474. Turning the Diamond City Security Forces into Minutemen

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Maybe it wouldn't last forever. Maybe tomorrow would bring another crisis. But tonight, for the first time in years, Sico allowed himself to believe that they had built something worth fighting for.

The morning after the celebration, Diamond City was sluggish, shaking off the haze of the previous night's festivities. The air was thick with the smell of stale alcohol and fried food as shopkeepers dusted off their counters and workers dragged themselves to their posts. Sico, however, had no time for hangovers.

He stepped into the Mayor's office—formerly occupied by McDonough but now repurposed as a command center for Diamond City's security and coordination with the Minutemen. Inside, Preston Garvey and Sarah stood near a worn-out table covered in maps, reports, and scribbled notes about the city's defenses.

Sarah, was once a proud elder of the Brotherhood, had long abandoned their rigid ways in favor of something she truly believed in—helping the people. Now, she was one of the Minutemen's most capable leaders, overseeing military operations alongside Preston.

Preston looked up and nodded as Sico entered. "Took you long enough. Thought you might've had one too many last night."

Sico smirked. "I can handle my drinks. Besides, we've got more important things to deal with."

Sarah crossed her arms. "I'll say. The security force in Diamond City is a damn mess. If a real attack came through those gates, they'd fold faster than a house of cards in a storm."

Sico pulled out a chair and sat down. "That's why we're here. It's time to change that."

Preston nodded. "We talked about integrating the Minutemen with Diamond City's security before, but a lot of the locals don't trust anyone who's not born and raised here. Some of them still think of us as just another gang with uniforms."

Sico tapped his fingers on the table. "Yeah, I know. But we're not gonna give them a choice. They need us, and we need them."

Sarah leaned forward. "You're talking full integration?"

Sico met her gaze. "That's right. No more of this half-assed militia crap. We turn Diamond City's security into an official part of the Minutemen. We train them, equip them, and make sure they actually know what the hell they're doing. In return, the Minutemen get a permanent foothold here."

Preston exhaled, rubbing his chin. "That's a big move. Some folks are gonna fight it."

Sico shrugged. "Let them. This city survived because it had walls, but walls aren't enough anymore. The Brotherhood, the Gunners, even the damn Institute before they got wiped out—they all proved that. If we want Diamond City to last, we need soldiers, not just guards who take bribes and look the other way."

Sarah smirked. "I like it. But we're gonna need to be careful how we sell this. People might panic if they think we're turning Diamond City into a military base."

"Then we don't sell it as military," Sico said. "We sell it as security. Stability. We don't just train these guards to shoot straight—we make them into real peacekeepers. People who actually give a damn about protecting this place, not just collecting caps and playing tough guys."

Preston let out a low whistle. "That's a hell of a vision."

Sico nodded. "We start with recruitment. We take the best of what Diamond City already has and put them through Minutemen training. At the same time, we bring in a few Minutemen veterans to help with the transition. We don't replace anyone outright—just make sure they see this as an improvement, not a takeover."

Sarah crossed her arms, nodding thoughtfully. "We'll need to get the shopkeepers and local leaders on board first. If they support it, the rest of the city will follow."

Sico leaned back. "Leave that part to me. You two focus on setting up the training program. I want drills running by next week."

Preston grinned. "Alright, General. Let's make it happen."

The next day there a whirlwind of meetings, negotiations, and more than a few heated arguments. Some of Diamond City's old-guard security officers resisted the changes, but as Sico predicted, once the shopkeepers and traders saw the Minutemen's discipline and professionalism, they started to come around.

By the next three days, the first batch of recruits had begun training. The old security force had been softened by years of complacency, but the Minutemen drilled them hard, teaching them proper formations, tactical movement, and—most importantly—how to act as real protectors of the people.

Sico watched from a raised platform as Sarah barked orders at a line of recruits in the city square. "You call that a firing stance? If you hold your rifle like that in a real fight, you'll be dead before you even take a shot! Again!"

The trainees groaned but complied, adjusting their footing and gripping their weapons more firmly. Sarah smirked, pacing in front of them like a drill sergeant from an old pre-war movie.

Preston walked up beside Sico, watching the scene unfold. "It's working," he said.

Sico nodded. "Yeah. But we're not done yet."

Preston chuckled. "We're never done, are we?"

"Nope."

