Minutemen Rebuilt

I won't say that former Minutemen returned in droves, but within two weeks of my message broadcast, which had been recorded and being repeated three times a day, close to fifty former Minutemen returned to pledge their loyalty to the order and return to active service. I took a very hand's on role with every single man or woman who chose to return, wanting to hear their story of why they had chosen to abandon the order.

Most of them were honest. After losing the Castle, many had simply lost faith in the order and chose to either defend their homes themselves, or simply move to a settlement to offer some sort of protection. Then after what happened in Quincy, and the entire collapse, everyone else simply gave up, believing the Minutemen had simply ceased to exist.

I had no reason to turn any of them away. Many were quite apologetic about giving up, and while Preston had the occasional comment, part of me could understand. Most of them were volunteers, not professional soldiers, and seeing what life in the Commonwealth could be like, I could understand that the life was not for everyone. But hearing that I wanted to make the Minutemen a professional army, many were keen to join, undergo training, and take up the banner.

And then a woman named Ronnie Shaw walked into the Castle. Preston had heard all about her. She was quite the character indeed. I liked her immediately. Not in that way. She was no nonsense and clearly didn't tolerate any bullshit. Frankly, she was just what we needed, and I figured she would probably be a good drill sergeant.

Aware that we hadn't been able to access the armoury, she informed us there was another way that we could access it, through what was now considered my quarters. Unfortunately, the tunnel that would lead us around to the armoury was blocked. Wasn't a major concern, just calling in a few soldiers with shovels to help dig out the entrance. Took a couple of days works, as the rubble had to be cleared before wooden beams were put in place to shore up the tunnel.

Not sure what was lying in wait for us, I figured heading down in my power armour would be a good idea. Preston slipped into his. Ronnie didn't know how to use power armour, and suggested she'd be fine without it anyway, so the three of us headed into the old tunnels below the Castle.

Thankfully there was light, the generator above ground wired to connections below ground so we didn't have to wander around in the dark. There were plenty of supplies about, and signs that the tunnels had once housed soldiers, though I didn't particularly think any of ours would want to bunk underneath the ground. We had to be careful of fragmentation mines lying about on the ground, Ronnie showing expertise in carefully disabling any we came across.

An automated turret had to be switched off, which wasn't a lot of fun, but at least it could be dragged upstairs. We found hundreds of cannonballs, which could be used in the rebuilt artillery guns. But then we came across a sentry bot that Ronnie called Sarge.

Unfortunately for us, Sarge had gone haywire during the intervening years. Soon as it saw us, its eyes glowed a sinister red, called us hostile targets, and opened fire. Ordering Ronnie to get back, I stepped back through the archway, relieved Sarge couldn't follow us. Taking the missile launcher from its position on my back, I worried about causing such as explosion that it would collapse the tunnels, but we had no choice. The sentry bot would eventually even tear my armour to shreds.

Getting into position to fire was difficult, but I couldn't hesitate once I was. The explosion was deafening, the sentry bot erupted in flames and eventually exploded. The tunnels seemed to shake around us, dust and sand raining down on top of us. I wasn't the only one to cast a nervous glance at the ceiling, but apart from a little more dust and sand, thankfully everything remained solid.

"Too bad Sarge went haywire. He's been guarding the Castle since... forever, far as I know," Ronnie stated.

"Could have used him in defence up top," I added.

"We'll have artillery soon enough. And you've certainly managed to convince enough people to join up again. Come on, it's this way."

We arrived at a security gate that was locked tight, linked to a nearby terminal. Preston and I had no chance of cracking the code, Ronnie stepping forward, entering a series of passwords that came to mind before she finally picked the right one, the three of us strolling through to find a dead body. It was surprisingly well preserved considering he'd probably been dead for a long time.

"Recognise who it is?" Preston asked.

"Yeah. That explains all the landmines. This is, well... was, General McGann. He had your job back when I first joined up. Must have gotten trapped down here when that sea beast attacked the Castle." The sigh was a slight surprise. Probably wanted to hide the fact she was at least a little saddened at his demise, offering a salute towards his corpse. "Rest in peace, general. Your fight is done and the Minutemen live on."

"Seemed to enjoy his last few hours or days, at least," Preston stated, gesturing towards the empty bottles.

