"Goldangit, did the radio go out again?", Gob rasped aloud. He reached out a rotten fist to bang on it but it seemed to sputter back to life under the threat. Gob's in Megaton had service again.
"Hello, Mr. Three Dog. I am told that you would be able to hear me. Just like everyone else in the Capitol Wastes."
*click*
"Who in the blasted sands is this? Wait, that voice! You took over the airwaves before."
*click*
"Yes, Mr. Three Dog. I am the General. And before we get started, I am going to make a few points clear.
"First the technical - since we don't have a direct connection, I can only hear you through your broadcast and you can only hear me through mine. Just like everyone else in the Capitol Wastes. We'll be recording this for rebroadcast in the other regions of the Commonwealth verbatim on Radio Freedom. At the conclusion of this interview, you will likely be allowed these air waves again.
"Second - that depends on your status. The Commonwealth allows private broadcast stations because our Constitution protects the freedom of expression. However, it doesn't allow for the disturbing of the public tranquility and believe me sir, you have done quite a lot and enough of that. Also, the Brotherhood of Steel is a terrorist organization that refuses to abide by its surrenders - so if you are not a civilian and merely their propaganda minister, you are going to have larger issues. Fortunately for you, I cannot make that determination over the radio because you would probably say the same exact things if you were their hostage or their prophet.
"Third - I am not letting this turn into a debate, an argument, or a screaming match. Until the end of our conversation, your signal will be cut when I am speaking. That way, when I am demanding your corrections and presenting the reasons that you should make your corrections there will be no excuse of you not understanding them by talking over them. I hope to give you adequate time to request any clarifications and present any counterfactuals."
*click*
"Well, look which raider can spit five cap words."
*click*
"I am not a raider, Mr. Three Dog. I answer to a representative government of every community of the Commonwealth. Please refer to me in kind. I only refer to you by the moniker you have elected to present yourself with."
*click*
"Every community? Like Rivet City and Sanctuary Hills?"
*click*
"The Commonwealth does have a settlement system separate from the communities. These settlements are directly served by Minutemen sheriffs. They do include my home of Sanctuary Hills, served by Sturges and Rivet City, served by Abraham Washington. No, they do not have representatives that sit on the council.
"That having been stated. These communities are mostly local farms that have joined with the Minutemen or have been founded directly by myself or Minutemen. We take in any refugee from the waste that can behave civilly and do their part. We collectively survive this world and are effectively the Minutemen. With only the exception of Rivet City, none of these places had what they referred to as any form of governance and all have joined voluntarily.
"We have had settlements successfully become communities. The Slog and Nuka World are examples. There have been many communities that pre-existed our operational reach - from Canterbury Commons and Underworld to Ark & Dove Cathedral to the Pitt. So being classified as a settlement isn't a prerequisite in anyway for government participation. Each sitting community has its own reasons for joining.
"In an effort of honesty, I am going to admit the most problematic places of residence. I expect your listeners are most concerned over Rivet City. She served as a Brotherhood of Steel staging ground, so it was occupied. The civilian populace was not harmed and the local forces were secured until her civilian rulership voted to join the Commonwealth of their own accord. I, personally, had anticipated them joining the government. The individual communities themselves would not tolerate the danger Rivet City may still pose. I hope that situation changes after the final defeat of the Brotherhood of Steel. But I serve the will of the people, not the reverse.
"Another is Vault 114. I had personally considered the entire population criminals and part of a gang called the Triggermen. They have consistently proven me wrong, even if their...cultural norms strike me as otherwise. Because my sensibilities are accustomed to a pre-war society, I have some difficulty seeing them as the productive members of society that they actually are. But I am beginning to suspect that is more my fault than theirs.
"The Nucleus is a full fledged community, with its sovereignty and a representative on the council. It is also a place I had taken over militarily. Back when we only suspected the Brotherhood of Steel of nuking the Commonwealth, we had to consider every threat. The Nucleus was known to have an intercontinental ballistic missile. We invaded to determine if it had been fired and secured it if it had not been. It had not been fired and is now guarded by Minutemen personnel. When hostilities ended, the Minutemen offered the Nucleus a choice between autonomy and joining. I suspect the Children of the Atom congregation joined to place a tighter leash around my neck to ensure security. But they have been participants in our fledgling nation as well. Even if, again, my pre-war sensibilities object to their practice of taking in the radioactive wastes of the Commonwealth.
