The General motioned for quiet. Activity at the Castle came to a stand still. Minutemen Radio still played over the courtyard. Radio Freedom turned to the General. After she shrugged, he donned his headphones. Soon after, the sound playing across the Castle was from the Silver Shroud channel. The Minutemen continued his coordination and his station unaffected.
"Hey, there Silver Shroud fans! This is Kent Connelly coming to you, live from the Third Rail again. For a more elegant explanation as to why, I defer to the intelligent, the informed, the inquisitive, the intrepid reporter from Publick Occurences - Piper Wright."
"Well, thanks for not going with 'the lovely' Kent. It attacks my credi/"
"I couldn't. Because y'know, the thing...with your cheeks?"
A swatting could be heard. "And from a ghoul."
"Ahem. Piper Wright here, on site.
"Here's what we know so far. Two days ago, a Minutemen settlement in the southern reaches of the Commonwealth - Sommerville Place - was attacked by tank fire according to Minutemen sources. Also according to Minutemen sources, Sheriff Sommerville evacuated the resident population to a currently undisclosed, secure location.
"A few moments after the attack, the reports were confirmed by Gunner propaganda officer code-named "Red Eye", alleged to be Randy: infamous in raider circles as a loud mouth braggart and quote 'as tough as a MUTFRUIT after a week's nap in a Brahmin pie' end quote.
"Gunner News Network continued to broadcast repeated claims of responsibility for the attack on Sommerville Place amidst Red-Eye's bragging and burning through four co-anchors in equally on air meltdowns, twice barely surviving the experience. Eventually footage was released of a similarly tank supported attack on an empty settlement reported to be Murkwater Station.
"After which, broadcasts contained footage of the Minutemen agreeing to meet with Gunner officials here in the Third Rail, reminiscent of the recent surrender of the Triggermen. Colonel Preston and Colonel Shaw of the Minutemen have already arrived. We are currently awaiting the Gunner's representation.
"There have been some changes to the format for this negotiation. While I am still not allowed to interrupt the proceedings with questions, there is no moderation by Goodneighbor mayor, John Hancock. While participants are remaining armed, there is a world wide cease fire between the government of the Commonwealth and anyone flying the Gunner insignia outside of any inhabited settlement or community continuing through the end of today from midnight this morning. There have not been any confirmed reports of a breach of this truce, holding for the past...8 hours, 45 minutes.
"The Community Council has met at the Castle yesterday in response to these developments. I've been unable to get a comment from either Acting Mayor Geneva of Diamond City (currently leading in my last poll by a factor of 3 compared to the combined support of Malcolm Latimer and Ann Codman) or Mayor Hancock.
"I hope that clanking in the background you hear is the Gunner delegation now. If it's the structure coming down on us, well - it's been nice reporting for you all."
A sound of a static charge, usually associated with a STEALTH BOY deactivation sounded.
"Preston Garvey identified. Ronnie Shaw identified. Kent Connelly identified. Piper Wright identified. Zone cleared of any hostiles."
"Kent, here. A fully loaded Assaultron just appeared in the middle of the room."
More clanking sounded.
"Now a man in a power armor frame, without the panelling, has come in the room with another Assaultron."
"So this is what the Minutemen are calling a soldier's uniform? Sure.
"I'm Colonel Cypress of this man's Gunners. Your leader calls herself a General. Why don't I see a General here?"
"Colonel Cypress, I'm Colonel Garvey and this is Colonel Shaw."
"Still not the General."
"She's lending her attention to other matters for the moment.
"I have been instructed to inform you that the action that has taken Hub City Autowreckers off the map for you as well as the highway line north of that was of 23:11 last night, 49 minutes before the temporary cease fire went into effect. In case you were wondering why you had lost contact with any asset Gunner related above the Fort Hagen - Castle Line."
"And I've been instructed to ask how you've been liking Murk Water. Got enough Mirelurk Queens eating your men?"
