The General's office was crowded, and a return to the double table setup didn't help. Delegates, senators, councilors...they never had truly agreed on a name for the people who represented communities - all were curious of the new faces among them. However, no one really wanted to break the uneasy silence. All four of the General's colonels were there in full uniform, standing at attention behind the General's chair, along with someone in CAGE ARMOR and an ASSAULT GAS MASK hiding their identity. And when they were brought into the room, the escorting Minutemen had informed them that the General herself would answer all their questions once she returned.
The doors seemed to want to fly open, but the General stopped them from doing so. She entered the room in a rush and immediately sat down in her chair. The woman took a deliberate breath, as if breathing out 'commander' and 'soldier' and breathing in 'lawyer' and 'politician'. "Representatives, and representatives only: please be seated.
Oh. And 'at ease'."
Those representatives that were still standing took seats that were close to their regular ones. However, two of the new faces were already at the table. Only one remained standing.
Fahrenheit pointed at the new faces at the table. "What the hell?", in her normal voice.
The General took off her WRAPAROUND GOOGLES and put on a pair of BLACK RIMMED GLASSES. "I have done many things in the interests of the people of the Commonwealth. Some, closer to the vest than others. With the demands on resources that the Wasteland can...inspire..., I have regularly taken some liberties with the stockpiling and even knowledge of what those resources are. The least of which isn't taking every single MINI-NUKE found into Minutemen custody and inventory by Colonel Shaw. The most...who's to tell? The authority I've wielded over the settlements that aren't members of this council? The true capacity of the Institute, which I will continue to keep confidential?
"I've spoken with the Minutemen's Intelligence branch/
"Oh, that's right. With the people now sitting at the table, I ought to go over this. Everyone here's familiar with the rank of Sheriff and Captain on down. And for those of you who don't know why everyone's familiar, I'll go over that in a moment. Just bear with me. However, I do have Colonels that aid me with running an organization that's responsible for as much as the Minutemen are. Preston is my Colonel of Personnel, responsible for understanding who are the people under my command and recruitment- his attache is currently running our M.A.S.H. unit outside of Atom Cat's Garage. Shaw is responsible for Supply, inventory and material and such. Brandis' command is Motorpool, allowing our recent APC utilization and the vertibirds that you may have seen over head providing the additional security needed for having so many of us at the Castle at one time. Admiral Zoa has been building and training what serves as our navy from scratch - his attache commanding Irish Pride Shipyard. The final person standing behind me is a representative of the Intelligence branch - the person's identity is classified by regulation.
"Now, as I was saying. I've had to be briefed by the Intelligence branch about a lot of the nature of the world outside the Commonwealth due to my...unique entrance into it. There are very few areas of the world that are even remotely hospitable. Even the non-Glowing Sea mountainous areas that surround the Commonwealth are barely traversable without so much as raiders or trappers representing humanity in these environs. As such, I understand that most of the population is barely aware of the other spots of humanity that don't advertise themselves like Nuka-World or the Capital Wastes or this New California Republic."
Old Man Stockton spoke up. "My business is caravans. And I haven't even confirmed that this New California Republic exists."
"I have.", the General countered. "My husband's murder and son's kidnapper was born there. How he got across whatever's left of the rest of America, I don't know.
"As such, it doesn't surprise me that most of you were unaware of Far Harbor Island. Previous circumstance...allowed that state of things to continue. Current circumstance, meaning the war, does not.
"Far Harbor Island has two communities that have agreed to the same constitution that was signed here at the Castle between the rest of you weeks before you had. In some ways, they are the first adopters of a united Commonwealth and everyone else joined up after them. So while their faces are new to you, and perhaps their existence as well, I expect an open welcome to the communties from Far Harbor that are so graciously aiding with the Commonwealth's collective defense against the Gunners."
The General started clapping quietly and the rest of the table caught on and joined in. Except the representative from Vault 81. The General had anticipated the least animosity from the usually timid community...or at least, timid compared to the others.
Calvin Whitiaker caught himself and apologized. "I'm sorry. Of course, welcome. It's just been throwing me: why does that man and the Institute representative have the same body language. I mean, sure - they're off by a few seconds. But it's like they have the exact same...animation."
The new man in a lab coat turned to the probably female representative in a CLEAN ROOM SUIT. "It's probably because we're both synths."
The machine representing the Institute said in a female voice, matching its gender presentation, "I had though as much. L1-98, shut/"
"Belay that.", the General ordered.