"I suppose I ought to include Nuka World in this list. Once, it was a hotbed of raiders and slavers. I, and by "I" I mean me, myself, and I - not the Minutemen - killed all of them, freeing the people that had been enslaved there. To the man and woman. Not quite as thoroughly as the mission I commanded to destroy the institution known as Paradise Falls that the Brotherhood of Steel allowed if not encouraged to operate. So technically, I militarily took rule there. But the free people of Nuka World are now a community."
"Have I addressed your concerns about the legitimacy of the government that oversees me on behalf of the civilian populace of the Commonwealth?"
*click*
"You have an intercontinental ballistic missile? At your command!"
*click*
"This is exactly what I mean by the problems you cause me, Mr. Three-Dog.
"I very much dislike speaking about the nuclear capabilities of the Minutemen. However, I am forced to because I am going to keep a transparent government. Also, if one really cared to piece the information together, all they would have to do is remember things broadcast on Diamond City Radio and publshed by Publick Occurences.
"I have four devices that can vaporize anywhere I choose on the planet surface with nuclear fire under my personal command. Each is guarded by Minutemen forces that are sentient and ranked in the command structure. The Minutemen also have a supply of mini-nukes and plans for the production of bomb of equivalent tactical deployment that we are estimating is twice as devastating even though I have refused to have it tested due to the ban on nuclear explosions. While I don't have an absolutely accurate count without consulting my Colonel of Supplies, there are probably enough to wipe every residence we've mapped off the map. Maybe.
*click*
"And you want my listeners, who have heard even the Enclave's bullshit, to believe that you - who has invaded the Capitol Wastes - are to be trusted with nuclear weapons."
*click*
"I have never fired a nuclear weapon. Including in the Great War! I have personally banned their use. Including during the Gunner Civil War.
"You cater to the Brotherhood of Steel, who have actually nuked the Commonwealth proper. And somehow seeded the Rains that murdered so very many people with radiation on top of its noxious gasses."
*click*
"You fired the nuclear weapon on Gunner Plaza."
*click*
"Do not expect the Right to Freedom of Expression to protect you from your slander forever, Mr. Three Dog. Please cease and desist from continuing to make false statements that cannot have any possible evidence. Particularly when not only do we have an on the record admission from a Brotherhood of Steel agent and explanatory evidence accrued from multiple witnesses that the Brotherhood of Steel committed that particular sneak attack...after their second defeat. And private citizens have conducted exhaustive review of all Minutemen resources and accounted for our entire nuclear capability."
*click*
"I do have proof."
*click*
"Present it. Now."
*click*
"The Lone Wanderer told me."
Silence. A long drawn out pause.
*click*
"Some random third party that has a vested interest in the Brotherhood of Steel told you...what?"
*click*
"That you nuked Gunner Plaza. Clean out your ears."
*click*
"Mr. Three Dog, I can find any child to say that you aren't a man but a talking dog. Another persons accusation isn't evidence. It isn't even hearsay.
"If you have any actual proof in any form that can be documented or verified or even examined, now is the time to present it."
*click*
"She told me that a robot figured it out. So it's not just her word, even though that should be enough."
*click*
"I am going to ignore the idiocy of you telling us that it is her word when it's actually your word invoking hers. Unless she's there with you with her sword at your throat.
"Since you have this robot that 'figured it out', how are you going to arrange for a civilian journalist who is not in the Minutemen to independently verify its findings?"
*click*
"Well I don't have Nick Valentine."
*click*
"You...!"
A heaving breath.
"We demand that every civilian hostage taken by the Brotherhood of Steel be immediately released. And as a probable sentient synth in need of testing, Mr. Valentine qualifies. If necessary, which it shouldn't be because Mr. Valentine is a civilian, prisoners of war still hold a protected status. That we can be documented observing, by the way. Even when the Brotherhood of Steel tried to kill their own people with the Rains.
"Where is Mr. Valentine being held?"
*click*
"He escaped. I mean, ran off."
