1
"Alan, tell us what you have seen of them.", Vance began.
The Family was nested in a much dingier subway station. They had no time to clean it out...rather, they had chosen not to when they marked the Tepid Sewer as a fall back position. It was indistinguishable from any other of the abandoned stops for a system that was blown to smithereens like everything else in the world, except perhaps the pathways cleared out connecting the 'spike down' to Rivet City.
The blonde recalled. "What the General says is true. Her forces are said to not have been vast so long ago. But they are now. Her forces abide her declaration of their goal being the protection of their communities. Her citizens are still armed against the wastes and careful of their resources. There is just a...twitchiness that is absent in the Commonwealth as opposed to the Capitol Wastes."
The leader nodded. "You have stated that what she says is true."
Alan folded his arms. "You notice how she is very careful in what she says. I do not know if we can trust what she does not say."
Vance sighed. "If we can trust what she does say then she says she is from before the Great War and was a master of law. Where we pretend the word to be justice it seems that the word was 'rules' and a lawyer played with the language of those rules. That matches your observations: if she has said it where it can be witnessed and recorded, then it can be held as certain. If she has not said it..."
"Then it could be any sort of evil.", Holly worried. "She has said that she would not tolerate any harm to her people. But she has also said that all of the Capitol Wastes are hers by combat. And that trade with those without will not be tolerated."
"So there's no blood without war.", Karl assessed. "I can keep no store if it does not trade for what we need. And it is not as if we can give up the cold of the shadows as she has called for us to come out from."
"Let me enter into words with her.", Ian offered.
Vance turned an eye to him. "You believe that you can defeat your elder of two centuries in wordsmithing?"
The man shrugged. "Maybe not defeat. But I'm the youngest here, and the newest. I can at least get her to tell us what she wants from us and what she has that says Arefu was her guys. You said it yourself: she only speaks the truth. She said it wasn't her people. She also said she wants to deal. She has to let me go for that."
"I don't like it.", Holly surmised. "If she doesn't let you go, then we have no way of getting you out. You aren't Alan."
Alan closed his eyes and took a moment to open them instead of merely blinking. "I can...share with him what I have found. It would be up to him to gather information and his release from the General should he engage her. Also, there's no guarantee that he'll be able to reach her."
Vance rubbed his chin. "If we go to war, we're going to lose everyone. That decision would be a decision to abandon what we have established here, everyone here, and the opportunity to save others afflicted with our condition. If we risk Ian then we risk sacrificing Ian first, in a war we can't win anyway.
"There was never a choice, only the need."
2
The General came into her quarters on board Rivet City and immediately drew on the intruder.
"Don't shoot.", Ian West commanded. "I've come to talk. From Vance."
The General squinted. "You're under arrest."
Ian glanced up. "um...arrest?"
The General opened up her door again. "Get in here."
Two Minutemen walked in, took one look at Ian and leveled LASER MUSKETS at him. "Ma'am/"
"Quiet.", the General ordered.
"You: don't take your aim off it.
"You: go get non-biological synths or robots in here. Marine Corps assaultrons if you must.
"Vampire: Turn around. Hands on your head."
Ian obeyed and she finally took a breath.
A bit later, the man was seated on the other side of her table in her quarters. Two plastic skinned Type IIs stood on either side of his chair and had Institute weapons leveled at him. Two more stood behind the General and were also aiming their weapons Ian, leaving full room for the General to escape to the Minutemen that were lending their synths and the power armor clad soldiers that came with them.
The General finally answered his question. "Arresting someone means to officially detain them in preparation for government processing. You have broken into a Commonwealth settlement after being specifically asked not to make any attack against the Commonwealth. Upon being arrested, the person is typically bound until they can be caged and then caged until a government official can make a determination on what should proceed further."
Ian pointed to the dark glasses that sat on his face. "What part of me are these supposed to bind?" He tried his best to ignore the BLOOD BAG on the table in front of him.
The General nodded from behind her PATROLMAN SUNGLASSES. "The smallest prevention of any 'look into my eyes' abilities you may try. Just like the robots ready to kill you if you have any 'concentrate on my voice' powers."
The man loosened his jaw. "What is it that you think I can do?"
"How did you get in here?", the General countered.
Ian rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm not supposed to say. I was taught how by the Family and I was told that our ways are for us alone."
"So you won't detail what all your people can do?", the General pressed.
"Like what?"
She started listing off fantastical things. "Transforming into creatures of the night or nightmarish forms, seeing or controlling the thoughts of others, strength beyond strength and speed beyond speed, stepping through shadows or commanding the darkness...for starters."
The glasses hid some of his reaction to that accusation. "I'm going to play this your way."
"My way?", the General challenged.
"I'm not going to tell you any lies. You can count on whatever I say to be the truth.", Ian warned. "But only what I tell you. Just like you've done to everyone else."
The General raised her eyebrow.
Ian produced a paper from his pocket. "Can your robot read this?"
"Yes, Mother.", one of the synths stated.
"Go ahead.", the General instructed.