She looked at me. "I guess the uniform is yours now, if you want it. This old geezer doesn't need it anymore."

"Huh?"

"His uniform. There's no general at the moment but I guess if anyone is in charge, it's you. Might as well take his uniform for the time being until we get this place in order."

Felt a little weird stripping the corpse of his uniform but it seemed like an idea, at least. After climbing a seat of stairs and walking through a door, we ended up in the west bastion, on the other side of the enormous steel door that had protected the armoury. Pressing a nearby button opened the door, some of the soldiers gazing at us in surprise as the ancient machinery creaked and groaned into life.

Then there was the armoury itself, and it was almost better than what we'd found at the training yard further north. Weapons. Ammunition. Grenades. Mines. Turrets. More shells for artillery. And another suit of power armour. Rusted and ancient, I knew Sturges and his people would get it sorted over time.

"Holy shit," I murmured, "How the hell did the Castle fall with all this on offer?"

Ronnie snorted but kept her opinion to herself. I could take a good guess at what she thought, having suggested enough about the leadership during her time and that being the main reason why she'd upped and left.

"What's the plan, Major?" Preston asked, "Particularly with all this on offer."

"First thing is Sturges and his people get to work rebuilding the walls. I'm sure there are people out there smart enough to figure it out, but those gaps need to be sealed. My focus right now is getting the Castle back into working condition and making this an effective base of operations."

Stepping back out into the courtyard, I slipped out of my power armour, leaving it next to Preston's, as the three of us gathered in the middle. I noticed Ronnie look me up and down a couple of times. "I heard what you said on the radio. Sounds like you've got more experience fighting and leading than any of us here. Haven't seen you in action, but if you got the Minutemen back into shape…"

"Didn't do it alone," I replied, gesturing around, "They all helped get us back here."

"True, but they needed a leader, and when shit hit the fan, you stepped up to do it. No offence, Preston."

"None taken."

"Look, there hasn't been anyone in charge of the Minutemen since General Becker. I'd already left by the time he died, but from what I've learned, he pretty much was the last one to hold it together before it finally just collapsed."

"That's true," Preston said, "When he died, no-one could agree on who should replace him. For five years it was a matter of surviving and protecting those we could. But it was no surprise that many simply just gave up."

"So you're pre-war?" Ronnie asked me. I just nodded. "And you were an officer?" I nodded again. "So I would assume you probably have more training than all of us combined. You fought?"

"Yes, ma'am. Decade on the Alaskan Front. Wasn't a major when I arrived, was looking at a possible promotion when I finally left. I'd had enough by then."

"Want the job?" she asked, "Want to officially lead all this?"

"I've been waiting for someone to suggest it, in all honesty. But if I do, I'm going to need good people to help me. We're going to need a proper structure, chain of command, from the top to the bottom. And we'll need to properly organise. We don't have a massive army at the moment, so we can have small brigades for the time being. What will matter most is supplies and communications."

"I'll speak to some of the older hands, see what they say. But considering what I've seen and heard, I'm convinced you might be just what we need. Just don't let this faint praise go to your head… General Shepard."

She said that with a smirk, but offered me a salute, which I returned. Preston certainly gave me one in addition before offering his hand, the handshake between us warm. "Not sure you ever had rank, Preston, but you've definitely earned one for all you've done."

"I'll leave that to you, sir." I raised an eyebrow at that. "Might not be official, but no-one is going to disagree this time."

It didn't take long at all. Ronnie walked into my quarters two days later in the morning, asking me to join her outside. I had an inkling of what to expect, but walking out alongside her to find all the soldiers lined up in formation, admittedly looking rather resplendent in their fatigues and caps, weapons at their side. Looked like most had the chance to have a quick wash. Leading me up to the walkway above, Preston was waiting of me with the uniform we'd been taken from the tunnels. It looked washed and pressed, guessing someone had found an old clothes iron that still worked.

He saluted before offering the uniform. "It's not something we'd expect you to wear, but it's a symbol of the position, sir." I took the offered coat and hat as he came to attention. "It's an honour, General."

Returning the salute, I then offered my right hand, which he took immediately. "The honour is mine, Colonel Garvey."

