1

"Look alive."

Preston rolled to a sitting position in the bed he had slept in. The bunks on the stairs in Home Base were the smaller ones the General was found of putting Minutemen in instead of the larger beds allotted to civilians. On the other hand, they tended to be matched up with FOOTLOCKERs to store gear in.

When his eyes cleared, he saw the General standing over him. "How long have you been up?"

"Long enough to see the Institute about another idea.", she told him. "Come on. Let's start the nightmare of Diamond City."

Preston scoffed. "You just want to take your girlfriend out to breakfast."

"Or get the Commonwealth's most influential reporter prepped to cover the drafting of its constitution.", the General stated.

2

The four sat around a table outside Dugout Inn.

"And I can order anything I want, even though I already ate the NOODLE BOWL?", Nat Wright pressured her elder.

Piper laughed. "She's not your step mother.

"In fact, she has a child of her own. You remember that, right?"

The girl looked just a tad curtailed. "Oh yeah. Sorry about that. Did you find him?"

The General swallowed the bite of MIRELURK OMELET she had been chewing. "I did, sweetie."

"Was he still the baby you were looking for? Or was it the boy that Mr. Valentine found out about?", Nat continued.

The woman took a breath. "My son. Shaun was all grown up by the time I found him. He was unfrozen a long time before I was. We...didn't have much time together."

Piper squeezed her hand. "So, what did you want to talk to me about?"

"I have to have a reason?", the General responded. "Your smile isn't enough?"

"Well, er, I guess. If you think/"

"I actually am here on business, Piper.", the General assured.

Piper nodded. "Is it about this council thing that I'm hearing about?"

Preston stopped eating and folded his arms. "And how did you find about that already, Miss?"

Piper laughed. "Everything Blue does spreads like wildfire. The trick is separating fact from fiction. Otherwise, Publick Occurrences would end up publishing about a sea serpent instead of an honest to goodness Chinese submarine."

Preston turned to the General and scanned her uniform. It looked like he was going to ask before deciding on an answer for himself.

"It's not the MINUTEMEN GENERAL'S UNIFORM.", his commander stated. "It's because I'm a vault dweller.

"But you're right, Piper. There's a difference between having another bueracracy that a few city leaders have seen and having a government that people understands is there to protect them and their rights. Plus, I think everyone's tired of the Institute staying in the shadows. I don't want the Commonwealth's government to be another on high, mysterious organization."

"And how did you get the office fascist to sign on?", Piper inquired.

Preston looked uncomfortable. "We haven't yet. And I know Mayor McDonough hasn't exactly been disposed towards the Minutemen. Maybe you could offer some advice in that regard."

At that moment he was interrupted. The type 1 synth had just walked up to their table and started speaking. "Attention denizen of Diamond City. Please do not be alarmed. I am here to announce the presence of the Institute. That is/"

"Blue?", Piper whispered. "Can't you do something."

The General nodded tiredly. "Consider the mission a success. Return to the nearest Synth Leader. And take any other type ones wandering around with you."

"Understood, mother.", it acknowledged before mechanically walking away from them.

The reporter folder her arms. "How many children do you have?"

"I'm like Jesus, all the world are my children?", the General attempted. "The Institute woke up Shaun because they needed pre-war DNA for their mark three synths."

Piper looked incredulously to Preston. The man made that face and shrugged. She turned to her sister. The child was absorbed in her second bowl of noodles. Piper rolled her eyes. "It's always something with you Blue."

"How do we make that something Mayor McDonough?", the General entertained Preston's doubts.

"He's just a blowhard politician. He wants the system in control of everything because he's in charge of the system. Take him on man to man, and he caves every time."

3

"I don't think I'm going to.", the mayor told her.

The General's glare was full of more contempt than she usually let show. It may not have made it over the desk for all the good it did. McDonough looked pleased as punch with his secretary taking notes at his side. The two Minutemen were beginning to show their annoyance.

Preston leaned forward. "You do realize Diamond City's importance. A civilian government making policy around Diamond City and without your input might step on some toes."

"So the best solution is to not have one.", the mayor stated. "That way you won't have to watch out for anyone."

"But the Institute., Preston pressed.

"Isn't a threat to anyone.", the mayor stated a little too happily. "Unlike the rumors, the synths they've sent to the city were patently obvious to anyone that looks at them. They haven't done anything harmful to anyone."

"That's only because the General has forced their surrender.", Preston assured.

McDonough shrugged. "If the mere Minutemen were enough to bring the Institute to heel, then they couldn't be anywhere as near as powerful as you're trying to make them out to be."

The mayor looked directly at the General with a politician's smile. "Isn't that what everyone wants anyway? A Commonwealth where the Institute isn't a danger to anyone. Objective accomplished."

The woman began a lawyer's smile. "But a government should represent the people. I'm sure if you check in with our friends, you'll find that Diamond City should join."

McDonough nodded. "Well, in that case, why not?", he flip flopped his position instantly.

"And while I will be the head of state to travel to the first council meet, who should I appoint as representative for future events?", he asked the General directly.

"Depends.", she started. "Who's mayor if you die in office?"

"Well, in the immediate aftermath, Geneva here would be acting mayor. But that's only until the next election.", he explained.

The General nodded. "Considering that you and Preston have some differences, perhaps you could lay out your suspicions on who would win that election?"

McDonough explained. "Well, the only ones that can really afford to run a campaign would be the upper stands residents. Ann may...er, Mrs. Codman would probably be the front runner. I suppose Malcolm Latimer could win against her."

"Then I suppose you have a lot to consider. As well as make preparations for your trip to the Castle for this event.", the General told him. "You'll be sharing your escort with the press, though."

The mayor blanched.

"We'll see if Colonel Brandis can afford two."