Two Dead Worlds

Chapter 6: New companion

Connections were a very good thing, Danny came to realize it long ago, during the beginning of his rule. It was good that he knew one particular newspaper, or the main redactor, to be exact. Piper was more than happy to publish an article about the Minutemen's survival. Danny planned on spreading propaganda in order to get more recruits in his military organization. Yes, there wasn't a note of democracy, but, hey, it wasn't what anyone had in mind exactly.

Phantom remembered the list of human priorities. First, they needed food and water to satisfy their physical needs. Security followed after the roof above the head, and since the previous two steps were more or less solved by themselves, Minutemen were just what people needed now, more than arts, travels and other esthetic joys. It was going to be a while until then. Danny's efforts were exactly on this. There was no point in just saving people, besides genuine concern. They needed to move forward.

The article worked, besides, Piper agreed to print a few posters. She had the only print around, Danny simply offered to do some repairs as it seemed pretty rusty. It was a fair exchange. The posters were quite funny, Phantom tasked one of the ghosts back home to come up with the design. She did an admirable job, even if it was rather cliche. But the locals probably didn't even know what the word meant. Danny had a good laugh.

Here he was, standing in a black and white coat of the end of XVIII century, with all additional parts, minus the wig, with laser musket in one end and another hand pointing at the reader. Now Danny really wanted such coat. It was yet to be made by a tailor. Because the Minutemen lacked proper skills and resources, Phantom also requested to start making standardized armor and clothes. Muskets could be made by the humans, however. Army always began there, from organization.

Several settlers, with families or not, arrived to the former suburban housing estate. Phantom organized a training ground. He recruited ten new soldiers. Well, twelve was more than two. Danny being unofficially in charge was the worst thing imaginable for them. Early in the morning they were forced to jog around under his watch, then exercises and finally breakfast. After that everything continued, making the new Minutemen crash on the bed from exhaustion. Danny was careful, though, he didn't want them to be over-exhausted.

Sometimes he allowed them to take rest, often he gave them rest in order to rebuild the settlement. Despite being a stern in terms of trainings, he showed with his entirety his empathy and eagerness to help with every issue the settlers had.

Preston never saw such trainings even when the Minutemen were still at large. They used to be a militia, after all. He was still wary of the 'mutant' who was doing the job. It made him wonder, with such power Phantom could do a lot of things, some of which were horrific to even think about them. Yet, he was helping people, even if they couldn't see it at the moment during the extensive trainings. It made the dark skinned man respect the seemingly younger man more and more.

But the issue of leadership still remained. Technically, he was in charge. He was a Minuteman for a longer time, but he didn't want to be the leader, he didn't have a talent, or at least he thought so. Ever since Danny came into picture, the half ghost was the one to do all the job and command. And that issue was the one Preston was going to solve that day. He went to the training ground, where Phantom was at the moment.

Preston heard multiple whirring sounds. The training was in process at the moment. It was a cleared piece of land behind the crumbled buildings. In one end was a small arsenal with weapons and ammo, in another stood several mannequins Danny had found in god knows what abandoned store. The guy had an unlimited energy. Several red beams hit the targets, some missed. Phantom was standing near one mid-aged Minuteman.

"No, put your legs away a bit," Danny advised. "If they are close, your stance will be less firm. The recoil will make you miss. It concerns everyone!" He said a bit louder.