By the time the sun reached its peak, the city square had been turned into a makeshift training ground. The once-relaxed security force of Diamond City now stood in straight lines, sweat dripping down their brows, their hands gripping laser muskets, pipe rifles, and even a few old combat shotguns. Some of them had been guards for years, comfortable with shaking down traders and looking intimidating, but now they were facing something they hadn't expected—real discipline.

Sico watched from the platform as Sarah paced in front of the recruits, her sharp eyes scanning each one like she was searching for weakness. "You think because you've been wearing a uniform for years that makes you soldiers? That makes you defenders of this city?" Her voice cut through the air like a blade. "Let me tell you something—you weren't soldiers before. You were bouncers at a bar fight. But that changes today."

The recruits shuffled under her gaze, some swallowing hard, others standing taller in defiance.

Sarah smirked. "You don't like hearing that, do you? Good. Then prove me wrong. Show me you've got the guts to be something better." She stopped in front of one particularly nervous-looking recruit, a lanky young man named Dale who had been part of the security force for only a few months. "You," she pointed. "Drop and give me twenty push-ups."

Dale's face turned pale. "Uh, why?"

Sarah's expression darkened. "Because I told you to. And because if you can't handle this, how the hell are you gonna handle a super mutant charging at you?"

Dale hesitated for only a second before he dropped to the dirt and started pushing through the exercises. His arms shook by the tenth rep, but he gritted his teeth and kept going.

Sico leaned over to Preston, smirking. "She's got them on edge."

Preston chuckled. "Yeah, she does. But we need it. These guys were running on ego and luck before. That won't cut it anymore."

Sico nodded. "Our turn then." He pushed off the railing and stepped forward, clapping his hands. "Alright, Sarah, take a break. Let me and Preston have some fun."

Sarah grinned. "Be my guest." She folded her arms and stepped back, letting Sico and Preston take center stage.

Sico looked at the recruits, then at Preston. "Alright, partner. How about we show them what teamwork looks like?"

Preston grinned. "I like the sound of that."

They stood shoulder to shoulder, eyeing the recruits like wolves sizing up a pack of sheep.

"First lesson," Sico said, his voice steady but firm. "You work as a unit, or you die alone. Out there, we don't get second chances. If you don't cover your partner, if you don't watch their back, you might as well put a bullet in your own skull."

Preston nodded. "So we're gonna teach you the Minutemen way. Pair up—right now."

The recruits scrambled to find partners, some looking uncertain, others pairing off with their usual buddies.

Sico crossed his arms. "You don't get to choose your partner in the field. That's not how war works. You fight with whoever's next to you. So let's mix it up." He started pointing at random pairs, splitting them apart and forcing them to team up with people they barely knew. Grumbles rippled through the ranks, but no one dared to argue.

"Now," Preston continued, "you're gonna run a simple drill. One of you moves forward, the other covers. Then you switch. Sounds easy, right?"

A few recruits nodded.

"Wrong," Sico snapped. "Because I'll be out there shooting at you while you do it."

A few recruits stiffened at that.

Sarah chuckled from the sidelines. "Oh, this is gonna be good."

Sico pulled out a training rifle loaded with rubber rounds—painful but not lethal. Preston did the same.

"Alright, get moving," Sico barked.

The first group started forward, one partner crouching behind an overturned crate, aiming their weapon while the other dashed ahead.

Sico and Preston opened fire.

The recruits yelped as the rubber rounds slammed into them. Some hit the dirt instinctively, while others panicked and ran for cover, exposing themselves even more.

Sico shook his head. "Sloppy! If I were a raider, half of you would be dead already!"

Preston sighed. "Again! And this time, move like your life depends on it—because one day, it will."

The drill ran for hours. By the time the sun was beginning to set, the recruits were bruised, exhausted, and covered in dirt—but they were improving.

Sarah watched from the sidelines, arms crossed. "They're getting it."

Sico nodded, wiping sweat from his brow. "Yeah, they are." He turned to the recruits. "Alright, that's enough for today."

A few of them nearly collapsed with relief.

Sarah grinned. "Don't look so happy. We start again at dawn."

A collective groan filled the air, but no one dared to argue.

As the recruits stumbled toward the barracks, Sico, Preston, and Sarah lingered by the training field, watching them go.

Preston exhaled. "Think this'll work?"

Sico nodded. "It has to. Diamond City's been living in a fantasy for too long. The Commonwealth is changing, and if this place wants to survive, it needs to change too."