Minutemen Constitution
The Right to Minutemen Protection: Every Commonwealth citizen, identified and identifying as such, shall have access to the protections offered by the Minutemen. As this right is non-exclusionary, all citizens have the ability to aid the Minutemen in bolstering its protective capabilities from personal service to material support to whatever in kind as productive.
The Right to Autonomy: 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.
Right of Communal Defense: Minutemen will declare roads for safe passage and protect from all areas of danger by the best means available.
The Right of Standardization: The Commonwealth will be defined for the undersigned communities by the impartial service of the Minutemen. The Minutemen will be held responsible to provision and ensure the entirety of the Commonwealth.
The Right of Freedom From Threats: The Minutemen have the responsibility of identifying and removing threats to the Commonwealth.
Right to the Freedom of Expression: Every citizen of the Commonwealth, identified and identifying as such, can express their thoughts unheeded. This right does not protect acts to disturb the public tranquility, such as but not limited to threats or extortion or blackmail.
Laws voted in by council.
Passing the Hat: To support the destruction of the Gunners, the communities will contribute financially to the war effort. Currently inactive due to Gunner defeat in the Gunner Civil War a.k.a. Minuteman Hold.
Passing the Hat, Capitol Wastes: To support the destruction of the Brotherhood of Steel, the communities will contribute financially to the war effort.
Directives established by General fiat.
Mercenary activity is illegal.
Nuclear explosions are illegal.
Minutemen will supply chems from Vault 114 as long as the Minutemen settlements cannot produce those chems for less.
There are rules to war. The Minutemen will abide them.
Gunners are inducted into the Marine Corps.
Reilly's Rangers are an exploratory team and currently exempt from The Right of Freedom From Threats.
One Mr. Red-Eye is serving probation until further notice on pain of execution.
Understandings.
A vote by the council can curtail the behavior of the General.
A vote by the council can set an objective of the Commonwealth.
Settlements include Abernathy Farm, Boston Airport, Calvert Mansion, the Castle, Coastal Cottage, Country Crossing, Covenant, Croup Manor, Dalton Farm, the Dock, Echo Lake Lumber, Egret Tours Marina, Finch Farm, Fort Hagen Hanger, Graygarden, Greentop Nursery, Hangman's Alley, Haley's Hardware, House of Wares, Irish Pride Shipyard, Jamaica Plain, Kingsport Lighthouse, Longfellow's Cabin, National Park Visitor's Center, Nordhagen Beach, Oberland Station, Outpost Zimonja, Pilgrim's Landing, Red Rocket Nuka-World, Rivet City, Sanctuary Hills, Spectacle Island, Starlight Drive In, Sunshine Tidings co-op, Taffington Boathouse, Tenpines Bluff, Vault 75, Vault 88, Vault 95, Vault 118, Warwick Homestead. After the Rains.
All Minutemen obey the General: current command Colonel of Personnel and heir apparent Preston Garvey, Admiral of Navy Zhoa, Colonel of Motorpool, Colonel of Supplies Ronnie Shaw, Colonel of Intelligence call-sign Desdemona, Colonel of Marines call-sign Bridget, Major of Special Forces Robert MacCready, Major of Communications call-sign Radio Freedom
Agreed to by the Atom Cats, Bunker Hill, Goodneighbor, Vault 81, Vault 114, Diamond City, the Institute, Far Harbour, Acadia, the Nucleus, Hubologist's Camp, Ark & Dove Cathedral, Canterbury Commons, the Republic of Rosie, the Lincoln Memorial, Underworld, the Pitt, the Slog, Nuka World, Big Town.
The synth read in an approximation of Ian's voice.
Ian spoke. "Is this all to be accepted? Witnessed by your machines?"
The lawyer staring at him replied, "I refuse to state whether or not the listing of settlements is accurate or complete."
Ian smiled. "Good.
"Vance still wants your deal. The seat on the council. Our place secure. These.", he held up the BLOOD BAG. "But we owe Arefu. And if we owe Arefu because of you then...well."
The General shifted in her seat. "You don't have to hold yourself back from the...drink. I wanted this conversation to be with you in your best mindset, without your train of though...drifting. I won't hold your drinking it to be part of any deal struck or promise tendered."
Ian ripped into the blood bag with his teeth. It was wise of the General to steel herself against the sight of something that used to be a man and now was more of an event. Ian stopped with his shirt collar and his fingers in his mouth, having simultaneously trying to suck in what he wiped off the table in front of him and what fell into his clothes at the same time. "Sorry...I mean, I apologize. I am still learning."
The General gulped. "It's alright.
"I would like the Family to join the Commonwealth. In the open./"
"That's another thing.", Ian told her. "You're going to have to give that up if we're going to get anywhere. One of our laws is remaining in the darkness. We're never coming 'in out of the cold' or going 'into the open'."
The General shook her head. "I see. I think...I'm hoping that we have a miscommunication. I'm not trying to introduce your people to any literal daylight...except possible future punishment for a crime or as a method of war should our talks fall through. I am simply using the terms to mean that your inclusion and presence is publicly known. No hiding the fact that your community exists from everyone else."
"And then we avoid the Right of Freedom From Threats?", Ian demanded. "You don't identify us as a threat to the Commonwealth, no matter our practices?"
