Miss Vicious , Her saga and story... Options

[Acadian]

A wonderful ‘Day in the life of’ episode as Tanesha goes about her new job turning trash into caps.

A slaver in Blivet Kitty? Or is Mei Wong appropriately named, and mistaken?

Uh-oh, another dude somehow familiar with Tanesha’s vicious past. . . .

[Lopov]

OMG Emily! I'm surprised that you still remember her, it's probably been more than 10 years, since I had this character in FO3. But you're right, she was walking on the deck while it was already getting dark and apparently she didn't see a hole and fell down...as the residents correctly recall, she didn't land into the water. Probably one of the silliest deaths of my characters but it was DiD, so I didn't reload.

Saint Monica was a ghoul?

I don't remember ever seeing the priest down in Muddy Rudder!

I love that black & white pic on the deck, it's awesome!

Taneesha Jones doing some honest work. I hope that she doesn't stray away from the determined path...but another cliff hanger makes me think, that something is about to change in the life of Miss Vicious. Speaking of - was this thread always named Miss Vicious? Or was it formerly Miss Vicious Delicious and got renamed?

[Renee]

A slaver in Blivet Kitty? Or is Mei Wong appropriately named, and mistaken?

Just to clarify, Mei Wong's a vanilla gal, not one of my silly-named NPCs. The slaver is a guy named Sister. Janet also took Sister down as per this post.

Here's a specific picture of Sister's last moment. I'm not 100% sure Taneesha will also have the time to deal with him, her story's about to get really busy, so we'll see.


Lopov: I did some research on Monica, and found she was a ghoul.

The priest in the Muddy Rudder is something I've never seen either! He's got a lot of dialog down there! Not only did he try to sermonize Belle, he also preached to Trixie, the alcoholic floozie who's always asking us to buy her a drink. And Trixie cursed him out! -- There was even more dialog than this, though... All of it was scripted yet it was better than Skyrim's dialog scenes because it felt unique. Didn't repeat over and over like the scenes in Skyrim's inns.

That entire scene caught me off guard. I was doing the final edit of the story and gaming in real-time when all of that happened, and so I had to write it up.

More comments later this week, but I wanted to clarify those first.



This post has been edited by Renee: Sep 2 2024, 11:22 AM

[SubRosa]

Well look at that, Taneesha is earning an honest living after all.

Sounds like Rivet City needs a supply of purified water. Do I smell a quest coming in the near future?

Looks like Rivet City is like the Galactic Empire in Star Wars. No OSHA or other other safety regulations. Bottomless pits yawning right next to the places people walk, and not even a safety rail. Watch where you step.

I was always partial to the music of Han Valen, Hammy Sagar, and Sob Begar myself...

I have always wondered if Mei is related to Ada Wong?

Tan is definitely getting the lay of the land now. She's meeting people, and learning about some of their dark histories, re: Ada and the slaver, and Santa Monica.

Looks like its time for the Father to procreate off! Daddy Cliff sounds like he's a big downer.

Uh oh, a mysterious man in a suit has come for Miss V. I wonder if it is Mr. Burke? He's the first suit-clad person I can think of in the Capital Wasteland. Now that I see the picture, nope. But I look forward to seeing who it is.

[Renee]

I am probably going to be going away this weekend, so gonna post the story early, maybe tonight, maybe tomorrow morning. But it's no rush to read. Take your time.

@cadian: thanks for keeping up with Vicious; I know Fallout and the genre it portrays within are not your first loves, so it's lovely that you have been choosing to support. Sorry that last episode ran longer too. There's a lot of looniness in Rivet City (last episode was just a slice of the pie), I felt it was important to capture at least some of it while my gal is on the boat.

The next episode and probably all others which follow shall be more focused.


@opov: And now that you've revealed to me the entire story of Emily, in a way I'm glad I didn't know it all beforehand. Just 'cause it would've been hard not to write it up along with everything else which got described. Perhaps more of Emily's tale shall come out in the future.

The black & white pic is actually in color. I've got a weather mod (because we've got other weather than dry in Maryland/Virginia/D.C., goshdarnit!) and it'd just finished raining when she went out on the deck. There was a bit of mist in the air, which made most of the color evaporate.

wish I'd taken a picture of all the planes on the outer deck, too.

Taneesha Jones doing some honest work. I hope that she doesn't stray away from the determined path...but another cliff hanger makes me think, that something is about to change in the life of Miss Vicious.

Oh yes it is. She's about to meet X, who tells her to go to X so she can meet X.

I had Moderator Acadian change the name of the story, the 'Delicious' part of her name always bothered me in some way. Kind of yicch, I guess.


