Piper managed to spot the General coming through the crowd. Fortunately for the reporter (and publisher, advocate, and all the other duties of running the Publick Occurences), she was coming right towards her.

"Finally.", the General assessed. "I can actually try to enjoy this shindig I managed to make."

"What happened with the soldier? Man?", Piper inquired. "Assassin?"

The General scoffed. "Piper. I came from a world where the weeks had ends - two days to sit back with your family or a date and just enjoy being alive. Can I get one night after a million with a pretty face before returning to the role of Minuteman leader, Institute heeler and general all around savior?

"Come on. Let's get a drink before Hancock empties us out."

"General!", Miles called out from the radio tower in the center of the Castle's courtyard.

The General took a deep breath. "Apparently not."

She turned. "Yes, Travis?"

The radio host stayed where he was and frantically waved for her to come to him.

And then it clicked in her head. "He's got about ten feet of wire to his name, doesn't he?"

Piper nodded. "And he collected most of it when he apprenticed under the last host of Diamond City Radio. Tells me they used to have to lean over the desk to get to an embedded microphone."

The General took her arm and led her over to Travis...or simply didn't want to give her the opportunity to wander away.

"The people would love a direct word from the General of the Minutemen, ma'am. And I have about three and half minutes before my system automatically returns to normal operation instead of the simulcast back in Diamond City.", he informed.

"Really?", the General stalled. "And you're getting back how?"

"The way everybody does, I figured.", Travis stated. "Wait for day and hike back. Try to avoid trouble if I can."

"Those days are done. None of this 'hazardous travel' on my watch.", the General commanded. "Radio Freedom, what's the patrol schedule look like for a unit in the area?"

"We have two APCs that'll be hitting before midnight.", the other radio host told her. "After that, if all's quiet we're probably looking at 4 more before sunrise."

"Is it all quiet now?", the General continued. "Are any of them diverted toward a crisis?"

"No, ma'am. Only trouble is some raiders up by Tenpines Bluff. But we already have three converging on that thanks to the APCs."

The General nodded. "Good. Travis, get packed up and see if you can catch a ride back to Diamond City. Or at least thereabouts."

"But the people want to hear!", he objected.

"Fine, do we have a minute left?", she asked as if not knowing.

"Sure do."

"Set the mic hot.", she instructed.

"Hey, everybody out there, where ever you may be. This is Travis 'Lonely' Miles and here with me is everyone's favorite vault dweller - the General of the Minutemen herself. Anything you want to tell the people of the Commonwealth?", he asked into the microphone.

"Certainly.", the General agreed pleasantly. "I want everyone in the 'wealth to know that nothing that's happening here is going to keep the Minutemen from providing the level of service and aid that is needed, nor any less than we demand from ourselves. Whatever government the communities decide on, I promise that we will still be looking out for everyone."

"There you have it folks. Straight from the woman herself. And that's all the time I have. I want to thank the General, the Minutemen and Radio Freedom in particular for this historic opportunity. For in depth analysis from the conference itself, check out the next edition of Publick Occurences available in Diamond City's marketplace. Good luck surviving out there. Signing off, Travis 'Lonely' Miles."

The General led Piper away and toward the busiest area: where everyone was listening to Magnolia's rare performance someplace other than the Third Rail.

Preston came up to her. "Ma'am.", he greeted Piper.

"Colonel." Piper replied sarcastically, giving a curtsy with her red leather coat.

Preston pursed his lips but didn't make anything of it. "General, would you care for a dance?"

She considered and ended up patting Piper on the arm. "Can you get us something to drink? I'll be back soon enough.

"Now Preston: you'll have to have a strong lead. The last time I had the opportunity to dance was two centuries ago and I'm sure everything I know would have me looking silly."

"You?", Preston replied. "You might be the least silly person I know."

After a smooth lindy hop in the dirt of the Castle's courtyard to the tune of "It's Good to be a Good Neighbor", Piper had returned. "Go try with Kessler, Preston. If you can make it that far. After that dance and my showing it's okay to fraternize between ranks some other girl is going to snag you."

"Right away, babe."

"And don't call me 'babe'.", the General admonished.

She accepted a glass of...well, isn't that something. It was actually still wine and not the vinegar she was expecting. The General set her wrists on Piper's shoulders and swayed lightly to the beat of the next song while letting the empty DRINKING GLASS dangle from her fingers.

"So...um, you and Preston, huh?", Piper asked nervously.

"No.", the General sighed. "No Preston and I."

Piper hoped but tried to not let it into her voice. "Why not? He's certainly handsome. I thought that would appeal to woman with a son."

"It does.", she replied honestly. "He's loyal and true and spirited. And I would want to, even if I am his commanding officer. But I haven't really been able to bring myself to do that to my husband just yet.

"Or at least, that's how it feels to me."

"But me?", Piper objected.

The General lowered her eyelids. "Something tells me he wouldn't object to you and me at all."

Piper opened her mouth to speak but nothing came to mind.

"What do you say I use the privilege of command to snag a full bottle and we go back to my office here?", the General flirted. "We can play dress up. I have a SEQUIN DRESS that I would love to see you squeeze into."

Piper looked down. "o k"

As the General led the reporter off, she planted an idea. "Do you know how many caps it would take to make copies of your paper so my settlement's provisioners could bring them to my settlers?"