He grinned and saluted again before I turned to Ronnie. "I'm aware you've asked about me. I've asked about you. Most experienced Minuteman around, decades of experience. Are you willing to accept the position of Major?"

She smirked and saluted. "You bet your arse I do, sir."

Stepping forward to the edge, I overlooked what could now only be considered my army. At least eighty men and women in front of me, with more back north in Sanctuary and across the other settlements. All of them had seen action, whether it be recently when taking back the Castle, or they had seen action in the decades before. Couldn't help but feel at least a little proud of everything we'd achieved. Going from a major to a general was one hell of a promotion, but I think even Preston would have agreed that I'd basically been leading the Minutemen since meeting him in Concord.

"Minutemen, I will keep this short as I shared most of what I needed to say during my radio broadcast. The Minutemen now have a mission, but to ensure the successful completion of that mission, it will need organising and structure. On the top of my head, I believe there are now approximately one hundred Minutemen. My proposal is that these will be split into four groups of twenty-five, stationed across the Commonwealth. These will be infantry platoons.

Each platoon will require a lieutenant to lead it. Applications are open to anyone who wishes to take upon a leadership role. Pre-war, the armed forces were obviously larger, so there will be gaps in the leadership structure as we continue to grow. As general, I am the officer in charge. Colonel Garvey next to me will be in charge when I am not present. Major Shaw will be taking charge of one of the two company's I will be forming from the platoons. There will be a position available for someone to lead the second company.

The idea is for one company to remain here at the Castle, the other will be based in Sanctuary until a more suitable military base can be established. For the moment, your orders are simple. To continue rebuilding the Castle. To continue your training. And to continue your development into becoming an effective fighting force. We face numerous enemies beyond these walls. And it will soon be time to take the fight to them."

Preston called them all to attention, and it was like being pre-war again. I had a feeling they'd been training for it, as they were almost perfectly in line, their salute crisp. The respect was… a little unexpected, to be honest. Preston dismissed them, watching them relax and move away to their assigned positions and roles. Shaw walked off, leaving me with Preston.

"Never thought I'd see the day," he whispered, "Damn, it feels good."

"And we're still only halfway there, Preston. We take back the Commonwealth, and I remember the promise I made about Quincy."

"I know, sir. But Quincy can wait. The only thing I want from there are the people I just know in my heart turned their backs on us, and I mean they turned traitor." I met his eyes and they burned. "I know it was an inside job. I just have to find the bastards responsible."

"We will, Preston. And for once, we'll do it properly. If they were Minutemen, we'll take them alive and put them on trial."

"Hmmm. Might have to go looking for some old texts for that."

"I know a little bit about the old military justice system. But if they committed treason…"

"But we do it properly."

"Find them guilty, then we deal with them, one way or the other."

"So what do we do for now?"

"Get the Castle in working order, then we start clearing the area that way," I gestured across the headland, "Fairly sure I saw movement near the Gwinnett Restaurant. Schools seems to be popular places for raiders to use. Looks to be industrial zone to the north-west there that might be occupied. We basically clear here west to that highway there, then I'll worry about north and south."

"Thought about where you will base yourself?"

"Honestly, already thinking I'll stay here for the time being. You happy to take command in Sanctuary later?"

"Sure, everyone is used to me being in charge as you've been away often enough." He glanced my way and grinned. "Guess with your plans to hit central Boston, being here would be better."

"True. And I aim to speak to the Diamond City mayor about re-establishing our presence, though only if they accept it. I won't force the matter."

"It will take time for trust. I'm surprised Bunker Hill agreed so quickly after everything that happened."

"Couple of big favours helped."

I suggested to Piper over dinner that we would head to Diamond City within the next couple of days. That earned me a hug, as she confessed to missing her little sister, plus she wanted to get her article written and the word spread across the Commonwealth. Retiring to bed early as always, we made love for a couple of hours before lying back in darkness, amazed at how quiet the Castle was at night.

"General Shepard," she whispered, running her fingers up and down my chest, "Saviour of the Commonwealth."

I couldn't help snort. "Trying to give me a massive ego or something?"

"No, just basing it on what I've seen you do, Blue. The Minutemen were dead and gone. Preston wasn't lying when he said he was the last, and if you hadn't found him, who knows what would have happened to him and the few people remaining."