Florens: Indeed, my toon's got a job. And yes, you do smell one heck of a quest coming in the near future.

Yeah, Sammy Van Hagar rules!

I don't know Ada Wong but she looks badass! I'd say Mei Wong is more on the mousey side. Taneesha's going to try to help Mei with the slaver problem by the way, but probably not for a few more episodes.

That whole scene with Father Clifford in the Muddy Rudder actually happened, in fact I was actually done writing by the time that occurred! But that scene (and the ensuing dialog....) I just had to capture some of it. Brock even escorted Clifford out the door at the end; the AI a Bethesda dev wrote had Brock literally pushing the priest up the stairs and out the door.

Uh oh, a mysterious man in a suit has come for Miss V. I wonder if it is Mr. Burke?

No madam, not mister Burke. You shall meet the guy in just a sec.


RECAP: Taneesha Jones gets a job and performs it diligently, and with enthusiasm. But her past cannot keep from coming back to haunt her...

[Renee]

Episode 62: Lamont Stamford

Date: Saturday, September 29, 11:34 AM


"Miss Vicious?" the man standing before her asks quietly. "Uh, you are Miss Vicious, aren't you?"

*Crap...*

Taneesha doesn't answer, but her mind begins speculating. Who the hell is this? Not anyone she wants to associate with, if he knows her by that name.

The man is dark-skinned. He's got a moustache and his hair looks processed. He smells a bit flowery. Is he wearing cologne? And is wearing what looks to be Prewar military clothing, pressed and starched. She might find him attractive under other circumstances; he is rather handsome. But he knows her by that name.

"I am Lamont Stamford," he extends a hand. "Pleased to meet you, Miss Vicious. Heard a lot about you, actually."

"Mm, sorry, but you're looking for a Miss Vicious?" she does not shake his hand. "'fraid you got the wrong woman, I'm just the cleaning lady. Now if you'll excuse me, I must continue my rounds."

Rather than come across as gruff or belligerent (expected within raider society), Tan uses her brand-new 'singsong' voice as she speaks, which'd sort of 'materialized' the day before while picking up recyclables and sweeping floors. Light and pleasant, her new method of speaking has taken the former raider by surprise. She's enjoying her work while interacting with various Rivet City residents, which'd shown in the way she'd communicated.

"Look, okay," Lamont replies, raising his palm. "But uh, let's stop playing games. You're Miss Vicious, we know this. And I'm here to tell you that someone special wants to speak with you."

The man sounds truly apologetic, maybe a little embarrassed.

"Well tell this ... 'someone' ... he or she or whomever... they got it wrong. I am not Miss Vicious, nor do I know anyone by that name. I'm just the cleaning lady." Taneesha beams a smile. "Ain't gonna tell you who I am. And what kind of a name is that anyway? 'Miss Vicious?' Sounds like a damn psychopath."

"Okay, so look. I come from Dogmaster," Stamford reveals, laying his first card onto the table. Three of Clubs, perhaps. "Mm hmm, the big D.C. raider boss. I come from him."

The man seems to be searching for some sort of reaction from her, a tell, perhaps. But by now, Taneesha has noticed something. Lamont (at first) had asked her identity, you are Miss Vicious, aren't you? -- A question rather than a statement. Therefore, his Three of Clubs could possibly be a bluff.

"Dogmaster? Sorry, but who's that?"

Lamont's face becomes a smirk. "'Who is Dogmaster?' she asks evasively, like this is a game. Hey, guess I don't blame ya for trying, Vicious."

"Um, sir, you really need to allow me to continue my rounds..."

"Look. We really need your help," Stamford replies, laying out another card. "And as you know, Dogmaster's willing to pay. Like.. a LOT of caps, if you agree to help us."

Taneesha says nothing. Pushes her broom a bit. All around them the ship continues to creak, unseen ventilation fans and generators continue to hum.

"I can't reveal all the details, not in here anyway. You'll have to come to Georgetown to find out more. But one thing for sure: you do this mission, and you'll be rich," he smiles. "Set for life, in fact. You could come back here and buy this entire ship if they'll let you. So what you say, love? You interested?"

Love, the man just called her.

"Listen chump," says Jones quietly, her pleasant sing-songy gone. "You'd best get out MY way so I can tend to my rounds. Got a lot to do..." Dag, wish I had my Tazer with me....

"'Chump'?" Stamford places a hand to his heart, genuinely wounded. "Come on now, let's be cordial. There's no need for name-calling."

"You're starting to make the cleaning lady angry, chump," Taneesha declares, hands on hips. "Want to see what happens when the cleaning lady gets angry?"

