"Well, if it ain't everybody's favorite savior.", Hancock greeted. "Come here to take me up on that, *ahem*, offer?"
The mayor of Goodneighbor relaxed on a couch in his office. Farenheit stood by the door, eyeing Preston and smoking a cigarette in equal measure.
"I don't take him up on that offer.", the General replied gesturing to Preston and got Hancock's generous laughter in response.
"So what you brings you by our quaint little town?", the ghoul prodded.
The General sat down on the couch opposite his. Then she glared at Preston who returned Farenheit's eyeballing with more bravery than malice. She gestured to the spot beside her. Preston tipped his hat to Hancock's bodyguard. "Ma'am.", he said before moving to stand behind the General.
Then the woman continued. "The Minutemen are sponsoring a communal government for the Commonwealth. I'm here to offer Goodneighbor a spot on its council."
"Huh.", Hancock assessed. "The ole leave alone and let live not good enough anymore?"
"Maybe it's because I am...was a lawyer. Before the bombs and I was frozen.", the General told him. "I just foresee a heap of problems that could easily be avoided. Like what happens when Diamond City Security catches somebody from Goodneighbor outside their walls and want to make an example of a drifter that's not as tough as a supermutant? Or assuring Bunker Hill before something jumps off so they don't panic into some raider's extortion racket - again."
"Look, you say it's a good idea and I'm inclined to believe you.", Hancock assured.
She nodded. "That's good to hear. I was hoping to be able to include you in the opening night's ceremony. The people need to hear a speech on the importance of government for the people, of the people and by the people."
The ghoul snapped his fingers. "That's the part I keep forgetting. But then again, around here, government's by me. You know what I'm saying?
"But sure, I'm in. Who else is?"
"Well you and Vault 81 so far.", the General conceded. "And the Institute."
Hancock started in his seat. Farenheit closed in on her.
"Go show Preston a tour of the town, Farenheit.", Hancock said in an uncompromising voice.
"You know my name.", the Colonel asked.
The mayor waved his hand in annoyance. "Everybody knows the last survivor of Quincy. Now skeddadle, you're keeping a pretty woman waiting."
His bodyguard still hesitated. "Boss, I don't think/"
"That's right! You don't think. You does what I tells you to.", he cut off.
The woman turned her shaking head into a nod. "Come on, Minuteman."
"And close the door behind you!", Hancock called after her.
In a moment, the mayor of Goodneighbor and the General of the Minutemen were alone in his office. There was a small silence to respect the gravity of the argument about take place.
"You want me to go in cahoots with the Institute.", Hancock started.
"It's not cahoots.", the General countered. "Officially, Goodneighbor would have the same representation at a full Commonwealth government as the Institute. Unofficially, I need all the votes I can get to keep them on the level."
More laughter from Hancock. "You? I've seen you do some impressive stuff. With a pistol, with a settlement and sober the entire time like sobriety's somehow fun. But you're claiming that you're keeping the Institute from doing whatever the hell it likes."
"The Institute already surrendered to the Minutemen, John.", she told him.
"Bah!"
The General pressed him. "Who do you think it was that took down the Brotherhood that was terrorizing farmers into coughing up their crops with nothing in return? Who do you think it was that stopped them from taking every piece of tech from the citizens of the Commonwealth no matter how hard pressed they are?"
"So you're saying you and your boys didn't just artillery them back to Day After?", Hancock accused.
"It was 'me and my boys'. There just weren't any Minutemen personnel on the ground.", she explained.
He continued. "So it was just the Pinocchios and their Gippeto that did all that?"
"No. That was me, being backed by an organization that supported a move I made.", the General defended. "Look, I know you don't have much reason to think about trusting the Institute."
"They had a brother shooting a thing that was pretending to be his brother in the middle of the street in my town.", Hancock exclaimed.
"But I'm not asking you to trust the Institute. I am asking you to help me keep an eye on them to the extent that they can be.", she dropped on him.
"Really?", the mayor scoffed. "And how do you propose to do that exactly?"
"Well, had you been listening.", she went on. "The Institute needs to be brought into the light. Having them regularly meeting with representatives of the other communities will not only do that. It'll show them that they aren't the only game going. And the more communities that sign on, the more outnumbered they're going to be.
"On top of that - take your live and let attitude. Wouldn't you like their remaining secrecy be dependent on doing just that? Them having to leave Goodneighbor alone in order to be left alone. What's something the Institute has valued more than it's privacy?"
"Invading other's privacy?", the ghoul guessed.
"And they've already started pulling back their patrols.", the General admonished. "Imagine normal everyday people getting to stop looking over their shoulder for a robotic boogeyman?
"Don't you owe it to your citizens?"
The ghoul resentfully crossed his arms. "Already going for that card, I see."
The General leaned forward. "You think I'm not looking out for people in the Commonwealth?"
"Anyone else.", Hancock admitted. "Anyone else and I would've tossed 'em out on their ass. But I've seen what you do. Hell, you let me help in it. Best time I've spent in my life. Actually doing some good."
"So you'll trust me when I tell you I'm doing this for everyone's good. The little guy's good.", she prodded.
Hancock nearly snarled in frustration at the conflicting beliefs. He was certain that the Institute didn't need a seat the table, it needed a good spanking that it never seems to get. On the other hand, he had traveled with the woman before him. She didn't just shoot the things that went bump in the night and demanded a few caps calling herself a hero. She made sure people were defended. Fed. Organized. He even saw the Slog, so many of the ghouls that got chased out of Diamond City that didn't go the Triggermen making a go at it - a damn fine go at it. And flying the Minuteman flag over it all.
"You look me in the eye.", Hancock settled. "You look me right in these baby reds and tell me that you're doing this for the people."
The lawyer took off her WRAPAROUND GOOGLES. "I am doing this for the people.", she said.
Hancock grumbled. "Fine.
"But I want to know every rule I'm signing up for!"
"None yet.", the General assured. "That's what the first meeting is going to be about. To hash out what those rules are. As I think you know, I was a lawyer before the war. I think I can come up with some rights that the Institute will have to agree to. But on top of that, getting enough communities voting with me..."
"Will keep them from telling us what to do.", Hancock finished.
The ghoul smirked. "How long did it take you to think this up?"
The General shrugged. "Bringing the Institute to a place where they could take Minutemen instruction was an ordeal. One that I'm not inclined to go through again. I need a way to get them to agree to leave the rest of the Commonwealth alone. And it's certainly not going to happen by shooting up Mk II synths.
"So, can I count on your speech?"
"You're damn right I'm going to tell the Institute how power ought to be used for people instead of on them."
The General smiled. "Good. Because I'm going to keep asking favors of you while treating you like dirt. By the end of this, you're going to be a broken man."
He covered his heart with both hands. "Take the shirt off my back, why don't you."
"I don't need the shirt.", she told him. "But your singer, I'm going to have to borrow her."
"Just borrow?", Hancock said with a lascivious smile.
"Yes.", the General stated. "For the opening ceremony. It's a room that I'm going to have to take on a more permanent basis."
"Well my bed's just over/"
"For a Minutemen office.", she said rolling her eyes. "You wouldn't happen to know of an old warehouse that just happened to open up in Goodneighbor recently?"
Hancock's thin lips tightened into a suspicious smile. "I happen to know of three. The tenants...gave up the lease."