"I just hope I've helped him recover his sense of self and purpose. I think I have. The broken man I met in Concord isn't the man I see today."

"He respects the hell of you, Blue. Every man and woman in uniform out there does. Even Shaw."

"Ah, yeah, she's… interesting…"

"No doubt put up with a lot of shit so don't blame her scepticism. All you can do is prove yourself."

We made love again before going to sleep, then she woke me up a certain way before we enjoyed more lovemaking before breakfast. No idea if anyone heard her around the Castle, as she was never a quiet lover, but we didn't earn any glances from others, so I lived in hope that the walls and doors were quite thick and sound didn't travel too far.

Leaving for Diamond City the next day, I did think about leaving my power armour behind, as I was fairly sure we'd make it most of the way unchallenged, but given that I didn't know what I'd do while there, Piper suggested it might be sensible to take it with me, just in case. Confident that Preston could run things while I was away, I left no definitive orders except that it might be worth sending scouts out into Boston itself to ascertain where major groups of raiders, Gunners and mutants were so they could be dealt with. Otherwise, they could easily keep in contact with me just like he'd done from Sanctuary.

It was rather enjoyable just the pair of us, pretty much backtracking the way we'd come, so avoided anywhere I assumed groups of raiders or mutants might be based. Considering I'd taken out a few places by myself, I could have stopped off and Piper would have been a help, but I figured Preston might keep some of our Minutemen busy by sending them out.

Crossing the highway before the Mass Pike Tunnel was the only time we ran into a gang of raiders. Piper kept low and opened fire when necessary. Meanwhile, I just strolled forward, assault rifle firing. Many took cover in flimsily built wooden structures, and a think plank of wood wasn't going to stop a 5.56mm bullet. Or a small burst of them. A couple of raiders were smart enough to break cover, drop their weapon, and simply ran for their lives. The rest were stupid and died where they dropped.

The fight delayed us by no more than half an hour or so. Their ineffective weapons barely scratched my new armour. I could have had fun by launching a missile at one of the wooden shacks, but it had a staircase which was our only way out, unless we wanted to double back on ourselves and find an alternative route. Piper joked about shooting a couple of them, but seeing the carnage my bullets had caused, even she turned a fairer shade of white as there was plenty of blood, limbs and organs about.

There was still plenty of light in the sky when we approached the entrance to Diamond City. The guards recognised Piper, took one look at me in my armour and a couple of them even saluted. Piper just glanced at me and grinned as we wandered down in the market area. Leaving my armour in its usual place, Piper wanted to head home first to see her sister. They were ever so excited to see each other, the embrace lasting quite a few minutes. Long enough that I headed out to grab a couple of cola's, earning a grateful smile from Nat as the pair caught up.

"I'm going to go visit Nick," I said.

"And Ellie?" Piper teased.

"She might be there," I replied with a shrug.

"If you want to stay the night, you can."

"Piper, we just…"

"Blue, you haven't been here in weeks, or so it seems. I'm sure she misses you. We expressed our feelings, but I assured you nothing will change otherwise."

"Well, I was actually thinking of something else for tomorrow or the day after."

Piper giggled. "What is it?"

"In addition to speaking with Mayor McDonough, I was thinking about approaching Gwen in Vault 81 and offering help, while asking for a favour or two in return."

"I'm going to be busy for a few days, Blue. Putting this article together is going to take some time. I want it to be perfect. You have your own things to do considering…"

"I heard your speech on the radio, Nate. Everyone in Diamond City was listening," Nat added.

"What did they think?"

"Most seemed to be glad the Minutemen are back."

"Well, glad people see it as a positive."

"Will they come back to Diamond City?"

"I'm hoping so, Nat. I'll make the offer and see what happens after. If not, I'll still offer protection. The idea is to eventually ensure Boston is safe for everyone, everywhere. I've got to remember to keep my ideas realistic though."

Heading out into the market again, as I was now recognised, I received quite a few salutes and handshakes on my way to Nick's office. I wasn't that surprised he wasn't there, though Ellie was, her face lighting up as I closed the door, and within seconds, I found arms wrapped around me and soft lips on mine, quickly ending up with Ellie sat on the desk with her legs loosely wrapped around me.