But Stamford remains undeterred. "Look, we got you, this is fact," he says, again with the same apologetic demeanor. "Couple of your friends squealed your location, alright? Said they'd just escorted you the big RC. And indeed here you are."

...Bratty and Q-tip?

"I don't wanna have to do this," he adds, "but the Dog said maybe this would change your mind..."

Lamont reaches into his shoulder bag, and removes what looks to be a letter-sized piece of paper. "Here, take a look."
He hands it over.

The cleaning lady looks. Studies. Her eyes go wide. The broom she's holding clatters to the floor before she even notices it's been dropped.

"Really sorry," Lamont says. "That I had go there..."

The paper he hands over is actually a photo. A black and white photo, eight by ten, which looks to've been taken with a real, working Prewar camera. Taneesha flips the photo from its emulsion side, looking at its posterior. The photo is dated with a standard camera's font: September 26, 2277. Just three days ago.

"We got a married couple who we convinced to move in," Stamford says with a shrug. "Wasn't that hard really, the couple owes Dogmaster a favor. And if you owe the Dog a favor you do not dare disobey. So they're in there now, living happily in fact, assuming you decide to help us."

The photo portrays a picture, and within this picture are Elder Thom, Elder Wilbur, and several youngsters, all in the middle of late-summer harvest. None of them seem aware that their picture's being taken; they wouldn't tolerate a camera in their midst if they had.

Dammit...HOW?

The Ellicott City Jehovah's Witness Temple can clearly be seen in the background. Dogmaster's trump card. Dogmaster's Ace of Spades perhaps, in a game of Poker.

"See, first we thought it was you that killed Slick Rick," Stamford explains. "Killed him, and all the rest of them *bungholes* living in Springvale School. We didn't like that, see? But Dogmaster, he got an idea to keep you in line. Bring you back. Because even if it was you killed them, the Dog still wants and needs you. Because you are. That. Good," he says, half-sitting on a nearby table, tapping its surface with his fingertips at the end of each punctuation.

"Turns out, wasn't you that took Springvale down, was it? It was that Lone Wanderer *fairy* everyone's been talking about. We know this now. But we still need to make sure you gonna do what we want. Hence, a bit of unfortunate blackmail."

The cleaning lady fumes inside, but says nothing.

"Elder Lovelace has the croup, along with a couple others, that's what our inside couple says. They got sick, but they been quarantined. Looks like they gonna be okay." Lamont's face takes on a look, which (after a moment) Taneesha deduces to be respect. "Really am impressed by the way, the way your religion shuns off proven, modern medicines, sticking to outmoded methods and beliefs instead of Twenty-first century miracle cures. It's rather remarkable, in this day and age where most folks would gobble chems to relieve their suffering."

Taneesha Jones, feeling vicious. Where's my shotgun when I need it?!

"Look, you ain't gotta decide right now. We got some time on this. All you gotta do is come to Georgetown, receive further instructions from the Dog. You've got a week to decide." Lamont Stamford pauses a moment before continuing. "All Dogmaster wants is for you to take out a few scumbags. A westside raider gang who've done Doggy Dog wrong, okay? ... We're not asking you to harm anyone innocent this time, or steal from them. Plus, the Dog, he really wants to meet you. Do this one job and you're off the hook," Lamont says. "Not to mention you'll be very wealthy. After that, you can do whatever you want. Come back here to Rivet City if you want, keep your day job, if you want.

"BUT... you don't want to disobey the Dog, a'ight?"

Taneesha Jones, out of options.

"Young Elsa's a doll, by the way," Lamont adds, creeping Tan the *truck* out. "Got a couple pictures of her too, she's ten now. According to our insiders, Elsa wonders what happened to her pretend big sister, Taneesha Jones? What became of her after she left Centennial Lane to spread the word of God in the Capital Wasteland," Lamont clucks with disapproval. "Seems real fond of you, Elsa does. Seems you were mentoring her before you left and never came back, eh?"

The cleaning lady can't help but grit her teeth as her knuckles whiten.

"Well look, been a pleasure. And no rush. You got a week to decide, so choose wisely. I'm out."

Lamont Stamford walks the way he came, while Taneesha Jones/Vicious has no course of action but the let the man go.

-----------

She spends the rest of her day in deep thought. Pondering. Scheming her brain for some sort of solution while continuing at her job like nothing's wrong. Yet gone is the zest she'd felt the previous day. They know who raised me somehow. Where my family is. Uncertain proof resides in the fact individual names were stated. And it's up to ME to keep my people from harm.

