A knocking woke the residents of Publick Occurences. It was strikingly inhuman; a mechanical, precise noise. When the door cracked, the reason was apparent. A Mark II synth in a way too clean jump suit and pristine white armor stood before it. The only other colors displayed besides white were the light blue markings of a musket crossed with a lightning bolt and three stars floating before them. And the lifeless, glowing eyes.
"This unit is serving APC 17 of this General's Minutemen. With permission of Mayor Ginerva, we are offering non-military non-policing aid in Diamond City in the form of radiation testing. Due to the recent terrorist attack by the infamous Brotherhood of Steel, the General is making the safety of Commonwealth citizens her top priority with all of the resources not directed to the destruction of the criminals known as the Brotherhood of Steel. May I enter the domicile to test for your safety?" - the synth droned.
"um, Sure.", Piper replied. "Just let me throw some clothes on."
The synth pushed the door open and walked in without hesitation. "Thank you for your permission."
A small "eep!" came from the reporter as she wrapped her leather coat around herself rapidly.
A yawn told the two of a waking Natalie. "What's going on, sis?"
"This unit is conducting a radiation test of this domicile. This unit is serving APC 17 of this General's Minutemen. With permission of Mayor Ginerva, we are offering non-military non-policing aid in Diamond City in the form of radiation testing. Due to the recent terrorist attack by the infamous Brotherhood of Steel, the General is making the safety of Commonwealth citizens her top priority with all of the resources not directed to the destruction of the criminals known as the Brotherhood of Steel.", the synth repeated.
"Oh, yeah.", the child remembered. "Those fuckers."
"Language!", Piper scolded.
"Testing is done.", the synth announced. "Radiation levels have returned to pre-terrorist attack levels. The Minutemen apologize for the whatever effects the Brotherhood of Steel have inflicted upon your home, and pledge to see that everyone is protected from any future actions of the terrorists of the Brotherhood of Steel.
"Do you have any questions?"
Piper snapped her fingers at her younger sister. Nat tiredly but quickly brought a pad of paper and a PENCIL.
"Yes, I do.", Piper stated carefully. "As a citizen of the Commonwealth, I am asking you -er, this unit- serving as Minutemen equipment to stay and answer all of the questions I am going to ask today."
The synth stated, "This unit may or may not be privy to confidential information, either due to military necessity or civilian privacy. Such information will not be used to answer all of the questions you are going to ask today."
"Excellent. Let's begin.", Piper acknowledged. "First question: how much of the language you've been using comes directly from the General? The whole 'the Brotherhood are criminals' stuff."
"The General recognizes that the Brotherhood of Steel are criminals and sympathizes with your suffering caused by the terrorists known as the Brotherhood of Steel. She is pursuing an end to the threat they pose as expeditiously as possible.", the synth told her. "Are there any other questions?"
"Yes. Where else are you testing for radiation?", the reporter continued.
"All citizens of the Commonwealth are being assisted. The General serves all of the citizenry of the Commonwealth and any appearance of difference in priority is due to tactical considerations. After all, if the Commonwealth as a whole falls, any social structures contained within it are null and void.", the synth told her. "Are there any other questions?"
"Yes.", Piper assured. "What's the actual known damage caused by the storm?"
"Nuka-World transit had been closed until installation of radiation scanners and scrubbers had been installed. Far Harbor port was closed until installation of radiation scanners and scrubbers had been installed.
"Sommerville was a total, tragic loss due to storm inflicted casualties. Breakheart Banks was a total, tragic loss due to storm inflicted casualties."
The woman interrupted. "You mean everywhere else was able to evacuate without incident?!"
"No, this unit does not mean that everywhere else was able to evacuate without incident."
Piper stared at the machine, waiting for it to continue.
"Are there any further questions?", the synth asked.
"Yes. Didn't you pick up my social cue to provide more information?", she asked.
"No.", the synth replied. "This unit does not test sentient. Theory of Mind is not an inborn belief but a series of artificial intelligence algorithms. Are there any further questions?"
"Yes.", Piper sighed. "What were some of the complications of the evacuations?"