"Really, Shaw?"
"Well, I was instructed to speak freely. It's what came to mind, so half dozen of one six of the other?"
Gruff laughter took over the sound for a moment.
"So this is what the Minutemen have relied on. Posturing and attitude. No wonder your destruction has come so close. Whether physically in Quincy where we still rule or that of your ideals in Libertalia. Bravado and attitude can carry a rag tag bunch of misfits only so far and crumbles in the face of the true discipline of a soldier.
"Just like how the legend herself hasn't shown herself here to face me. And over a table, not even the battlefield. It's this cowering that makes your handling nearly too easy.
"But in the interest of peace, like the honorable should offer their weakers, let's get down to it.
"You share a border with a country that holds a superior military. I suggest the Minutemen cower in their Castle and beg our deference before sending out unarmed diplomatic missions to it."
The General clenched her fist and bit it. "Come on Preston, I prepped you for this."
"The entire Commonwealth is under Minutemen protection as declared by the constitution its communities have signed.
"There are no borders. The Glowing Sea is uninhabited. As are the surrounding wastes."
"Yes!", the General silently cheered with a fist pump.
"And that stupidity shows how much danger you're in. Gunnertopia's capital is Gunner Plaza. And we intend to defend our country against every threat it faces, including your interference with out lifestyle."
"You mean extortion practices!"
The General winced. "Ronnie."
"Which are illlegal in the Commonwealth, in which you are operating."
"Good cover, Preston. Don't let him cement the idea of a separate entity instead of united Commonwealth. Keep it up.", the General continued to follow along - as if this were called shots in some complex game only she could follow.
"Everything in the Commonwealth is protected from threats like you.
"That's why we're here. To understand how you're going to concede the threat you pose before the Minutemen's charge to destroy all threats facing the Commonwealth turns to your motley crew."
"We're here because you fear our strength. You know we have the weaponry to take...back any community under our protection from you. You know your troop of hikers would fall by the dozens to each and every one of my war hardened soldiers. That's why your figure head hides from me."
The General tried to will her thought all the way to Diamond City. "Come on Preston, you have to see it."
But it was Ronnie's voice that came over the radio.
"Like how you've shown up with Assaultrons under cloak? So you can stomp around in an empty frame our privates would be ashamed to be seen in as if that was something while really protected by not even people, because your people aren't willing to defend you.
"You just want the chaos back. The very chaos we've gotten rid of. All you want is to pad your pockets with the fear of an unstable world and our eliminating threats for free have cut into your profits, permanently. And once we get rid of things like you, there won't even be a need for people like you. You're looking at the end coming and can't stare something worse than death in the eye. Retirement.
"Hell, I understand. I remember walking away from the force. After you Gunners destroyed Quincy. Losing the Castle. Wire. I had to make peace with having done all I could do. And on top of that, unlike you it was for people and not my own pocket book. It's hard.
"But you won't be letting down anyone by stopping. You'll be freeing people from a war that doesn't have to happen. There's plenty of killers that became artists, warriors that became scholars, criminals that became wisened: you can do the same."
"I am not going to let anyone down, Minuteman. I'm going to defend the free people of Gunnertopia from wherever you attack from. If you're set up at Warwick Homestead, we will meet you in battle there. If you are set up at the Atom Cats' Garage, we will meet you there. Any place that holds any Minutemen assets is a clear an present danger to us, even Diamond City itself, and we will defend ourselves from those places first. Any everyone listening can be warned of that.
"You know, you could just concede everything south of this Hagen - Independence Line to me here. It would save so many lives. And not doing so proves you have no interest in the lives of the civilians of the Commonwealth. Only the power you've accrued becoming the cronies of politicians."
"You know I'm tired of listening to this. I have a counter offer. You take the rest of this day's ceasefire to flee down to your hideout at Gunner Plaza and wait for us there. We won't be long."
"Well damn, Preston."
"His robots can show him the door if he's forgotten."