Though she manages to continue her rounds, earning 34 caps on this easygoing Saturday, Taneesha Jones remains glum. Complete opposite to the day before.

"What's up with you?" Aspiration asks later that evening, as they share a table for supper. "Been quiet all day, Taneesha."

"It's nothing."

Aspiration won't accept this answer of course, begins to pelt her friend with questions and demands. "Like hell it's nothing. You got something on your mind, and your best pal Aspiration's gonna find out what it is!"

But Taneesha Jones refuses to elucidate.

-----------

Sunday, 6:48 AM

The next morning she gets dressed in her Sunday best. She then trudges off to Sunday mass, barely eager for worship. Gets there early. Others have already been seated. Father Clifford arrives late to his own service. After some prepping he finally begins, voice whining yet full of purpose. Taneesha pays attention with only half an ear.

"Good morning! So today we are going to have a look at Corinthians II, let's see here. 'And then the Lord said to Monica: For if I make you sorry, who is he then that maketh me glad, but the same which is made sorry by me?'

...And I wrote this same unto you, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice; having confidence in you all, that my joy is the joy of you all...."

As the priest rambles, Jones's mind begins to wander. Some of these New Testament books could be a borefest in her opinion. But she doesn't put this time to waste; in her mind she says a little prayer. Asks for any sort of guidance regarding the situation at hand. Perhaps throwing her thoughts into the universe might at least provide some genuine inspiration of an answer.

"...Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices...."

Taneesha stifles a yawn. In the end, she concludes she really hasn't any other choice. She'll gather her things and head to Georgetown, later today. Meet the *motherclucking* Dogmaster in person. Maybe once she's in front of the *fleabag* she can then come up with some sort of solution.

As Corinthians II causes a couple folks to straggle out early, Tan has a surprising thought. Realizes there's a part of her which is looking forward to the journey. Yes, that's right. These past few days behind the safety of Rivet City's walls, she finally admits there's a part of her which already misses the action; the question mark of day-to-day survival.

"So yeah, I'm comin' to meet you, Dog," she says quietly as Father Clifford's remaining congregants begin to line up, gushing to thank him for Sunday sermon. (Perhaps relieved it's finally over!)

Taneesha Jones, put on hold for the moment. 'Cause here comes Miss Vicious.


---------------------------------------------------

Fighter plane - (anyone know what kind of plane this is? )

Lamont's ego gets wounded

Tan has no recourse but to let the chump go...

Lamont heads toward a D.C. metro station

Tan refuses to tell Aspiration her troubles.

---------------------------------------

Notes: 1). Father Clifford showed up to his own church late! He then did not deliver any lines. I had a look in the GECK to see what's up with at this. He's got some scripts which are supposed to make him say a sermon, yet he just stood there. So I had to RP that part. It was funny listening to the church's congregants though. C.J. (a child) said "Mom, I'm bored!" for instance.

2). I really looked hard for an afro hairstyle for Lamont Stamford, so he'd look like the actual guy. Finally found one! But arrgh! It was for Fallout 4. No afro modss for FO3, which surprised me. Anyone knows any different, let me know!

[Acadian]

Yes, medieval fantasy is my genre but you're a great writer and loyal supporter of my elf - so I enjoy following your stories. Similar to the situation with SubRosa. She is currently writing an urban (not medieval) fantasy story but, again, she is a great writer and loyal supporter of Buffy.

Oh, I don't recognize that plane. My best guess is that it is a creative invention by the devs.

*

Trapped. By loyalty to her friends. Grrr. So let’s see what Dogbutt wants and evaluate taking him the fetch out. After all, Miss Vicious is That. Good.

This post has been edited by Acadian: Sep 6 2024, 10:45 PM

[SubRosa]

I think the plane is just something the developers invented on their own. A quick search says that there were several jet fighters in the Korean War with those pods on the wingtips - the Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star, the Lockheed F-94 Starfire, and the Republic F-84 Thunderjet. The devs were probably inspired by them for the general look.

It's Lamont! He says someone special wants to speak with Miss V? Is that his father, the Emperor of the Wasteland, Fred?

So Lamont works for Dogmaster. I was wondering if he would ever rear his head again. Lamont cleans up good. So he does not seem like your normal raider. He knows how to blend in with normal society, even to the point of smelling nice and doing his hair. So either he is like Vicious, and is good at stepping back and forth between lifestyles, or maybe he's a full time spy for Dogmaster, living the civilian life and reporting back to the boss on what is going on in the legit world.

Uh oh, it sounds like the cleaning lady is about to clean Lamont's clock!