"Within your borders that do not affect other Commonwealth citizens, damage the common environment, or complicate foreign relations.", the Genera answered.
"When was the last foreign relation you had that did not end in integration to the Commonwealth or hostilities?", the man followed.
The General sat still. "Touche."
Ian folded his hands, once they couldn't smear any more blood from his face or clothes or the table to slurp into his mouth. "We have demands."
"I'm sure you do.", the General accepted. "Let's see if I can acquisce?"
"We demand full community status. The vote. The protection. The resources given to other inductees. All of it. And for a border that encompasses both Meresti Station and Arefu.", Ian informed.
The woman folded her arms. "That would make you the second largest community after Nuka-World. And how large is your population?"
"Let us worry about our population.", Ian instructed. "But don't worry. We are necessarily very selective."
"There are more. Who do you suspect committed Arefu?"
"As General, I don't have the evidence I would like before offering a conclusion."
"I did not ask what the General's position was. I had asked who do you suspect of the act?"
The General frowned. "Talon Company is currently partaking of an attempt to blockade travel between the Capitol Wastes and the Commonwealth while pretending our colors. They're making demands that we would never. And their behavior seems to be fully capable of enforcing such demands with what happened in Arefu.
"You can't have them."
Ian shook his head. "Vance will take them. And you will help."
"I understand what the penalty for most any crime in the Commonwealth is.", the General began. "But I can't just hand over everyone captured under scent of Talon Company to a cabal of vampires for who knows what ends."
"You know what ends.", West corrected.
The General leaned forward. "I'm not condoing torture."
"Good to know.", he accepted. "But you do condone justice and ending mercenary work. Defend the Commonwealth, including us, from them and give them to us."
"They will not surrender or disband knowing that to be their fate.", the General replied. "They will fight to the last man. There won't be any prisoners for you to have."
"Times are tough all over.", Ian informed. "Any survivors."
"I am not condoning torture."
Ian folded his arms. "Define torture."
"I shouldn't have to. But I would put having a pack of vampires feed on them for the rest of their natural or unnatural lives under that definition.", the General stated.
"Oh.", Ian relaxed. "They won't live that long. You do realize that the punishment for most crimes is shooting, right?"
The General grimaced. "It wasn't once."
"For crimes like these? Rampant murder, pillaging..."
The General rolled her head. "In the old world, I never had to prosecute 'pillaging'. What Talon Company did - it deserves a military response. I am offering that military response and the destruction of the organization. Why isn't that enough?"
"Because it allows the survivors to live the life that Arefu doesn't get.", Ian told her. "Would you allow the giant ants that destroyed Gray ditch to continue on after disrupting their hive?"
She folded her arms. "I don't see that happening."
The man pressed. "So what's the difference? Do you think anyone is going to let Talon Company mercs settle with them? Do you think that the pack the survivors form are going to be anything but just an even more evil gang of raiders with branding?"
The General was silent.
"You destroyed the Forged. The Rust Devils. The Operators. The Pack. The Dis/"
"I get it.", the General told him. "I've done a lot of things that shouldn't have to be done in a better world. That doesn't mean that I should be ensuring a future where those things continue because of my actions."
Ian stared at her. "So you can't do anything for us?"
No one spoke for a while.
The General spoke slowly. "Are you going to tell me how you got in here?"
"No?", Ian wondered.
"If you were not here to see me, could you have left with the same amount of witnesses and explanation?"
The man shrugged. "Probably."
The General leaned on the TABLE with her elbows and her hands folded in front of her face. "I am not going to hand prisoners of war over to the Family or any single community to do with what they will. I will promise a military response with the end goal of destroying Talon Company. Anyone that surrenders will be held as a prisoner of war. Where our detention camps are located are a matter of public record for transparency's sake. Talon Company's survivors will be held in them. And I am willing to attempt to ascertain which survivors were responsible for Arefu and keep them in their own facility so that they can be judged for their actions adequately. I don't anticipate any Minutemen to be harmed by anyone even remotely friendly to the Commonwealth so I can use our newest recruits to guard the facility while training in Minutemen ways because I know that they will not be harmed or even touched.
"If a community wishes differently, the only change in that official policy would be by conducting their own action...to influence or politic the council policy. Because that's how our government works. The government as a whole decides what is okay to do and what priorities to have, even in regards to the protections of prisoners or the amount of resources to devote toward investigations about them.
"Can Vance accept that?"
Ian sat still. "So you're saying/"
"I am restating what I have always said.", the General told him. "I will not condone torture.
"Now will Mr. Vance accept the benefits of Commonwealth membership? Or will he accept the consequences of remaining at large?"
West slowly nodded. "I think I can explain the situation to him favorably."
The General made her frown apparent. "If you can, then Vance will announce his available presence by missive. The Minutemen will then approach him. We will establish terms for the Family's entrance into the Commonwealth to present to the council then. Our decisions on methodology and timetable to destroy Talon Company remain my own."
The General looked to her Pip-Boy. "I believe there are only 3 hours remaining to sunrise. We can escort you to other side of the gangplank. Or should I leave you to your own devising to find your way out?"
