504. The Census Team Are Back

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Sico crossed his arms, watching all of it unfold. He saw the way people listened, the way they asked questions, the way they focused. Some of these folks had spent their whole lives just trying to make it to the next day. And yet, here they were, eager to learn, eager to be better.

A week had passed since the school started, and already, Sico could feel the difference it was making in Sanctuary. People were more engaged, more hopeful.

But with progress came responsibility.

Now, he was sitting at his desk inside the Minutemen HQ, his office cluttered with maps, reports, and stacks of paperwork. Running a settlement—especially one growing as fast as Sanctuary—wasn't just about setting up defenses and keeping raiders away. It was about organization, leadership, and making sure everything functioned smoothly.

Sico rubbed his temple, sighing as he flipped through a report from the supply team. Food stores were stable, water purification was running efficiently, and defenses were holding strong. That was the good news. The bad news? They were still short on medical supplies, and trade with the caravans had been slow lately.

A knock at the door pulled him from his thoughts.

"Come in," he called, setting down the paper.

The door creaked open, and Magnolia stepped inside, her usual air of quiet confidence present as she walked up to his desk. "You look like you've been staring at that paperwork for too long," she teased, crossing her arms.

Sico smirked. "That obvious?"

She nodded. "Figured you could use a break. Besides, I've got news."

He raised an eyebrow. "Good news, I hope."

"Nick and the census team are already on their way back," she said.

That caught his attention. He leaned back in his chair, exhaling. "That was faster than I expected. I figured they'd need at least another few days."

Magnolia shrugged. "Guess they worked faster than planned. If all goes well, they should be here by sundown."

The census team was something Sico had been planning for a while. With Minutemen growing, it was important to get an accurate idea of who lived at the Minutemen territory, what skills they had, and what resources they needed. Nick Valentine, the old synth detective, had been the perfect choice to lead the effort. With his sharp eye for detail and natural detective instincts, he could sort through the data better than just about anyone.

Sico stood, stretching his arms. "Alright. Let's get ready to meet them."

By the time sunset rolled around, a small crowd had gathered near the main gate to Sanctuary. People had heard the census team was coming back, and there was a quiet buzz of curiosity in the air.

The convoy then arrive as they pass the gate and stop, then Nick was the first to get out from the Humvee, his signature trench coat dusty from travel. Then after him, a group of scribes carried notebooks and ledgers filled with information they had gathered from the settlements they visited also got out from each Humvees. While the Commandos got out from the Trucks, and ordering soldiers to help the scribes carrying some documents at the Trucks.

"Nick," Sico greeted, offering a handshake. "How'd it go?"

Nick took his hand, his synthetic grip firm but careful. "Not bad," he said in his usual dry tone. "Got a good look at the situation in the Commonwealth. Lot of folks out there looking for stability. We've got some reports you'll wanna go through."

Sico gave a nod, glancing at the scribes and soldiers unloading documents and supplies from the trucks. The convoy had returned in one piece, which was already a victory in itself. The Commonwealth was unpredictable at the best of times, and traveling across its ruins carried constant risks.

"Let's head to the Central Bureau," Sico said, gesturing toward the large, repurposed building that served as the Minutemen's administrative hub. "We'll talk in Magnolia's office."

Nick adjusted his hat, his mechanical eyes scanning the growing settlement around him. "Lead the way, boss."

Sico, Magnolia, and Nick walked through the streets of Sanctuary, passing by settlers who nodded or waved in greeting. The place had changed so much in just a few months. What had once been a broken, abandoned neighborhood was now thriving. New buildings were going up, and people moved with a purpose. Farmers tended to crops, guards patrolled the perimeter, and engineers worked on reinforcing defenses.

Inside the Central Bureau, the halls were alive with movement. Scribes carried stacks of papers, officers gave orders to patrol units, and traders negotiated deals in side rooms. Sico led the way up a flight of stairs to Magnolia's office, which overlooked the settlement.

Magnolia walked to her desk, grabbing a notebook as she sat down. Sico and Nick took their seats across from her. Nick leaned back, his synthetic fingers drumming on the armrest of his chair.

"Alright," Sico started, folding his arms. "Let's get into it. What's the biggest takeaway from the census?"

Nick exhaled, setting a thick folder on the table. "There's a lot to go through, but the short version? The Minutemen are making waves across the Commonwealth. Sanctuary isn't just some settlement anymore—it's becoming a symbol. People see what's happening here, and they want to be part of it."

Sico nodded, flipping through some of the papers. Lists of names, ages, skills, and needs filled the pages.

"We're getting a lot of requests for relocation," Nick continued. "Folks out there are struggling. They want to come here or to one of our other settlements."

Magnolia tapped her fingers on the desk. "How many people are we talking about?"

Nick scratched the back of his head. "At least a few hundred in the next few months, maybe more. We're talking families, traders, mercs looking for honest work… even some ex-raiders trying to turn a new leaf."

Sico frowned slightly. That was a lot of people. A good problem to have, sure, but a problem nonetheless. "We'll need to expand housing, increase food production, and reinforce our defenses."

Magnolia glanced at the reports. "We have the space, but do we have the manpower to build that fast?"