The Institute rep continued staring at the newly revealed synth. "I do not understand. This synth has not passed the Turing test that we have so graciously offered. It is therefore Institute property. I am simply performing my function as a tool of the Institute to peacefully collect and protect all our interests in a neighborly fashion. Under the over arching auspices of the Minutemen, of course.
After all, you yourself General had M7-62 collected from his placement as Diamond City's mayor."
The other synth stated, "The General is just abiding the constitution you signed, and thereby obligated the Institute to abide by. The Right to Autonomy states, and I quote, 'While each undersigned community's residents are citizens of the Commonwealth, each undersigned are independent communities within. Every community of the Commonwealth has the right to decide its residents, it's local laws and enforcement, and economy without undue interference.', end quote. And since Arcadia has decided that its residents are indeed residents, we all are citizens within the Commonwealth. No matter our synthetic status."
Then the synth representing the Institute turned to the General. The entire room was silent. "Am I to understand - and report - that there is an entire amalgamation of malfunctioning synths operating independently as a community of the Commonwealth? And that you knew of it, General?"
The General turned to look into the face plate of the CLEAN ROOM SUIT. "Yes, there is and I had discovered this some time ago."
"So knowingly, you also failed to report to the Institute this responsibility?"
"I may disagree that it is a responsibility."
"Your disagreement is noted, for the purposes of reporting. You've also moved to incorporate the Institute into a community as if the malfunctioning property of the Institute is going through the motions of claiming rights, as if these things can."
"I have.", the General admitted.
The Institute representative stood. "I do not see any further purpose in/"
"Representative G9-81. You yourself are a tool of the Institute, are you not?", the General asked.
"Of course I am.", the synth stated in a tone somewhere between hurt and offended.
"And it is in the Institute's best interests to participate in guiding the direction of the Commonwealth."
The synth's stance seemed to be stuck between deciding to leave and not. "That was postulated to be the case."
"I propose this. Return to your seat. Observe, debate and vote when necessary. After this meeting, I will accompany you to the Institute for a full explanation of not only Arcadia but how it is in the Institute's best interests as well as accounting for my behavior in the matter."
Preston spoke up, hopefully keeping Ronnie from simply destroying the synth. "General, there's no way we can allow you just go with this robot to the bowels of the Institute. We still don't even know where it is."
Arcadia's representative backed him up. "I concur. It's too dangerous."
The General held up her hand. "Of course the Minutemen don't know where the Institute is and are only operating under the premise that it exists within the understood borders of the Commonwealth. The terms of the surrender of the Institute were quite clear and both the Minutemen and the Institute have abided by them.
"It is a matter of my judgement that the Institute has some quite clear concerns about their treatment under the Commonwealth. I, as General, can choose to travel to any community and speak directly with it if I so see fit. I have no problem doing the Institute this service."
Ronnie frowned harder than she had in years. And considering her disposition and age, that was saying something. "If you're agreeing to go into the Institute by yourself after ticking them right off, how do we know that they haven't replaced you already? And that we need to start gearing up for them?"
The General turned to her. "In addition to the Gunners at our gates, Shaw? A full three front war and a complete fracturing of the Commonwealth? Is that what you actually opened your mouth and asked in the first session where every community is here?"
Ronnie wanted to object. She did need her answer. But she also saw the General's point, as she so often had. After all, it was why she agreed with Preston for this new vault find to be general.
"How about this: if I was replaced, why am I not reluctantly acquescing to the Institute and turning Minutemen forces on Arcadia to, how is it, 'reclaim their property'? Which would show an abundance of human emotion but also get the Institute to use the resources of others, desperately needed by others, to do its dirty work? What's stopping that: the Institute's history of compassion and humane treatment of others?
"Or do you want to draw your knife and start rooting around for a SYNTH COMPONENT? Every doctor in the Commonwealth can tell you that that's probably the only way to know for sure. Just if you're wrong, then I'll be dead."
The colonel shook her head. "Sorry for the outburst, ma'am."
The General turned back to the table of delegates. "Ronnie apologizing for something she said? I ought to check to see if she's been replaced.
"As for you, G9-81? Come to the correct decision?"
The synth sat back in her chair. "I believe I have. However, I wish to add a stipulation. You will accompany me back to the Institute immediately after this meeting, not just after."
Faranheit and Stockton both looked as interested in the response to this tone as the new faces from Far Harbor were.
The General was forced to pat the synth's shoulder comfortingly, in a show of superior social status. "Of course. Don't worry."
