"In a very small amount of time, I'm going to have to start building up the civilian government of the Commonwealth.", the Director stated. "And it will have to include the Institute as an equal."
"But we aren't.", Dr. Holdren stated. "I mean...to suggest that anyone in the Commonwealth, perhaps the planet, can come close to our technology. Our security.
"I don't understand."
The woman sighed. She reached in her pocket and then held up a fist. "Dr. Do I have a Nuka Cola bottlecap or a Gwinnet bottlecap in my hand?"
Dr. Holdren shrugged. "I can't tell you."
"Exactly." Then the Director released the ten millimeter round she was holding onto the table.
"The Commonwealth will be able to produce more resources if it is secure. If people believe that they are safe and are treated equally, then there is less reason for them to be unpredictable or violent. Hence, in bringing the Commonwealth's communities together under one banner, each of them must believe that the Institute are only being afforded the same rights and privileges that they are."
"Even though you're the Director of the Institute and the General of the Minutemen.", Dr. Ayo accused. "Or at least, I'm assuming you're going to do this under the banner of the Minutemen."
The woman nodded. "I've already explained how the Minutemen has the people's trust. Part of their reasoning to not interfere with the Institute is the belief that the Minutemen have brought the Institute in line. When they are asked to participate in a government that assures them their rights, it would be terminally suspicious if the Institute weren't right alongside them. There must be a show that we are just as much under the auspices of the Minutemen as Diamond City or Bunker Hill."
"But won't that inherently interfere with Institute operations?", the head of Facilities asked. "I mean, won't involvement compromise informational integrity of the Institute? Or at least tie up time of its personnel by participation."
"And that's why I'm going to need a ringer.", the Director explained. "First, Institute personnel don't venture to the surface without a anti-contamination suit, yes?"
The head of Bioscience nodded. "We've avoided many calamaties with such precautions. Diseases. Radiation. Microscopic pests."
"Then why would an Institute representative not be unidentifiable?", the Director mused. "Furthermore, a representative would have to be bound to accurately pursue only the Directorate's policies. Any human we sent may slip up subconsciously in a way that would only be remembered to late."
Dr. Binet interrupted. "You're suggesting that we send a Synth as a representative to this new government you're proposing. We lose no man-hours. We give the waste landers the show they're expecting. Any decision that comes out of the body politic has our input."
"Plus, in order to maintain Commonwealth wide control, I'm going to have to guarantee each community autonomy.", the Director added. "Because of the inadequacies of any given community, whether it's Bunker Hill's lack of a Watchmen equivalent or Diamond City's dependency on outside resources, they'll need Minutemen support. But adding in a boogeyman like the Institute/"
"And they'll want to believe that they're still standing by themselves.", Dr. Li understood. "Just like communities that depended on the Brotherhood in the district."
Dr. Ayo took up the thought. "So they'll each want a guarantee of non-interference from the others. Which means that just by having a seat at the table, they'll all have to pledge not to interfere with us."
The Director spoke enthusiastically. "And I'm sure you all know enough psychology that a human does best what the person wants to do. Instead of getting friction with the Minutemen from curtailing them, they'll have all agreed - even demanded - that they never step on the Institute's toes."
"Plus, with you being the Minutemen Director/"
"General."
"Sorry.", Allie conceded. "We'll never compete for a resource again. Anything outside their walls will have to go through the Minutemen. The Minutemen will 'protect' them by deciding that the resource is too dangerous to pursue. And now our extraction teams won't even have to lose efficiency by killing them."
The scientists at the table looked at the Director in a new light.
"I'm a lawyer.", she admitted.
"So you want me to transfer X6-86/"
"No.", she cut off Dr. Ayo. "X6-86 is effective at exactly what he does. But he's been programmed to have nearly your contempt for anyone from the surface. It'll come off as an attempt at intimidation. We need something from the Courser program to ensure that the Synth has been vetted for abnormal cognitive processes. But we're looking for someone that won't steer a conversation, or take initiative to engage in conversation. Find one that specializes in fading into the background."
"G9-81 was rejected from courser training due to a lack of violent tendencies.", Dr. Binet offered. "She has been the model of obedience. And I don't recall any time she's ever gone above and beyond her initiative."
"Excellent. Prep her.", the Director stated.
"Any other business?"
Dr. Binet slid her a folder. "We've recovered much from the airport. Liberty Prime and and Prydwin debris have been given priority and we're almost at full recovery of those."
"If it's efficient, allow base military tech to be separated.", the Director ordered. "It may prove well to have any Brotherhood of Steel power armors repainted under the Minutemen flag and the same with heavy infantry weapons. But if it's actually dangerous, new or just plain weird: bring it down here as soon as its spotted.
"Any problem with other scavengers?"
The head of Robotics shook his head. "Not yet."
"No one's ready to make a move.", Dr. Ayo interjected. "Everyone's waiting to see what the new status quo is."
"Well then I better get going.", the Director said. "We want that status quo to be defined by us. And that's going to take some speed."