Sarah smirked. "Well, if nothing else, they'll be too sore to slack off."

Sico chuckled. "That's the idea."

As the city lights flickered on, casting long shadows across the square, he let himself feel a rare sense of satisfaction. They weren't just training soldiers—they were building something stronger. Something that might actually last.

As the last of the recruits limped off toward the barracks, Sico stretched his arms, feeling the fatigue settle into his muscles. The day had been long, but it had been worth it. The once-undisciplined Diamond City security force was starting to shape up into something real—something useful. They weren't soldiers yet, but give them a few weeks, and they'd be damn close.

Sarah let out a breath, running a hand through her short, sweat-dampened hair. "I'll give them credit—they didn't break as fast as I thought they would."

Preston chuckled, slinging his rifle over his shoulder. "They've still got a long way to go, but yeah… I think some of 'em might actually have what it takes."

Sico nodded. "They're learning. And that's all that matters." He tilted his head toward the Mayor's office—now the Minutemen's command center. "Come on. We need to work out the patrol schedule before this whole thing turns into a damn mess."

The three of them made their way through the winding paths of Diamond City. The marketplace was still alive, though quieter now, shopkeepers counting caps, traders haggling over last-minute deals, the smell of roasted meat and brahmin stew lingering in the air. A few people nodded in recognition as Sico passed, some still wary, others cautiously optimistic about what the Minutemen were doing for the city.

When they stepped into the old Mayor's office, the atmosphere shifted. What had once been McDonough's private domain was now a war room. Maps of the Commonwealth lined the walls, marking known threats and key outposts. A large wooden table sat at the center, covered in reports, supply lists, and tactical plans.

Sico grabbed a chair and sat down, motioning for the others to do the same. "Alright. The hard part's not just training these guys—it's making sure they actually do their damn jobs when they're out there."

Preston pulled out a stack of papers, flipping through them. "We need to assign them to patrol routes that make sense. No more standing around the gate looking tough while the back alleys go unchecked."

Sarah nodded, resting her arms on the table. "Agreed. We split them into units, mix in some experienced Minutemen to keep them in line. No one patrols alone, and no one gets too comfortable in one spot."

Sico leaned forward, scanning the map. "We start with the basics—two-man patrols covering the market, the gates, and the residential district. I want them rotating every four hours. No one gets lazy, and no one falls asleep on the job."

Preston smirked. "That'll piss off the ones used to easy shifts."

Sico shrugged. "Then they can quit. We're not here to babysit—we're here to protect this place."

Sarah tapped a section of the map near the outer wall. "What about night patrols? That's when the real problems start—raiders, mutants, hell, even the occasional ghoul slipping in through the old tunnels."

Sico rubbed his chin. "We double the night shifts. I'll put some of our best men on it, at least until the trainees can handle it. We'll need scouts too—people keeping an eye on the outskirts, watching for trouble before it hits the gates."

Preston nodded. "Sounds solid. I'll put together a roster tonight."

Sico leaned back in his chair, exhaling. "Good. Then we start tomorrow. If this city's gonna survive, it needs to start acting like a city that deserves to."

Sarah grinned. "Then let's make it happen."

With that, the three of them got to work, shaping the future of Diamond City one patrol route at a time.

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• Name: Sico

• Stats :

S: 8,44

P: 7,44

E: 8,44

C: 8,44

I: 9,44

A: 7,45

L: 7

• Skills: advance Mechanic, Science, and Shooting skills, intermediate Medical, Hand to Hand Combat, Lockpicking, Hacking, Persuasion, and Drawing Skills

• Inventory: 53.280 caps, 10mm Pistol, 1500 10mm rounds, 22 mole rats meat, 17 mole rats teeth, 1 fragmentation grenade, 6 stimpak, 1 rad x, 6 fusion core, computer blueprint, modern TV blueprint, camera recorder blueprint, 1 set of combat armor, Automatic Assault Rifle, 1.500 5.56mm rounds, power armor T51 blueprint, Electric Motorcycle blueprint, T-45 power armor, Minigun, 1.000 5mm rounds, Cryolator, 200 cryo cell, Machine Gun Turret Mk1 blueprint, electric car blueprint, Kellogg gun, Righteous Authority, Ashmaker, Furious Power Fist, Full set combat armor blueprint, M240 7.62mm machine guns blueprint, Automatic Assault Rifle blueprint, and Humvee blueprint.

• Active Quest:-