Author's Note: The reviewer Paladin Bailey is correct, Rothschild is male. This is a mistake on my part, like mistaking Colonel Cypress of the Gunners for Commander Cortez. Hence, Rothschild is not the intended character-Elizabeth Jameson is, Proctor of the Order of the Quill and pays for holotags in Fallout 3. This has been corrected in previous chapters. The Brotherhood of Steel faction that operates in the Capitol Wastes is currently commanded by Head Scribe Jameson, Sentinel Cross (leading the surviving forces that were once loyal to Elder Lyons before Maxson's 'reconciliation' between the outcasts and the regulars), and Star Paladin Casadin (leading the surviving forces that were once loyal to only himself as outcasts before Maxson's 'reconciliation' between the outcasts and the regulars). I had meant to imply / allow to be inferred that the reason no one was elder of the Brotherhood of Steel was because neither Casadin nor Cross could command the other's forces due to having shot too many over the years and Jameson dare not.

1

The Lone Wanderer sat next to Woodrose at a table that would have been used for picnicking, if parks still existed after the Great War. Across from her was the General of the Minutemen and what she was beginning to suspect was more consort than Colonel of Personnel.

"You don't even know!", Woodrose exclaimed as she savored her food.

Preston smiled like he was supposed to be on a recruitment poster. "Oh, I don't know. I'd put this punga above MUTFRUIT."

Woodrose shook her head. "For everyday, for all of your life? This noodles with...how did you say?"

"Brahmin. There's some carrot and a hint of bloodleaf as well.", the General explained. "It's as close to what a ramen shop in Okinawa I knew that I could come up with. But there's more that the time-natives of the Commonwealth have come up with."

"That's right. You said you were frozen before the Great War.", Woodrose restated. "Well, lucky for us that you were."

"Lucky?", the Lone Wanderer questioned.

"Of course!", Preston and Woodrose exclaimed at the same time.

"Pardon, ma'am.", Preston gestured.

Woodrose acknowledged his politeness with a simple nod. "The General has big plans that are already coming together. It seems that the Commonwealth doesn't have punga as a crop. So we at the Ark & Dove can grow all the punga we can and have a solid demand for it in the Commonwealth. But the Commonwealth has all these other crops, and factories,"

The General shook her hand to suggest that Woodrose was overselling it.

"and resources that we'll benefit from. Even now, we're garnering Minutemen protection. And not just men, but these auto-turrets you see being set-up."

Preston restated. "Remember, the Minutemen won't be able to operate inside your community. You'll still be responsible for internal policing as we're only allowed to combat outside threats to Commonwealth citizens."

The Lone Wanderer questioned that as well. "You signed up with them?"

"Of course.", Woodrose told her. "Look, Jackson and everyone really looks to me to keep this place functioning while we search for enlightenment. Our quality of life is going to lift into the sky with the improved trade and protection becoming part of the Commonwealth gives. We already have our trading licenses along with Madame Panada, Haley, and Margueritte."

"We've made a lot of progress covering Point Lookout.", the General explained. "We've found an empty mansion to the southwest where we could start a true settlement, and a few other locations. I'm concerned that the military site might be too radioactive to be self-sufficient though."

She turned to Woodrose. "That's why we're installing the water purifiers here for you guys. We need everyone in the Commonwealth to be self-capable enough to 'hold out a while' if our local Minutemen need reinforcements to come rescue you."

"And what about the swamp people?", the Lone Wanderer asked.

Preston and the General looked at her. Preston started. "Don't tell me you're one of those people."

"What 'people'?"

"That can't just leave people be.", he explained. "When we set up a settlement, it's up to the people to come join. If they can act civil and pull their own, that's all we ask. We don't really go for much of the intolerance in the Commonwealth."

"We have ghoul neighbors, a ghoul settlement, even one of our most influential politicians is ghoulified.", the General explained. "My admiral is a ghoul. I even have a supermutant sheriff. I thought someone who was comfortable traveling with Reilly's Rangers and its obviously motley crew wouldn't hold such biases."

"And the Commonwealth looks out for people.", Woodrose assured. "Remember Kenny?"

The Lone Wanderer glared at the General. "You mean the child who was abandoned by swamp people because he didn't share their mutations?"

"Teen, when we found him.", the General replied. "We got him a spot in Vault 88. The overseer's a ghoul there."

"I wouldn't use her as a best foot forward example.", Preston chided. The General faintly smiled in response.

"How is that even possible?", the Lone Wanderer objected.

The General rolled her head from side to side. "Her vault was maybe scheduled for completion between 2078 and 2079 for a nuclear blast that came in 2077. But working together, Vault 88 has become a valuable settlement for the Commonwealth."

The woman turned to Woodrose. "Unlike here, which will be a full fledged community."

"Speaking of which, who do you think is going to be your representative to the council?", Preston asked. "I'm liking your man Jimson for the job. He seems to be..."

"Grounded?", Woodrose accepted Preston's small nod. "It's up to Jackson, as he's still the most enlightened of us. But between him leading here and me running the place, I'd bet on Jimson as well."

"And the General's going to allow you to continue on with your religion?", the Lone Wanderer interjected. That should break up this love fest.

