"I am positive they will be here any minute, Elder Maxson" Hyde said nervously, and chuckled. The young leader only returned a deadly stare before looking away and going back to reading a book. What was taking Smith and Shepherd so long, the old mutant thought. Most of the council, being Smith, Hyde, Shepherd, and Evitt, had come to speak with Maxson and his followers in Simulacrum. In three days of meetings hardly anything had been decided on except for an agreement to cease hostilities between the two Brotherhood chapters for the meantime. Now they sat at a rectangular table within a large, damp tent awaiting the return of Smith, who had claimed to leave for "important supplies", and Shepherd, who had gone to retrieve this "Paladin Rhys" that had led the attack against Hyde's people in Osceola.
The zipper to the tent started rising and the group turned to see which councilman was returning. Smith. Carrying a crate of nuka-colas in one hand and a box of snack cakes in another.
Hyde began sputtering, "General Smith, you cannot be serious"
"General, do you think this is a joke?" Maxson asked angrily.
"No, I don't" Smith replied, laying the food down on the table. "But we aren't going to get anything done if we starve to death"
"Always a man of the people..." Evitt whispered.
"And don't worry. Shepherd and your man were right behind me" Smith continued.
Danse and Rhys both entered the tent not a second later, out of their power armor to better fit the enclosed space. Rhys saw Maxson and quickly saluted.
"Sit down Paladin" Maxson moaned.
"Yes sir" Rhys said sharply, sitting besides Maxson and Kells.
Hyde ran a quick calculation through his head and figured there was a one in three chance they would all end up killing one another by the day's end.
"Head Paladin Shepherd. Was the travel well?" he asked.
"It was" Danse answered. "None of those things from here to Bunker Alpha at least"
"Shepherd. Shepherd. Shepherd. That's all I hear people call you now Danse. Why is that?" Maxson asked.
"I... took it as a symbol. Some of my wards thought I was a godly protector sent to them. I'm just a man, but if a word can raise hope then I'll use it. The name 'Danse' never had that effect. I just use that between friends now" Danse answered.
"I suppose it's also good to have a name us in the East wouldn't know you by. We were ridiculously confused on why two Institute coursers were in the Midwest, and why the enemies seemed to know all of our tactics" Kells said.
"No. I never took a name to hide myself. Frankly, I never thought I'd see any of you again" Danse said.
"What a wonderful reunion. But may we get back to work?" Evitt cut in.
"I am in agreement with the High Inquisitor" Maxson stated. "Is the Midwestern Brotherhood prepared to accept my terms?"
"No. We are not, for the hundredth time. We're offering you our terms. We will provide safe passage through our territory and send with you representatives to Lost Hills. But we will not give up our hold in the Midwest. The Brotherhood is too important here to just stop managing everything" Smith sighed. Hyde could tell even he was beginning to lose patience in these talks.
"If I may interject?" Hyde asked. "Elder Maxson. General Smith does speak the truth when he implies that the region would fall to chaos without a government. Even if we were to transition power to the public successfully, there is no telling if they could take over every aspect of governance. To put it simply, the people have become... no, not lazy, that is not the word I am looking for"
"Reliant?" Rhys suggested.
"Yes, thank you. The people have become too reliant on our leadership. Each council member is even the governors of particular lands, to give the greatest example of this. I govern my people in Osceola. Smith, Savior Installation. Evitt, the Epsilon territory"
Hyde insisted.
Maxson looked to the super mutant, and then began stroking his cheeks, thinking. He leaned over to Kells and whispered something, and the captain nodded in response.
"I am willing to make a deal with the Midwestern Brotherhood" the Elder said.
"We're listening" Smith replied.
"Fifty years" Maxson continued.
"Fifty years...?" Evitt asked for clarification.
"In fifty years, the brothers and sisters of the Midwest will step down from their leadership positions. From then until now, the people will slowly be given new powers and agree to a new government. Most of us will be dead by then, but you won't Elder Hyde. Neither will the other mutant council members. Can I have your promise that this will happen in exchange for an end to this war?" Maxson finished.
Hyde was awestruck. He had always been looked to by the other members of the Council for his seniority, even Evitt, who despised him. But to decide the course of Brotherhood history? The doctor looked to Smith, then Evitt, then Shepherd, all of whom were surprisingly calm.
"A decision of this magnitude would require the input of the entire council. Elder Maxson, it may take several days for us to come to a conclusion" he stated.
Maxson shook his head. "No, the decision will be made today"
The tent was silent for a good few minutes.
"I call a council vote of emergency" Evitt said. "All in favor of Arthur's proposed plan?"
"Aye" every member of the council said in unison.
"Well, it was a good war" Smith said and turned to Maxson. "Onto the next?"
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Sorry for this chapter being such a short one, but I had questions for readers regarding how you believe the structure should go in the future. Breaks have so far been used in the series to show the passage of time, switch characters' viewpoints, and provide flashback sequences. But I wanted to know if people are fine with it staying like that, or making modern and past events in separate chapters? The upside to this is more content in each episode for what is currently happening, but the downside would be that past events and modern events would have to alternate between episodes (possibly breaking any tension if you'll have to wait about a week just to get back to the other). Granted, there are only a few flashbacks left, a few for Conrad, one for Carter, one for Aisha, and one for Danse. So thoughts, or other suggestions?