[h3][center][img]https://i.imgur.com/VU3pIZZ.jpg[/img][color=00a651] Diamond City - Day One, Part Two[/color][/center][/h3]

Piper’s mind raced as the people began to go from cheering to chanting ‘speech!, speech!, speech!’. Oddly, it reminded her of the days she spent trapped with the Children of Atom, peering down that dark sewage pipe as they chanted and prepared to sacrifice her to their crazy God. While it was easy to focus on her fear and uncertainty regarding the metaphorical sewage pit she was facing now, she had to remember there was a resolved water crisis at the end of it. By throwing herself into dangerous situations for a little bit of truth, she could make things in this Wasteland just a bit better. And keep away lying pricks like McDonough. 

She cleared her throat. “People of Diamond City,” she began uncertainty. The chanting stopped suddenly and she settled on her angle. “We’ve been lied to. McDonough tried to pulled the wool over our eyes for years, telling us he was one of us, telling us that we were safe from the Institute when we never truly were.” She paused for half a moment to let that settle in. “McDonough lied, because he knew we could do anything if we knew the truth. He knew the people of  Diamond City were strong enough for anything we face down fairly! That we can do anything we set our minds to if the path is clear!” It was hard to tell how it was going, but it seemed to be going well.

Piper continued deliberately  and confidently “I will always keep the path clear for you. I will always work hard to give you all a fair deal, so everyone has a chance to make the big leagues. Nobody has to starve or go thirsty. Nobody has to go without a steady job. No small business will go without a fair chance. I will always make sure our children are safe and educated. I will always make sure you and anybody else who walks through those gates is free to live how they want. But most importantly, I will always tell you the truth. It’s what you all deserve. Because with the truth in hand, we can overcome any obstacle.”, she slowed her voice, preparing to drive it home. “You, the people, are what keep the Wall standing. Thank you, that’s um, that’s all”, and with that, she ended her speech. Whether the cheering that came after that was just polite or really as enthusiastic as it sounded, she couldn’t tell.

[h3][center][color=00a651] Hours Later[/color][/center][/h3]

Piper yawned and lowered her head into her stinky new desk in the mayor’s office. The sun was setting and she was exhausted. It had been a day full of symbolic activities and mutual brown nosing. First there was the glorious waste of time, also known as a victory march around the city surrounded by her supposedly adoring supporters. Then there was painting a section of the Wall with Abbot, which was probably the most fun she’d had that day. Ralph had led the guard himself to go get the right paint the day before. Fortunately, they were able to retrieve the paint and Joe’s corpse for a quiet service without any interference from the robots. Next, there was prayer to all the gods in the All Faiths Chapel for the success of her rule and safety of Diamond City. Pastor Clement had nearly caught her mumbling a mocking prayer to Atom. Then a visit to her supporters in the Dugout Inn, where she was finally able to actually drink and eat with the few people she hoped were still her friends. Then a visit to her smiling haters at the Colonial Taphouse. And finally, private petitioning in her new office.

It started off well, with her and Ralph carefully managing who got in. She had a good time with Nick, assuring him his detective work wouldn’t go unappreciated. He thanked her and assured her that she would have his support. It was nice to know Nick was still a friend after everything she had done as a reporter and was about to do as Mayor. But there was other thing she needed from him.

“Well if you’re looking to help out Diamond City in a major way, I might just have a job for you”, she said almost casually.

Valentine looked up from the cigarette he was lighting, giving her a curious look. “Well I suppose I am looking to help out Diamond City. Shoot.”

“People are getting killed out in the Wasteland by those robots. Joe certainly wasn’t first. I need you to find out more about this Mechanist. Where his robots are coming from, where he’s set up shop, why he’s doing this, and how to stop him if you can”. 

Nick Valentine shifted uncomfortably in the broken chair McDonough shot through a couple months ago. “Don’t you think the Brotherhood is a bigger problem right now?”

Piper had already thought about this. The Brotherhood was probably a bigger problem than some strange robots, but they weren’t exactly subtle and she already knew their routine: lift up out of Boston Airport, go scavenge some gizmos, and shakedown any wastelander they came across. And besides, she couldn’t do much about a legion of power armor wearing soldiers. A geeky maniac could be stopped. 

“I hired Hawthorne to investigate what the Brotherhood was up to.”, And she had. Hawthone was someone who get things done and he’d been starving for a job. He had come in just before Nick. “The Brotherhood isn’t exactly subtle Whoever, this Mechanist is, he’s a mystery. You’re the only one who’s good at mysteries around here that isn’t stuck in a noodle stained chair.” She flipped a lock of hair out of her face and leaned back into her chair, looking at him expectantly.

Nick chuckled. “I am, aren’t I? Alright I’ll take the job. Don’t expect a miracle though. And I’m guessing you don’t want me to…,” he fingered his pipe revolver.

“No, not unless you have to. I have a feeling there’s more to this story than some single psycho. You could start at the scene of Joe’s murder”.

He nodded and stood up. “I’ll do that. See you around, Piper.”

“See you Nick”, she replied. 

After him came primarily self important Upper Stands residents. It passed in an exhausting blur of ruffled feathers and half empty promises. Now here she was, using her new green cap as a face pillow and waiting for Ralph to come in with another stuffy nobody from a corner in the Upper Stands. 

Instead all he said was “closing time, Piper.”