But it looks like Lamont has more than a three of clubs in his hand. He's holding a trump card. The Witnesses in Ellicott City. That's not good. Just when Taneesha thought she was out, they pulled her back in.

Well, the Dogmaster wanted Miss Vicious, and he's going to get Miss Vicious. But I wonder if he's going to still be alive when all this is done?

[Lopov]

The Dogmaster looks like to be well informed about Tan's deeds and even about her past, just like it befits a proper 'mafia boss'.

It looks like, that days of peace for Taneesha Jones are over for the time being.

Adventure calls, but I wonder, where this will lead to. Maybe even to a reunion between Tan and the witnesses? I have a feeling that the Dogmaster will demand more than just one simple job, however. It'd be just...too simple.

[Renee]

Aw thanks, that's quite a compliment, Acadian. Dogbutt!

I think my writing fluctuates quite a bit. That last episode was a gem; one of my better examples, I guess. Some drama, a bunch of moments when the foreshadowing of previous episodes comes to fruition, and the plot thickens. This next chapter's kind of ... "Meh" I guess. It's necessary. A part of my gal's life which leads up to a more interesting section.

Graci, Acadian. ☕


Hey, thanks for researching, Miss Rosa. I've seen those 'pods' before, in movies probably. My brother built models when we were kids, also. I figured between the two of you (a former military soldier and a military buff) some sort of answer would emerge. But it's probably just a Bethesda dev creation.

I don't know where the hell I came up with Lamont. My original intention was to make the guy who shows up to RC, and give him an afro so he's got that '70s look. Next thing, I'm thinking Lamont. I even watched a couple Sanford & Son episodes, which is where the 'apologetic' bit came from, when Stamford keeps apologizing for blackmailing Taneesha. Lamont is often apologetic on the show, playing peacemaker between Fred and Aunt Esther, for instance.

I assumed I'd be able to find an afro mod somewhere. And there is one moustache in Fallout 3's GECK which has those downward barbs Lamont's got on the show. IF an afro was out there for download, Lamont would then become a bit of a romantic interest. I began thinking like that: a segue in the story occurs, and Taneesha gets the hots for Lamont later on. Which would be a first. I don't do romance! It just doesn't happen. So this would be an exception, mostly due to inspiration which has nothing to do with me ideas; this would come from Taneesha herself.

But without that afro mod, none of that's gonna happen. I find Lamont Sanford cute, and Tan also finds the guy "attractive". But the guy in the story ain't him.

Yes, Dogmaster's gonna reappear. With HIM I've found some great mods, you'll see.

That's a good point. Doggy deals with raiders, but his influence goes well beyond raider society. As Lopov mentioned, he's sort of like mafia. Got his fingers in lot of peoples' pies. And so he's able to get a guy like Lamont, demand cleanliness and discipline, and so on.

Cool, glad that got a comment: "You're starting to make the cleaning lady angry...." That's probably my favorite line. That is the line they'd play over and over during highlights when the announcer says "Last week... on Miss Vicious...."

Will doggy be alive throughout the story? We shall see.

The Dogmaster looks like to be well informed about Tan's deeds and even about her past, just like it befits a proper 'mafia boss'.

Yes!

It looks like, that days of peace for Taneesha Jones are over for the time being.

Right, just when a girl wants to settle down and forget her past, it comes right back to haunt her, and then some.

Adventure calls, but I wonder, where this will lead to. Maybe even to a reunion between Tan and the witnesses? I have a feeling that the Dogmaster will demand more than just one simple job, however. It'd be just...too simple.

Goodness. It's like y'all can read my mind, sometimes.

[Renee]

Episode 63: D.C. Dogma

Date: Sunday, September 30, 11:34 AM

"2277's dog days are done."

Tan says these words while clacking along in her Sunday two-inch heels, rushing back to her rented room. Her statement is a sort of pun regarding this story's main antagonist, but also, another summer has passed.

"Hullo," says Christie Young as Taneesha clacks by. Young is another city resident who's taken a crusade for cleanliness here in Rivet City, sweeping floors and swabbing decks. Christie is surprised not to get a response from the city's newest janitor, who she'd seen retrieving cans from the Common Room two days ago. Literally, the new worker had been singing a couple days ago. Seems as though she's now in a hurry.

Taneesha arrives in her rented room, opens her locker, changes clothes. Puts on some armor which was apparently made by a designer called Apocalypse* way back when. This is what she'll wear as she leaves the ship. Later when she reaches precarious territory, she'll then switch to her 'Badlands'-style raider armor. Thing is, she does not want anybody in Rivet City seeing her dressed in raider gear, for obvious reasons.