Nick leaned forward. "That's where the other settlements come in. Some of the outposts we visited have potential but need leadership and resources. If we send the right people, we could turn them into real strongholds. That way, we're not just funneling everyone into Sanctuary."

Sico rubbed his chin, considering it. Expanding their reach would make the Minutemen stronger, but it also meant stretching their forces. "What about threats? Any trouble brewing?"

Nick sighed. "Plenty. The Raiders are getting more aggressive. Word is, they're trying to consolidate power, maybe even set up their own version of a organisation like us. and then there's the Brotherhood."

Sico raised an eyebrow. "What about them?"

Nick shrugged. "They're keeping to themselves for now, but they're watching. The bigger we get, the more they'll see us as competition."

Sico exchanged a glance with Magnolia. The Brotherhood was a wildcard. They had power, advanced tech, and a strict view of who should control it. If they ever decided the Minutemen were a threat, things could get ugly fast.

Magnolia sighed. "So, to sum it up: more people, more enemies, and more work to do."

Nick chuckled. "That about covers it."

Sico leaned back, processing everything. They were at a crossroads. Sanctuary was growing, but growth came with risks. They had to be smart about their next moves.

Finally, he nodded. "Alright. We'll set priorities. First, we strengthen Sanctuary. Housing, supplies, training—everything needs to scale up. At the same time, we'll send teams to reinforce key settlements. If we can turn them into strongholds, we won't have to bear the entire burden ourselves."

Magnolia nodded. "I'll start working on logistics. We'll need to organize supply routes, assign personnel, and set up proper leadership at each outpost."

Nick smirked. "And I'll keep my ear to the ground. If anything big happens, you'll know about it."

Sico leaned forward, his fingers interlocked as he processed everything. The weight of leadership was heavy, but he had no choice but to carry it. The Minutemen were no longer just a ragtag group of do-gooders—they were becoming a force, a real government in the making.

Taking a breath, he looked at Nick. "Alright, let's talk numbers. How many people are living in Minutemen territory now?"

Nick reached into his trench coat, pulling out another thick folder. He flipped through the pages before settling on one, then slid it across the desk toward Sico and Magnolia.

"As of our latest count," Nick said, tapping the document, "we're looking at 27,567 people across all Minutemen-controlled settlements."

Magnolia let out a low whistle. "That's more than I expected."

Sico raised an eyebrow. "That's a whole damn city's worth of people. We're going to need more infrastructure, more resources… more of everything."

Nick smirked. "Well, you did want to rebuild the Commonwealth, boss. This is what that looks like."

Sico nodded, but his mind was already running through the logistics. More people meant more homes, more food, and more security. If they didn't stay ahead of it, their settlements would crumble under their own weight.

Magnolia turned her attention back to Nick. "What about the taxes? Are people on board with it?"

Nick leaned back in his chair, crossing one ankle over the other. "Yeah, no issues there. The 5 caps per person policy is simple and fair. We collected a total of 137,835 caps this cycle."

Sico exhaled, shaking his head slightly. "That's a hell of a number. And people aren't complaining?"

Nick chuckled. "Not a peep. They know they're getting something for it—protection, stability, food security. It's a damn sight better than paying off raiders or living in fear."

Magnolia flipped through the financial reports. "With this kind of revenue, we can actually start expanding our projects. We can reinforce settlements, stockpile supplies, and even invest in research and development."

Sico tapped the table, thinking. "Alright, let's break it down. How much of that do we need to set aside for immediate needs, and how much can we reinvest?"

Magnolia started scribbling on a notepad. "We'll need to allocate a portion to maintaining security—paying our soldiers, restocking weapons and ammo, and keeping the settlements defended. Another portion will go to food and water purification. We also need to invest in medical supplies since that's still a weak point."

Nick nodded. "And let's not forget trade. The more we have to offer, the more valuable we become to outside merchants."

Sico rubbed his chin. "We should also set some aside for long-term projects. Infrastructure, education, maybe even some research into old-world tech."

Magnolia looked up. "Education?"

Sico nodded. "Yeah. Think about it. We're rebuilding civilization here, but if the next generation grows up just scraping by, we're not really moving forward. We need to start thinking long-term."

Nick let out a low chuckle. "You're sounding more and more like a leader every day, boss."

Sico smirked. "Comes with the job."

Magnolia made some quick calculations. "If we allocate about 40% to security, 30% to food and medical needs, 20% to trade and infrastructure, and keep 10% as an emergency reserve, that should keep us balanced."

Sico nodded. "Sounds good. We'll start putting that plan into motion immediately."

Nick stretched, rolling his synthetic shoulder. "Well, if that's all, I'll get back to my usual business—keeping an eye on the Commonwealth."

Sico stood up, shaking Nick's hand. "Thanks for the report, Nick. Keep me updated."

Nick gave a two-finger salute before turning to leave. Magnolia closed her notebook, leaning back in her chair.

"We're really doing this, huh?" she murmured.

Sico replied "Yeah," he said. "We are."

ThenSico looked out the window at Sanctuary, watching the people below go about their lives.

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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:-