"Allow me to introduce the commander of the newest branch of the Minutemen.", the General announced.
The woman in the leather jacket pulled off her gas mask. This was the first time any of the other colonels saw her face. The closed door meeting in the General's office of the Castle was...let us say private and not classified. If some Minutemen would right now, honestly, swear that Colonel Brandis or Admiral Zao were asleep in their bunks then that would have to be investigated at some later date.
"This is Desdemona.", the General began. "She was the pro-temp leader of the reconstituted Railroad. An organization that is hereby defunct. All of its personnel and equipment, however that's defined, are hereby integrated into the intelligence branch of the Minutemen. For ease, you can refer to the new branch as the Railroad. You know - colloquially. Officially, it's 'Intelligence'. Just as much as Zoa's crews are 'Navy' and Brandis' are 'Motor Pool'."
"uh...huh.", Brandis acknowledged.
"On one hand, everything about the Railroad will be classified. Its members. Its equipment. And every synth that it is...using as observers."
"Observers?", Preston asked.
"Operators. Heavies. Spies.", the General explained. "The Railroad will report to me. I will know all of its assets. But as an intelligence agency, it will be covert. It will be secret.
"That does not mean a lack of accountability.
"Firstly, the Railroad cannot attack any, and I do mean any, Commonwealth citizen. In the event that does happen, that asset will be immediately turned over from the Colonel of Intelligence to the Colonel of Personnel. Discipline won't be by the Railroad or people that have served with the offender. As a side effect, even the event of accusation will be a permanent blow to the operative's cover. Anyone accused of being a Railroad operative will not be. Even if that means 'no longer' and they're proven innocent - in that case, they'll be integrated into the rest of the Minutemen. If they choose to continue serving.
"Secondly, the Railroad will be incorporated into the chain of command. Colonel Desdemona/"
"Does she have a first name? Or is that last?", Colonel Shaw asked.
Desdemona shrugged. "It's a call sign. The real name of Railroad assets are classified."
"Really?", Ronnie asked.
"No, my mother researched enough Shake-spear to name me 'ill-starred wench' all on her own.", the newly commissioned Colonel replied.
"Before we get off on truly the wrong foot.", the General admonished.
"Intelligence will be integrated into the chain of command. Unfortunately, due to its clandestine nature, that chain will also be classified."
"So how are we supposed to know who these people are?", Preston began. "Leave alone whether or not they're doing anything. Or still exist."
The General nodded. "We've decided that."
"Every asset that you are made aware of will be known as an 'agent'.", Desdemona declared. "When we, the General's Colonels, meet I will debrief with whatever I know. If there is a need for us to work with other Minutemen forces, either myself or the General will give a code phrase and a call sign to the most convenient command of the unit. For example, if we have a need for an agent to commandeer an APC then I will tell Colonel Brandis the agent's call sign, any protocol, and password to recognize. Brandis will choose the crew for the mission. The agent will brief the crew. I, or should I be removed from duty by death or decision then my successor, will brief the General. Before and after whatever mission."
Brandis glared at the two women. "So you've managed to set this up. The Railroad is now our intelligence branch. The Institute is one of the communities under our protection. Why do you think any of this is going to fly?"
Desdemona returned the glare.
The General offered. "Synths are just eligible for citizenship as anyone else. In light of the fact that children don't vote, APCs don't direct their own careers and turrets aren't celebrated for their contributions: only sentient synths will be recognized as citizens of the Commonwealth and have those rights respected in whatever community they happen to travel to or reside in. Otherwise...the fact that communities, like the Institute, choose their own residents will mean that machines are just that. Even if 'future' residents and citizens are going to be allowed the opportunity to develop something that could be called thought. And also treated in such a manner that the resultant people can see their creators as more parents than oppressor.
Desdemona took over at that point. "If you would like my qualification of this arrangement, here it is.
"The Forged are actually holed up in Saugus Iron Works. Usually, they're out enticing raiders to forsake their gang and fools to give up their families for a chance at joining them. These recruiting missions are how the Forged get a lot of their income. They never really expand due to sacrificing members that don't measure up, particularly new recruits that were brought in just for what material gains and supplies they could offer, to 'the forge'. Meaning that despite getting vats hot enough to melt metal again, they're only using them to dissolve what doesn't burn the people they push into them.
"But since they're all there, that means that they're at maximum strength. Sure, the Forge have a few new recruits that they're finding reason enough to kill off. But that means that all their look out points are manned: in the parking lot and on the roof. The three main production areas of the plant are going to thick with Forged as well.
"On the other hand, there's no one outside to flank you or reinforce. And no matter how obsessed they are at becoming 'the toughest gang around', the Forged don't really pay attention to what's not right in front of them. They've shown no signs of anticipating being a Minutemen target despite their proximity to the Slog and Finch's. Their attention is, as always, on the Gunners across the river from them.
"The Gunner consider themselves professional though. Considering the size of the force needed to take the foundry to begin with, I doubt they're going to interfere."
"Does that satisfy?"
"Okay, then.", Brandis acknowledged. "When do we move?"