Thinking back to Wednesday, Taneesha appreciates her past self for deciding to keep this ratched armor! If there happen to be raiders along the way, they'll probably leave her alone.

She also grabs her binoculars, her stun gun, and her combat shotgun.

"Dangit."

Problem. Her shotgun is custom-made; a gift to her from Slick Rick. Probably was built by some gunsmith under the Dogmaster's (forced) commission. Flak had looked at the gun several days earlier, then determined he couldn't repair it to full working condition. Its barrel couldn't be rifled to original spec by Flak or by his assistant Shrapnel, not with the ancient, worn-out tools in their shop. Its trigger mechanism is getting shoddy, as well. ... But, hadn't Tan's boss mentioned there's another smith somewhere in Rivet City?

Yes, Janna Torr had. Guy works somewhere Upper Deck, she'd said, repairing armor and weapons worn/used by the ship's security force. Maybe Tan can try looking for the fellow. She's got the caps! She'll pay as much as it takes, get the job done properly.

She also grabs a grenade and three frag mines. Three Stimpaks (healing chems), two Stealth Boys (these devices, also classified as chems, are 'worn' on one's arm to make the user temporarily invisible), and four vials of Rad-X (chems which bolster radiation resistance). She gathers her current ammunition: 40 energy cells to power her Tazer, and 52 shells for her shotgun.

"Good to go," she says. Take that, Jack Breacher.

She snatches the thousand bottlecaps she'd brought to the city. Her aim is get her guns fully repaired, but also decimate Flak & Shrapnel's of every *goshdarn* shotgun round they've got.

"Comin' for you, Dog."

Finally, one last detail, which happens to be the most important. Georgetown. How the heck is she going to get to Georgetown if she hasn't a clue where it is?

Well here's a hint. When Lamont Stamford left Rivet City the day before, Vicious decided to follow him. Stamford had exited the city, crossed the plaza on the ship's port side, and took a staircase underground. Probably into a Metro station, then, which might be a good place to start. -- Sometimes the tunnels have underground signs directing ways to go. Problem is, those signs aren't always reliable.

"Hmm. Wonder if this ship has some sort of computerized map system?" she asks. If so, she'll be able to simply download a marker into the World Map section of her handheld Pip Boy 2500®.

Tan walks upstairs, heads to the Marketplace. Heads for the arms dealers.

"Whatchoo lookin' foh?" Shrapnel asks in his authentic southern accent. Taneesha spends nearly two-hundred caps on shotgun shells and an additional grenade ... before getting virtually accosted by Aspiration.

"Hey, wait up!" the entertainer comes running from behind. "Yo, Tan!"

"Oh, hi Asp," Taneesha starts, trying to be nonchalant.

"You all suited up! Got your guns and your packs? Where YOU goin'?"

At first, Tan tries to come up with a story. Thinks maybe she should tell a lie, headed off to have a look at Jefferson's Memorial.... or some other untruth. But she changes her mind. Decides to be honest. Well, somewhat honest.

"Going to Georgetown," she says grimly. Maybe this way, if she never makes it back to Rivet City, someone might possibly get curious, and go looking. Try to find what happened. The thought is sobering, of course.

"Georgetown?" Aspiration's exasperated reply says it all. Georgetown was once a quaint yet quirky upscale place to live, originally dating to Colonial times. Politicians neighboring white collar professionals neighboring super real estate agents with hidden agendas, and others who could afford the neighborhood's insane prices. Times had changed, of course. Nowadays the neighborhood was probably trash, just like most other areas of the Capital Wasteland.

"Look, I won't pry, Taneesha. Your bizzness is your own. But Georgetown's full of super mutants these days, what I've heard."

"Yea, I know," Tan says, without actually knowing. "That's why I got my guns," she says, hoping her friend won't get too nosy.

"Uh-huh." Aspiration crosses her arms. "So like, who the *heck* are you? First time we met, when you rescued Bratty from Dukov's, you was wearing raider *cakka*. And now you all suited up like some action hero. So who are you? WHAT are you? A regulator? Or," (she lowers her voice) "one'a them raiders?"

"Well, like you just said yourself, perhaps you shouldn't pry." Tan says this, then immediately wishes she could take it back. She hadn't meant to sound obstinate.

"Right but..."

"Asp, dear, I haven't got time to get into this right now." Her Doc Bartin boots begin clomping quickly across the market floor.

"Nuh-uh, you ain't just gonna walk away from me!"

Taneesha/Vicious scrambles awkwardly around the Marketplace, looking for her boss, while Aspiration follows.

