet, with the assistance and agreement of this assembly, will begin putting together a government to manage the affairs of the Commonwealth, arbitrate any and all issues and disputes of the Commonwealth. Furthermore, it will be the duty of this assembly to establish both a legislative body and a judicial body, against which the powers of the President will be kept in check. Once there exists an executive body, a legislative body, and a judicial body, the first priority of our government will be to devise a constitution for the Commonwealth."
She cleared her throat then. "I believe that is the gist of what we have planned so far. We will be opening the floor to questions now."
Hands shot up into the air, but the one that was picked was Adrian Hargraves of Roxbury. "Sir?"
Adrian stood up then. "That's great and all, but I'm getting the feeling this is all just for members of your alliance, isn't it? What about those of us that never bought into your bullshit?"
The Overseer looked up at him then. "You are correct, to be eligible, candidates must fill the necessary criteria, one of which is that they must be a citizen of the Commonwealth. As Roxbury is not a member of the Commonwealth, her citizens cannot be considered as such."
He glared at her, then at the General behind her. "And if Roxbury was to join the Commonwealth?"
"Then her citizens would be considered citizens of the Commonwealth as well." Gwen agreed. "Put your case forward before the council for admittance into the Commonwealth. If the council votes in your favor, then you may put forward any candidate you wish, as long as it is before the 11th of November."
The Governor continued to stare at Nathaniel, then brought his attention back to Gwen and smiled. "Glad to hear it. It looks like Roxbury will be joining the Commonwealth after all." He sneered, amidst scattered laughter.
Hands shot up again. "The representative of the Slog, your question?"
Wiseman stood up then. "Yeah, will Ghouls be eligible for this election, or is it strictly a human only thing?"
John Hancock got up then, gesturing for Gwen to relax. "Yeah, yeah, I got this." He grinned before turning to Wiseman. "Yup, this thing of ours, it's gonna be open to everyone. Humans. Ghouls. Hell, Super Mutants, if they wanna put up someone." There was nervous laughter then, as if people couldn't tell if Hancock was joking or not. "Hell, I'll be throwing my hat into the ring. It's like I've always told the people of Goodneighbor... Of the people, for the people. That's going to be true no matter what. And the way I see it, this is for the people all the way through."
He sat down then, along with a satisfied Wiseman.
Gwen gestured next toward Ephraim Hayes, the Mayor of Lexington. "Yes?"
"How is all this voting going to work? As far as I know, none of us are registered as citizens of the Commonwealth. We've always just called ourselves that. What's to stop us from voting as many times as we want?"
The Overseer smiled. "Good question, sir. Over the year of campaigning, electoral lines will be drawn throughout the Commonwealth, dividing her into regions. Each region will have one single location dedicated to voting. Each citizen of the Commonwealth will be required to register at this particular location. Registration will end exactly two months before the 11th of November. Then, on the 11th of November, citizens eligible to vote will present themselves at said location for voting. Therefore, this way, they cannot vote more than once and in more than one region."
Another representative then demanded, "How many regions will there be?"
"At this present point, we expect there to be at least ten regions, maybe more. The electoral lines have yet to be determined but the regions have already been decided to be the following, Concord, Medford, Salem, Weston, Cambridge, Natick, Quincy, East Boston, South Boston, and Boston Proper. More may be decided on at a later time. An electoral committee will be chosen from among the members of this assembly."
"Is there going to be limits on who can vote?" Another delegate questioned.
"Any member of the Commonwealth may vote, provided that they have registered to vote. Beyond that, one must simply be sixteen years of age or older."
"What about candidates? You said there were criterias!" Another shouted.
Gwen gestured for the representatives to calm down. "I appreciate your excitement, ladies and gentlemen. But please, remain calm. All your questions will be answered."
And up came the hands.
The Overseer blinked when she saw one of the hands, a huge green one. "Um... Yes, Stronk?"
The huge Super Mutant lowered his hand then. "Eat pres... Pres... Presaden?"
There was silence then. The Sole Survivor snorted. Hancock and a few others cracked a grin. The Overseer of Vault 81 gave herself a moment to gather herself before giving the Super Mutant a smile. "There will be no eating of the President, I'm afraid to say."