"Nick's away. Working a case," she said to my unasked question.

"Expecting him back tonight?"

"Not for a few nights, to be honest. No idea what he's up to, but the caps were too good to turn down."

"Want to go for a drink first or…"

"I have a bottle here." She grabbed the front of my shirt, dragging me down for another deep kiss. "Heard your speech on the radio. All I could think was 'Wow, he's serious'. Never thought you weren't, but there was just something in your voice."

"We have the Castle back under our control, we control plenty of territory north of the river. The plan is to ensure the Commonwealth will be at peace in the end."

"Would be nice being able to leave Diamond City and not worry about being kidnapped, murdered, raped…"

"Want to visit the Castle one day? When it's safer to travel there?"

"Is that a personal invitation, Nate?"

Couldn't help grin. "Have my own room and everything. Views are quite spectacular from the walls."

"Well, if someone was to escort me the entire way."

No surprise we ended up in her bed a few minutes later, sans clothes, Ellie on her back, legs spread nice and wide, as I gently slid my cock into her. Her fingers caressed my arms and back, our mouths rarely apart. I savoured the feeling of being inside her once again, both of us unable to stop smiling. We'd been attracted the moment I'd stepped into Nick's office, and that attraction only increased every time we met.

We would make love until we'd both enjoy an orgasm, stop to enjoy a drink and a smoke, before we enjoyed another round of lovemaking. I couldn't get enough of her, and she certainly felt the same way. Loved watching her ride me in the candlelight, while she seemed to get a real thrill of being on her knees, leaning forward, with me almost crouched over her. Quite submissive, begging me to fuck her hard and fast, wanting nothing more than me to cum in her again.

Always liked a woman who knew what she wanted and had no problem asking for it from me.

Waking up together the next morning, we snuggled under the blankets for a little while, making her giggle with a soft tickle here and there, making out the rest of the time, before she said we needed to get up. She had work to do. So did I, to be honest. Speaking to the mayor was a priority. We enjoyed a simple breakfast of a cigarette and black coffee before I headed back out into the city.

I headed for the mayor's office without delay. I'd not been up there before, so being greeted by his secretary wasn't that much of a surprise. I'd heard her name mentioned around the market during conversation, so at least I could be polite upon seeing her for the first time.

"Good morning, Geneva."

There was a moment's surprise that turned into a well-practiced smile. "Good morning. Do you have an appointment?"

"No."

She glanced down at a clipboard. "I'm afraid the mayor is quite busy…"

"Let him know that General Shepard of the Minutemen wishes to speak to him as soon as possible."

Her eyes widened immediately. "You're him?"

"Yes, ma'am."

She stood up immediately. "I'll see if he's available to speak anytime today."

"Thank you."

I stood easy as she disappeared through the open doors and off to the left. She was barely gone a couple of minutes before she returned with the mayor in tow. He offered his hand immediately, introducing himself again. "Heard your speech on the radio like everyone in Diamond City, and no doubt across the Commonwealth. But what brings you here, general?"

"I'd like to discuss the future relationship between Diamond City and the Minutemen."

"Ah, I understand. Come through, care for a drink?"

"Never too early to wet the whistle."

Relaxing back on a couch a couple of minutes later, a glass of whiskey in hand, the mayor perched himself on a chair, a glass of his own in hand. Geneva was present with a notepad. I wasn't expecting this to be a formal meeting, but if that's what he wanted, so be it. I admitted I wasn't arriving with a concrete proposal, but as he'd heard my speech, he would no doubt assume the rebuilding Minutemen would wish to project their renewed power and influence. I was aware of the history of the Minutemen and Diamond City, and wished to renew the relationship if Diamond City was willing to accept the return of the Minutemen. I did not desire any sort of military base, I would keep our soldiers outside the city walls, but we would be ready to defend the city at a moment's notice should the need arise.

"What would you want from us in return?" he asked.

"Nothing at the moment. Well, my soldiers might like food in their bellies and a warm bed to rest their heads. But the final objective is to form a civilian government that would help all the people of the Commonwealth, and Diamond City is already seen by many as the capital. Diamond City has influence. It has a large population, is a centre of trade and commerce, but I look around and see plenty of space for expansion, both inside and outside the walls. But that can only be completed once the area surrounding these walls is safe."