Finally finds her boss.

"Hey, so um, gonna be away, prob'ly a couple days..." Tan begins, but Janna Torr shushes her. "Don't even want to know," Janna replies, dismissing her 'employee' with a wave. Which is perfect. Taneesha asks if there's a computer somewhere onboard which possibly has some maps, and according to Janna there is. It's somewhere in the Upper Deck.

"Thanks," Tan says, feeling just a smidge of guilt. In olden times, workers couldn't just leave their jobs without officially taking time off; they either had to declare 'vacation time' or 'sick leave'. If they proclaimed themselves sick they might have to prove their infirmity with a doctor's note, and if they went on vacation everyone expected they'd come back with pictures. Taking too much of either accrual was apparently a really bad thing, she'd heard. Like, you could get fired from your job...

Of course, being a Rivet City custodian isn't considered a 'real' job...

Tan eventually locates the better gunsmith in the Upper Deck, and is also able to download a map marker for Georgetown. But these actions take time; four hours in fact, and now it's early evening. Maybe I can get a few hours' rest before I go, but Taneesha doesn't dare. Thinking of her innocent Jehovah family some forty-odd miles north, picking rad-free apples and corn and barley, she does not dare delay her meeting with the Dog. She's got a blanket she can sleep upon if she later needs rest. It's time to go.

5:34 PM
Somehow, Aspiration knows when her friend's about to leave, despite Taneesha's attempt for a secret exit, looking over her shoulders and so on. An argument ensues between the two on Rivet City's bridge which is almost entirely one-sided: Aspiration shouting at her girl while Tan occasionally does her 'talk to my hand' thing.

The fight goes nowhere. Taneesha leaves the ship, as Aspiration threatens to ... threatens to.... well there's not much she can do, actually.

Across the bridge and down the ramps, Tan has a look at her Pip Boy's map display. Sure enough, there's the marker for Georgetown. She switches from map to compass, expecting the device will send her into the Metro station where Lamont Stamford had gone, but it doesn't do this. Instead, it's telling her to head in a northwesternly direction, toward Tepid Metro Station.

6:39 PM
She nears the super mutant camp across from Jefferson Memorial. Finds a dark alcove to swap into raider armor. Goes in as Taneesha Jones, emerges as Miss Vicious.

A brahmin merchant caravan moves slowly by. "Hey," says the caravan's male guard. Uh oh. "Mutant camp, straight ahead," Vicious warns the caravan. Because she knows what's about to happen.

The battle is brutal, yet doesn't last long. Bratty, Q-Tip and she had taken down this very camp several days ago, so she already knows its layout. Miss Vicious emerges unscathed, along with the assistance of the caravan guard. In the process, she helps the merchants survive, and even rescues a captive who otherwise would've been eaten.

7:59 PM
She arrives at the Dukov raider camp just before nightfall, wondering if the brat and Q might be here, but they aren't. Vicious doesn't recognize any of these raider goofballs. Despite being a thug herself just a few days ago, she doesn't feel comfortable hanging, so she backtracks to the scavenger dude she'd traded with a half-hour ago. Asks if it's okay to sleep near his camp. And he's fine with that.

The scavenger has a radio. Miss Vicious falls asleep to the voice of Three Dog, complaining about the Lone Wanderer's latest foibles.

7:53 AM
It rains lightly the next morning. Vicious walks a mile north, paying attention to the map marker for Georgetown. She spots numerous recyclables as she travels, bottles and cans which'd been tossed aside, and can't help but tally how much she'd earn if she were to haul some back to Janna Torr.

Turns out, the door to Tepid Sewers is on the north side of Dukov's whorehouse, right by the water. She almost misses this door; it's not so easy to find. Goes inside and hunches down. Listens for a moment. Something (some animal or monster) is wheezing nearby.

"Mole rat."

Large animals which prefer underground; not a problem. She finds the creature in a storeroom -- *BKKSH!* -- blasts it away with her shotgun. Walks down some stairs and makes a left, where she spies a figure down the hall.

"Ha. Raiders down here."

Which is good. Still pretending to be one of them, she relaxes. Stands, and moves through the rest of Tepid Sewers with confidence. Meanders about, gets misdirected a couple times, asks occasional directions from the alkies and junkies who know their home well.

After several hours she finally locates a stairwell, which ascends through a door. The door leads into one of those wide underground passageways where tens of thousands of Metro riders once commuted every day, yet now there's nothing but rocks and rubble. In here there's a change in temperature; the air's slightly warmer. Vicious can also hear a change of ambient sounds, a gate to the outside world must be nearby. Sure enough, there's a sign, indicating Georgetown is just ahead.