"Murkwater Construction Site is a total loss due to evacuating to Suffolk County Charter school and being slaughtered by 'pink' feral ghouls, empowered by the radiation of the storm. Egret Tours Marina is reduced in population to only Sheriff Curie, due to a combination of no adequate local evacuation location and no warning time. Abernathy Farm may change its name due to all Abernathys having been killed, along with a majority of the residents due to a combination no adequate local evacuation location and no warning time. Red Rocket is a total loss due to evacuation point being a cave underneath the settlement, but was also lethally radioactive due to incorrectly disposed pre-war waste. The settlement of Quincy took losses along the evacuation to Posiedon Energy. Spectacle Island is being reclaimed from the portion of the population that did not make it out to sea and remained hoping for protection from their cargo boxes turned domiciles because the survivors are now feral ghouls. Hangman's Alley took casualties due to their evacuation point being a railway station claimed by a raider gang - the Tunnel Snakes. Craig Manor's residents are currently being treated for radiation poisoning due to the insecurity of using the Nahant Oceanological Society as their evacuation point. There was civil unrest in Saugus Iron Works as Finch Farms had used it as an evacuation point and disputed with the Slog as using it as an evacuation point as well, the sentiment being that ghouls would not need protection from the storm. King's Port Lighthouse took major casualties as their evacuation point was Longneck Lokowski's Cannery and discovered a massive feral ghoul population, empowered by the radiation of the storm. Tenpines Bluff suffered casualties against raiders as they made their way to USAF Olivia Sattelite listening post. Taffington Boat House took casualties against supermutants stationed at Medford Memorial Medical Center on their way to their evacuation point of Malden Center Station. Outpost Jimonja is a total loss, evacuation point unknown.
"Government casualties include the Sheriffs of Hangman's Alley, Sommerville, Abernathy Farms, Red Rocket, Murkwater Construction Site, Quincy, Breakheart Banks, King's Port Lighthouse, Tenpines Bluff, Taffington Boathouse, and Outpost Jimonja. Mayor Hancock of Goodneighbor was euthanised after becoming feral due to radiation exposure sustained rescue operations conducted during the storm. Atom Cats' council member Roxxy has suffered ghoulification due to radiation exposure suffered during their evacuation to their evacuation point of Posiedon Energy. Total Minutemen casualties are classified."
"Are there any further questions?", the synth asked.
Piper and Natalie had both sat down by the time the casualty listing was over. "Is there any good that came of this?", Piper wondered to herself.
Natalie looked to the machine standing before them. "Yes, there are further questions. Is there any good that came of this?"
The machine paused. "The residents of Nordhagen Beach discovered a large cache of MINI-NUKES war heads at their evacuation point of Fort Strong. These have all been turned over to the Minutemen, reducing the nuclear bombs in circulation.
"Are there any further questions?", the synth asked.
Piper nearly unconsciously scribbled a note of the answer. "um, Yes. What is being done about all this?"
"The church, Children of Atom has notified the Minutemen of their efforts to collect concentrated radiation sources due to the storm. Vault 95 has been emptied so that all of the Marine Corps could be on the front lines and the vault itself used for disposessed civilian use. Foodstuff import from other Commonwealth provinces is being initiated to forestall expected harvest shortfalls.
"Furthermore, the priority of the Capital Wastes policy has changed. The General, with permission of the council, is switching priority from diplomatic courting of civilian communities in order to expand the Commonwealth to the utter destruction of the terrorists known as the Brotherhood of Steel. The Institute is donating several cohorts of upgraded battlefield, non-biological synths to the war effort. Colonel Brandis is providing air superiority over the Capital Wastes. Colonel call-sign "Bridget" is leading the entire Marine Corps on this new priority. Saugus Ironworks is exclusively dedicated to orders from the Atom Cats Garage in the maintenance, repair and replication of power armor for Minutemen forces. Vault 114 has pledged production of medical chems at near cost levels in support of the war effort. The criminals known as the Brotherhood of Steel's destruction is only a matter of time.
"Are there any further questions?", the synth asked.
Piper shook her head. "No. I think we have enough to publish."
"Excellent. Enjoy your Minutemen protected domicile, Commonwealth citizen.", the synth stated and left.