In an offended tone the General stated, "It's not up to me what religion anyone follows. Sure, I may not be that religious but I've had my experiences. And while I may be more...accustomed to pre-war religions, we have a community of Children of the Atom and a settlement of Hubologists as well as the more traditional. As long as one's practice doesn't harm anyone else, it's none of the Minutemen's business what you practice or preach. Even if I personally would like to see the Children be more careful about gathering sources of radioactivity to bring back to the Nucleus."

"Then why are you coming down so hard on Rivet City?", the Lone Wanderer demanded.

"Rivet City is a religious issue?", Preston wondered aloud. "How?"

Woodrose snapped her fingers at the General. "This is the city you were talking about, to the north in the Capitol Wastes."

"Yes.", the General said. "Rivet City's security were working hand in hand with the Brotherhood of Steel. So far, we have no sign that their civilian council has any interest in working with someone other than those monsters. So my hands are tied. If they wanted to join our representative government, which they could then influence because it is a representative government that the Minutemen serve under then I could work with them. But since they've told us that the intent of the majority of them is to use Rivet City's security against us, we have to keep the community secure.

"What am I supposed to do? Force them to hold fake elections that I rig? What would be the point of that? I'm not going to slaughter a community's security force for obeying their elected government if I can keep them from being a threat, and thanks to Colonel call-sign Bridget's exemplary taking of the situation I don't have to.

"All I can do is keep showing that the Commonwealth has its citizenry's best interests at heart. We've made them water independent, we're shipping food, people are back trading in the market place...What more do you want than my head on a platter for looking at you cross eyed?"

"Freedom like it was when the Brotherhood had the run of the Capitol Wastes.", the Lone Wanderer stated.

Preston stood up. "Freedom? I've been fighting for freedom my whole life. Freedom isn't coercing and intimidating farms into giving you what those families worked for without helping them in the slightest. It's not stealing tech from a place and hoarding it because you can't come up with anything yourself. The Minutemen defeat people like that. We defeated the Rust Devils. We defeated the Institute itself. And the Brotherhood of Steel being willing to use a weapon from the Great War to destroy the land itself isn't the freedom I've been bleeding for my whole life."

"Calm down, Preston.", the General said while laying a hand on his.

Still shaking, he automatically answered. "Yes, ma'am."

"That's not what I meant.", she offered. "Dismissed, Colonel."

Preston turned to walk off. The General still held his hand. "I'll come talk with you, okay?"

He nodded and then stormed off.

The General turned on the Lone Wanderer. "I don't get you. You seem like a nice girl. You tell me you were raised in a Vault, with some vestige of civilization. Is it just Stockholm Syndrome that has you thinking that I'm the bad guy because I want to stop the captors of the Capitol Wastes? With what? Construction?"

The General gestured to the work going on around them.

"Thank you for the lunch, Woodrose.", the General said. "I'm going to do a last run through on the people here and then get going to other sites. If you'll excuse me.

"And see our guest out, if the community of the Ark & Dove doesn't intend to extend her residency like Rivet City has."

And with that, the General picked up her and Preston's plate and walked off.

Woodrose glared at the Lone Wanderer.

"Look...", the Lone Wanderer began.

"No, you look.", Woodrose countered. "You've seen how hard it is to keep this place running for our earthly forms while we seek to escape them. It's about to get a lot easier just for growing all the punga we can. Why do you want to ruin that for us?"

"No, you look.", the Lone Wanderer tried again. "These people are an army. They took the largest city in the Capitol Wastes without batting an eye.

"And the Brotherhood of Steel? They defeated the Enclave who were just about putting people under their thumb. The Brotherhood helped my father bring water to the Capitol Wastes, and when the Enclave killed him and tried to steal it, they avenged his death and started working with Rivet City Security to make sure people got free fresh water. These people stopped all of that."

Woodrose looked around and shrugged. "I don't see how you're going to convince anyone here of anything like that."

The Lone Wanderer nodded. "Me neither."

Woodrose offered a weak smile. "Walk you out?"

The two women strode back to the gate and shared a brief if symbolic hug. "Don't be a stranger. You're always welcome here."

"I'll try not to be.", the Lone Wanderer replied.

Woodrose handed her sword back. Unfortunately, the General walked up at that time. Laser muskets from Minutemen instantly stopping their tasks leveled. The General backed up a step. The Lone Wanderer slid the sword into her belt across her back and made a show of holding her hands up. The Minutemen lowered their weapons but did not stop watching her.

The General offered. "Look, I'm not the jerk you think I am. You came in saying that there was a food situation."

The Lone Wanderer nodded.

The red head continued. "I can't risk Brotherhood agents coming into the Commonwealth. Not anymore. And I certainly can't ask civilians to risk their lives, especially not to aid the Brotherhood of Steel.

"But...if any Brotherhood of Steel elements, even single individuals, give up their armor and weapons...we have left over POW camps from our defeat of the Gunners. They'll get shelter, food, water, and more importantly away from the fighting until the conflict is over and the Capitol Wastes are secure."

The Lone Wanderer tilted her head. "Gunners."

"The last mercenary group in the Commonwealth. Or at least it was. Now, after we deal with the Brotherhood of Steel's insurgents we'll be looking at this so-called Talon Company.", the General informed. "Aren't you glad that Reilly's Rangers are just an exploratory group? One that doesn't get into fights."

"Delighted.", the Lone Wanderer let drop.

"Anyway.", the General went on. "No one has to starve. If an ex-Brotherhood member can show that they'll reform, we'll cope with it.

"I'm certain you have some way of having that message spread."