A/N: I don't own Fallout 4 or any of the characters involved in this story

"Our turret grid took a beating in the battle; the engineers think it will take another twelve hours to get it back up." Colonel Ronnie Shaw finished her report and General John Pershing was not happy.

"I will task some of my scribes to aid your engineers in your repair efforts." Elder Arthur Maxson spoke up from his seat to the right of John. An alarmed look came from Colonel Shaw but John simply waved it away.

"Thank you for the offer, and we gladly accept." John started and then looked around, the men and women that had been gathered in Pershing's office were all tired and battered from the battle, and it was likely that that was not going to change anytime soon. He looked over to Colonel Shaw's left, where the former Paladin Danse stood, hands at his back and with a gas mask on. "Soldier, have the artillerymen given you the estimates to how many shells we have left?"

Danse nodded and appeared to look over to Maxson before starting "The artillerymen report that they fired about 70% of the stock during the battle." He paused as all eyes turned to Maxson, while he appeared to have clenched his jaw, he did not say anything. "They are afraid that they won't be able hold off another attack or help any settlements if the need arises." Danse concluded his report.

Pershing sat back on his chair and rubbed his beard "Speaking of other settlements, we need to figure out if this is an isolated event or the beginning of a major offensive" and while looking back at Maxson "and considering their attack on the airport, I'm willing to bet that it's the latter and not the former."

Maxson nodded his head and said "I'm still waiting to hear back from the Cambridge Police Station." he eyed Danse and then said "If they are still operational, I am going to launch an attack on the Institute and crush them before they can attack us anywhere else."

General Pershing looked over at him and said "We should combine our forces; both the Minuteman and the Brotherhood has a dog in this fight now." He looked around and then back at Maxson "besides both our armies have taken heavy casualties in the last twelve hours, in order to help ensure our success it would be better to hit the Institute with both of our armies combined.."

Maxson looked at Pershing and nodded his head. Pershing smiled and opened a drawer on his desk and produced a map of the Commonwealth, which he laid out on the desk. Before beginning however, he looked up at Danse and Preston and said "Go and check with Major Lewis about getting into contact with the rest of the settlements. And Colonel Shaw go and get our forces ready to move out. The Elder and I will discuss strategy" The leaders of the Minuteman saluted and left the room. Leaving to two leaders alone.

Danse and the other leaders of the Minuteman left the General's office going about their assigned tasks. While walking through the inner walls Garvey said "I'm not sure how I feel about the Brotherhood being here at the Castle."

"I understand your concern," Danse stated, and while he himself was not sure on his feelings for the Brotherhood, he still believed in the ideas of why they were here in the Commonwealth. "But the Brotherhood isn't here to take over, they simply want to stabilize the Commonwealth, similar to what we did in the Capital Wasteland."

Garvey looked at him with a questioning face "How can you still believe in that good intentions of the Brotherhood after what they did to you?" They came outside of the Castle Walls into the courtyard. The injured soldiers had been moved to the area around the armory had both Minuteman medics and Brotherhood scribes tended to the wounded.

Danse shrugged and then readjusted the gas mask he was forced to wear now that the Brotherhood was here. "The Brotherhood has wronged me Garvey, but they also have helped a lot of people back in the Capital Wasteland, and they are helping to fight abominations here in the Commonwealth."

Garvey sighed, signaling an end to the conversation, as the finally reached the communications center which in truth was simply a radio tower in the middle of the Castle courtyard with a ham radio hooked to it, and Major Jacksons Lewis sat at the center of it. He was in deep conversation with the other end of it. "Understood, I'll get the General informed right away."

Lewis looked up at Preston and Danse who had taken to standing near the man. "That was Sanctuary" he said quietly "It looks like the Institute hit the northern settlements pretty hard as well." He looked down at the notes he had taken during the radio call. "Sanctuary reports that they were able to fight off the synths, and that Sturges had the garrison go aid the forces at Starlight."

"Hell" Preston said, his tone and face concerned. "Starlight, Sanctuary and Sunlight are our largest settlements, if they were trying to take the north then the Institute was truly trying to destroy us." The Major shook his head in agreement.

Danse then asked "What about the other settlements? Have you been able to re-establish communications with them?"

Lewis nodded his head and said "The settlements that have radios have radioed in and let us know that they haven't seen any sign of the Institute, and I doubt that the Institute would bother with the smaller settlements, most of those are simple farming villages."

Danse nodded his head just as he heard the unmistakable sound of Vertibird rotor blades overhead, and looking up he saw another Brotherhood Vertibird landing just outside the main entrance to the Castle. Both Danse and Preston ran towards the entrance to greet the new arrivals, and Danse realized that he had made a mistake coming as the Brotherhood soldiers might find out who he was. Jumping out of the Vertibird as they arrived was a three-man squad in Power Armor. The lead man was in the standard issue T-60 Power Armor, with a Knight-Captains insignia on his right arm. "I was informed that Elder Maxson is here, I have information that I am supposed to give him right away, take him to me" he ordered more than asked.

Danse spared a look at Garvey and realized that it would not be best if he answered, and then Danse said "Very well follow me." The Knight-Captain regarded Danse for a moment and then motioned for him to lead on.

General Pershing and Maxson stood on his side of the desk as the Brotherhood soldier gave them their report. "Cambridge has not fallen to the enemy, but the Institute did attack them there sir."

Maxson rubbed his beard and said "Good they will be instrumental in our counter attack against the Institute." He looked back at the General and then ordered "Now get your squad patrolling the outskirts this fortification. And kill any of those abominations that you come across." The soldier nodded the best he could in the Power Armor and then left the office, leaving Maxson, Pershing, Danse and Garvey alone.

"Ok Garvey" Pershing started "has Lewis been able to get back into contact with our settlements?

"Yes Sir, he reports that the northern settlements have been hit hard, and before we came back in, Starlight reported that both it and Sanctuary have been able to fight off the attacks, but there hasn't been any word from Sunshine."

Pershing rubbed his eyes and took a second to think. It was good that they hadn't lost more to this offensive, but if the Institute was able to establish a base at Sunshine then the northern settlements would be at risk, and they would have they hands on the artillery also at Sunshine.

"Isn't Sunshine where one of your artillery emplacements is?" Maxson asked, but based on his face, it appeared he already knew the answer.

Pershing answered anyway "Yes, let us hope that the Institute hasn't taken it."

"Sir" Preston said, there is one other thing I think you would be interested in." Pershing looked up and motioned for him to continue. "Sturges also got on the radio and sent over schematics to a back way into the Institute through some of the sewer tunnels from the looks of it." Pershing smiled and now he knew what to do.

Looking over at Maxson Pershing answered "Good, we can hit the Institute from the place they're least expecting."

"My Brotherhood could still attack from the top provide a overt attack to supplement your sneak attack, and then once we both get there we can meet up in the Institute proper and destroy the beast."

"I agree" Pershing said "I think that is the best plan" he stood up as he continued "You should return to the Prydwen and prepare your forces while I prepare mine."

Maxson nodded his head and said "I agree, once I feel prepared, I'll radio my go ahead and send a vertibird to pick up your forces from here and land you closer to the area." Maxson then held out his hand and Pershing took it.

"Radio us when you're ready and we will ensure that the Institute won't have to power to do this ever again."