Stronk groaned. Loudly.
"Next question." Gwen went on. "Yes, you there?"
Another fellow stood up then. "Apologies, Overseer. Mack Corben here, of Beantown." The delegate of the settlement that had grown up around the Beantown Brewery introduced himself. "I asked about them criterias for the job of President."
"Ah, yes." Gwen nodded, remembering. "My apologies as well, Mr. Corben. The criteria for the office of the Presidency, given our circumstances at the moment, are few. For the time being, one must be a citizen of the Commonwealth, have lived within the Commonwealth for five years or longer, and be twenty five years of age or older."
Mack sat down then, satisfied.
In turn, Marcy Long stood up, ignoring everyone else's hands.
The Overseer cleared her throat. "The representative from Quincy, Mrs. Long."
Marcy crossed her arms, scowling as she did so. Even eight years later, she wasn't the most cheerful of people. "And how long is the President expected to serve for? This isn't a job for life, is it? Because I sure as hell don't want to have to live under someone I don't like for long. Especially not some asshole from Roxbury."
Adrian Hargraves turned his head and sneered at the woman. "Fair enough, who'd want to have a frigid bitch like you for Pre-"
The Sole Survivor slammed his foot down on the stage, interrupting the confrontation. "Language, you two!" He stood up then and approached the podium, standing beside Gwen. "I'll keep this simple. Whoever wins this race, they're going to have four years as President. We'll call that a term. Four years to do what they think is right. Whether the people of the Commonwealth like it or not, that'll be decided at the next election. If you're a hell of a President, the people'll give you another term of four years to do your job."
Nate turned then, stopping suddenly mid-turn. He looked back at the crowd. "That said, if you do a shit job, it'll be up to the legislative body of the Commonwealth to remove the President from office. The Vice President will carry out the remainder of the term as the new President, and they'll get to pick a new Vice President to fill the vacancy. That's called impeaching."
"So..." A man the General recognized as Chris Snyder, the Harbormaster of Nordhagen, spoke up then. "If the President does good, he'll probably be voted in as President again? And if he does bad, we're cutting him loose?"
The General smiled. "Pretty much. And just as an added incentive, getting impeached will earn you a trip to the Tombs. Should promote good behavior, eh?"
Adrian grumbled, "Sounds like bullshit to me. What's the point of being President if we can't do what we want?"
Nate glared at him then. "The point of being President, as you put it, is to serve the people, not be self-serving. I would have expected you, being the Governor of Roxbury, to realize that. After all, you kept Roxbury out of the Commonwealth because you thought it was the best for her, right? It wasn't just because you didn't want to give up any of your power, right?"
Adrian glared back. Then he smiled. It was a smile that would have killed if smiles could kill. "Right you are. Can't imagine why I didn't think of it that way. My apologies... General."
Nate grinned. That was unwise, he knew. But he couldn't help it, not with an asshole like Hargraves. Out of the two Hargraves he had met so far, he liked Anna Hargraves better by far, she was so unlike her brother.
Gwen clapped her hands then, bringing the attention back on her. "Thank you for answering that, General." She turned to the crowd as Nate sat back down in his seat. "Let's continue."
And so, the assembly went on in this way, question after question being answered until everyone was satisfied. The entire thing took three days to finish, with plenty of time set aside for breaks, meals, and time in which to digest everything they've heard.
In the end, the support for the election was so widespread the vote was nearly unanimous.
Over the next two weeks, up to the day of the procession, the news would spread across the Commonwealth Wasteland, from settlement to settlement, until everyone had heard about the election.
The popular talk soon focused on the candidates for the race. On Gwen McNamara of Vault 81, on Danny Sullivan of Diamond City, on John Hancock of Goodneighbor, on Blake Abernathy of Abernathy Farm, on Alicia Kessler of Bunker Hill, though there was no name more talked about than Adrian Hargraves and the fact that he had negotiated the admittance of Roxbury, Malden, East Boston, and Norfolk County into the Commonwealth.
If you had asked a local, they would have told you that the Governor was sure to win the whole thing himself.
Author's Note: Updated as of 6/14/2021