*click*
"So you have nothing. No physical evidence to present. Just your accusation that someone else, with a plain to see grudge, is willing to accuse me. And you are broadcasting this lie, and it is a lie Mr. Three Dog, despite our people - the Commonwealth's civilian people - did their own journalistic investigation and found not only that all the evidence points to me not having done anything and that the Brotherhood of Steel has done this beyond a reasonable doubt."
*click*
"But you did/"
*click*
"I restate. All the evidence shows that I did not. All the evidence shows that the Brotherhood of Steel did including the plume of engine trail from the sky from the Capitol Wastes. Any citizen of the Commonwealth can read about it in the civilian operated newspaper. Any citizen can ask their local community representative. Hell - go to some other community's representative if you don't believe your own. At random.
"You will not restate this lie on the consequence that I end this interview. Is that quite clear? Mr. Three Dog."
*click*
"It's not really an interview if I can only ask the questions you want and accept the answers you like."
*click*
Silence. Another moment passed.
"When I would take a deposition before a trial...in what I suppose would now be called 'the old world', if someone continued to purjer themselves after the facts had been established it wouldn't really matter. We'd have a recording of their lies, the evidence of the facts, and bring it all before the judge so that the truth would lead to justice and the liar would be punished for the damage they caused. But the damage is that if the people don't believe that I am here to help, then it is that much harder for me to help them. And if they believe that the Brotherhood of Steel will do better by them, then they will continue to have their technology and food taken. And now that the Minutemen occupy Jefferson Memorial, possibly their water stolen as well. Our concerns don't allow us the time to waste on proving every concoction of yours a falsehood only for you to repeat it and us to do it again.
"So I will make an appeal to a more reasonable man. I hope that I am not offending him by using the term 'man'.
"Mr. Vance of the Family. Mr. Three Dog has accused us of destroying the newly accepted community of Arefu. I have issued no order for its harm and only orders for its aid. I have checked with my chain of command and I cannot find any evidence that any order to harm Arefu was issued. There weren't any of our people unaccounted for in the area to have done this, nor any vehicles to deliver those farther away. I have visited the remnants of the community. The flag flown was not one of ours: it was a sorry imitation. I want to tell you that the Minutemen did not do this because not only there is no reason to believe we did but because there are no reasons for us to do it and many reasons not to have done it. I want to tell you this. But the truth is that I will continue to investigate until I can prove that the Minutemen did not do this. And I suspect that will take finding those that did and...well, I would also like to use the term 'bring them to justice' because that means they would have to face the proof of their guilt and the communities they've threatened but I suspect that I won't be allowed to do anything but put them down and burn the body for hygeine's sake. If you can come in out of the cold, we will gladly allow you not just to observe our investigation but fulfill any promises you've made to Arefu to the best of our collective ability.
"We have tried to give a decent burial to those of Arefu. While there wasn't much left of the town, we tried to put an object of keepsake next to each head stone so if any of your people can recognize one we can help you put a name to the stone but only if you want. Your representative's coffin was empty when we opened it, so I am left to assume that he was recalled to you. Because if he was not, then we have a greater problem.
"I might have been able to forgive an attack before I made this announcement by radio. Now that I have issued this disavowal, I cannot also abide any harm done to a Commonwealth citizen. Please believe that we have taken precautions against your particulars, everywhere.
"I will return to our agreement with Meresti Station, including provisions, if you just present yourselves in peace. If you choose to occupy some other non-inhabited place in the Commonwealth, the only change in our agreement will be in respect of your new border. If you require evidence of special exemption, please inquire with Reilly's Rangers who have been specifically designated an exploration group and not mercenaries which has them accomodated around the necessary enforcement of the anti-mercenary policy. Yes, I am asking you to trust me. But if you cannot, if Mr. Three Dog's...spew has prevented that, please independently verify with others that we have dealt with that we deal fairly.
"However, I reiterate: Do not harm any Commonwealth citizen. The Minutemen exist for their protection. Even if you can prove that the harm inflicted can be healed from without consequence. Do not test us on this."
"Because I do not have any confidence that Mr. Three Dog is interested in a productive conversation for his listeners, I will continue to the next part of tonight without him.
"I bring to you by her own request, Rosie of the Republic of Rosie."