"And what would the Minutemen do once that civilian government is formed?"

"Continue to protect the Commonwealth and its people."

"Would you serve said government?"

"In a manner of speaking, but we would not stand idly by should said government become corrupt or worse. But the intention of the Minutemen is to remain neutral, except when it comes to dealing with threats to the people of the Commonwealth. The world is different now. We will not be an army that is ordered around by our apparent betters. But safeguards will obviously need to be put in place to ensure we cannot just march in and overthrow a civilian government. It's a balancing act."

"Sounds somewhat idealistic, to be honest."

"It probably is, but we're almost starting with a blank canvas. The future is what we want it to be. Nothing wrong with a little idealism, mixed with a hell of a lot of realism."

We sat back, drinking silently. I couldn't really think of much else to offer. My speech had covered nearly everything else. The fact the Minutemen held influence over a vast swathe of land north of the river. The fact Bunker Hill, perhaps the most important trading post outside of Diamond City, was now under our protection. The only reason the offer would be knocked back is the fear it would make the city a target again.

I didn't expect an answer then and there, and I didn't get one either. The mayor suggested he would need to speak to the leadership group. No idea who they were, didn't really care, to be honest. Figured it would be the mayor who would make the decision in the end. We parted with a handshake and best wishes.

Returning to ground level, I walked into Publick Occurrences to see what Piper was up to. Hunched over her terminal, she seemed to be hard at work, so I made sure she knew I was present before leaning down to kiss her cheek. She turned her head to kiss my properly before offering to make her a coffee. That earned me a longer, grateful kiss.

Placing the cup next to her terminal, she asked what I'd been up to. When I told her I'd had a meeting with the mayor, any idea of continuing her writing ended as she turned the chair to face me.

"What did you think about him?"

Shrugging, I replied, "Seems to have your best interests at heart. Didn't give me a response either way, before you ask."

"You reckon he's a synth?" she asked rather bluntly.

"Not sure I've ever met one myself so I wouldn't know what I was looking for anyway."

"I'm convinced he's a synth. An Institute plant. I just haven't managed to find enough to really pin him as what he really is."

"Do that and won't the Institute come for you?"

"Price worth paying for the truth. And I do have the General of the Minutemen to protect me." She stood up and sat herself on my lap, curling her arms around me. "You would protect me, won't you, Blue?"

"Feel sorry for any bastard who'd touch a hair on your head."

That earned a grin before she asked, "So how was your night with Ellie?"

"Piper," I warned gently.

"What? I'm curious, that's all. The stubborn reporter who won't take no for an answer."

"We had a nice night."

"I'm sure she did. What are your plans the rest of the day?"

"Don't have any. I'll just allow myself a little relaxation and try not to distract you."

That earned another grin. "I'll work until around five, then we'll head out for dinner. Noodles?" I returned a grin of my own with a nod. "Good. Then we'll head to the Dugout for a drink or two. Then back here so you can fuck me." I couldn't help laugh. "Well, that's the plan, though I don't want to kick Nat out, so I'll have to be quiet."

Piper had a few books she'd managed to buy over the years, so while she carried on writing her article, I relaxed back on her couch and read one of the old classics. It was in pretty good condition for a book over two hundred years old, and as I was reading it, I did wonder if Boston Public Library was still standing, and if it was, if many books had survived the intervening couple of centuries. I found myself hoping that some classics did.

At almost five on the dot, Piper switched off her terminal, grabbed my hand, and led me to the noodle stand. Taking a seat on the available stools, we were joined by plenty of locals willing to discuss what I'd said in my speech, and my visit to the mayor's office hadn't been missed either. As nothing had been agreed, I did remain vague in what I had proposed, but assured them that the Minutemen were now back and offering to protect anyone in the Commonwealth who needed it. I aimed to professionalise and increase our number. As for Diamond City, an offer had been made but it wasn't my decision.

Nat was inside when Piper and I returned, so we had to behave while she was still awake. Once she took herself off to bed, Piper and I headed upstairs to make love for a couple of hours, Piper spending half the time covering her mouth to keep the noise down, before we drifted off to sleep together.