A new voice came on.
"I have a prepared statement for the Commonwealth, which the Capitol Wastes include."
The sound of a hand slapping due to face palming.
"Don't read a prepared statement. It makes you sound like I'm making you do this."
"Well, I want to read from what I wrote down. And Rachel tells me that you work for us, not me working for you. So I, as the duly elected president of the Republic of Rosie will do whatever I decide is best for the people of the Republic of Rosie. And that includes getting the message out to the other people in the nation of which we are a part."
A beat.
"Fine! The floor is yours, Madame President."
"Ahem.
"There are towns in the Capitol Wastes that the Minutemen have not reached yet. With people coming into settlements, I expect that there are people still out there that haven't even really dealt with a Minuteman all their lives. It's those that I want to address.
"The Republic of Rosie has been fiercely independent throughout it's long and storied history. Which you can learn about at the Museum of Rosie, in the Republic of Rosie. Tours are available upon request."
"This isn't an opportunity for you to advertise for tourism."
"I'm not done.
"Ahem.
"As the sovereign leader of a free community that has rebuilt civilization, I have asked the General to allow me on this broadcast to give my assessment of the Minutemen. It is one thing for you to meet them and hear what they have to say. It is another for you to hear what someone who has had them serve has to say, after integrating with them for some time. And in a simple humanitarian effort, I want to reach out to my fellows in the Capitol Wastes and the Commonwealth in general to assure them. Because that assurance is the best thing that I can do for them.
"Our water supply is better than ever due to Minutemen technology. Our food supply is secure. We have vastly more trade and more visitors due to the Minutemen actually taking care of a country instead of just tearing through every now and again on their way to kill whatever they were in the mood to kill anyway. The Capitol Wastes, even pre-war, is a place with a heritage of freedom and people who vie and die for it. We have never been as free to live how we want as we have been by participating in the Commonwealth.
"There is a safer life for you in the Commonwealth. Farmers have communities and settlements with protected land. Scavvers can travel along protected roads. Even if you've proven yourself as a protector, the Minutemen would love to have you and it's always better with people to watch your back. Traders have more customers. After meeting one of these synthetic women, I can promise even tinkerers that there is more to tinker with than you've ever imagined. Ghoulies are judged on their behavior just like normal, everyday people like us. No matter how you make your way in the wastes, the Commonwealth and the Minutemen make it safer and maybe even easier. It's good to have not just friends, but citizenship.
"So when the Minutemen show up on your doorstep, invite them in. Join them, join us. A nation of the people, for the people as one of its late founders, John Hancock would say. We may be different. But we are not so different that we cannot help each other face the world together. That a great multitude of communities cannot be stronger together than apart. For example, the Minutemen supplied us with freshly bottled Nuka-Cola for the first time ever while we have managed to help other communities subject to the torrential, poisonous, irradiated rains inflicted upon innocent people by the Brotherhood of Steel's Proctor of Potions Wyath. When something comes for you, and in the wasteland you know it will, we can stand together in mutual aid.
"Thank you."
"Thank you for that, President Rosie.
"As I have stated before, I am limited by our constitution and the civilian government of the Commonwealth. So I am going to be returning this frequency to Mr. Three Dog's control. I would like to hope that he will use that opportunity to inform rather than indoctrinate, lie, and otherwise abuse his audience. However, I have no reason to hope that. There are other civilian broadcasts and information sources readily available in the Commonwealth. It may be unbecoming for me to directly advertise them in a free market environment, even if I have learned my lesson on who to grant interviews to.
"In addition, the Minutemen have expanded operations to the Washington Monument. Radio Freedom - the voice of the Minutemen will be broadcasting from here on out on a frequency you should easily find. Security and government updates will be intersperesed with its regular broadcast. Such as "If anyone has any information about a member of the Family or their whereabouts, please inform the Minutemen immediately.".
"I understand that the elderly broadcaster behind Agatha's station has passed away. I am certain she will be missed. While she did not overlap genres with Radio Freedom, there is a civilian broadcaster of similar music and taste that has volunteered to become her successor. I doubt that those who knew her could conceive of her ever being replaced.
"The current time is *static*. All quiet, which is how we like it. Stay safe out there people."