"I'm already here?" Miss Vicious asks, surprised.

-------------------------------------------------

Making SURE that mutant is down.

Rescuing a Captive -- (Tan's Karma is always going up and down. She occasionally steals for instance, and still picks locks. So moments like this provide some balance.)

Scavenger Camp

Mushroom Cloud! (she was fighting a Talon. Blowing up a nearby Chryslus for extra combat is always fun.)

Return to Raider Society

Gate to Georgetown


--------------------------------
Notes: *Wardrobe, including Apocalypse Outfit and some others Taneesha has worn in this story is partially by Misc Clothing Pack. That mod is so generically-named I've kept forgetting to mention it. I also am using Type 3 Clothing by Jonas, Wasteland Wardrobe, and several others. Dogmaster's going to have his own gear. Vicious herself prefers Misc Clothing Pack, though.

2). Vicious gained LEVEL 7! I put 5 points into Energy Weapons, 1 point into Melee Weapons, 1 point in Repair, 2 points in Small Guns (now 55), 5 points in Sneak, and 1 point into Speech. I took the Special Training perk which allows an extra point to any of SPECIAL attribute. Vicious then received +1 Endurance, so now her attributes are S4, P5, E5, C8, I5, A8, L6.

3). Fallout Fandom makes mention of the fact that Christie Young is 'the sole cleaning staffer aboard Rivet City'. No wonder place is such a mess!

Errata: Aspiration should've been getting ready for her 'show' two episodes ago, but I forgot mention this (much less write the show itself up). It'd be distracting to add though, I'm trying to get Vicious done before Halloween/my birthday.

[Lopov]

two Stealth Boys (these devices, also classified as chems

This reminded me, how rare Stealth Boys in the original Fallout are. There maybe only like four or five of them except close to the end, where lots of Nightkins are around and you can always find one on their corpses. And in Fo2 there aren't any at all!

It's back to raider clothes again, Tan's visit to the Rivet City wasn't as long as she had probably planned but some people just weren't meant to be stationary for long.

There's a certain fast-paced feeling to this story, which isn't common for most other Tan's stories, but it's a nice change, in a way it the story should pace up a little, probably the following events won't be very relaxing for Tan.

As soon as I read Tepid sewers, I remembered that it's infested with mole rats. At least Tan didn't need to fight against raider rats.

[Acadian]

So Taneesha the cleaning lady kits up, transforms back into Miss Vicious and makes her way toward the dog pound in search of her prey. Thanks for reviewing what some of her gear does – Stealth Boyz, Pip Girlz, etc.

I chuckled as she now sees recyclables as cash. And also at Three Dog’s mention of the Lone Wanderer.

And Georgetown is just ahead.

[SubRosa]

The Dog Days of summer are over. That sounds Sirius...

I love the touch of the clacking of Tan's heels. Whenever I wear heels, I love the sound they make when I walk.

Like any superhero or villain, Tan has to carefully manage her transitions from one identity to the next.

I also loved the Jack Reacher reference. I know you liked those books.

Georgetown is full of super mutants. Silverlight would be horrified to learn what became of her old home.

Uh oh, Aspiration is prying, and clever enough to wonder what Taneesha might have been in a past life. I wonder if Aspiration might follow her? I guess not.

Some excitement at the repopulated mutant camp near the Jeff Memorial. Maybe some day Tan will consider a new life as a superhero of the wasteland, protecting travelers from monsters? If she can ever put her supervillain past behind her.

[Renee]

@Lopov: Stealth Boys are also rare in New Vegas. I'm glad they are not as rare in Fallout 3.

This is true about the story being "faster-paced". There's more movement for sure. I wanted to cover a lot of moments without going into as much detail. Like I said, that episode, as well as next week's episode, were/are told Kahreem-style. Whereas this week's episode is more scripted/pre-written/focused.

Pretty sure Tepid Sewers is where Moira Brown sends us to test her silly mole repellant stick. 🐀


@Acadian: Indeed, Tan can't help but get forced to return to her vicious past.

YES, I actually wrote those chem descriptions just for you! Or anyone else lurking out there who don't know much about the Fallout series. Lopov and Rosa already know what Rad-X and Stimpaks do.

Graci, signore. Have some cake.


@SubRosa_Florens: Took me awhile.. Sirius.. the dog star. But I got the joke eventually!

I can't do high heels, too many injuries to my toes & ankles when I was younger. 👡 Glad you enjoy them, though. Makes me smile.

A co-worker got my hooked on Reacher 10 years ago; I never saw it coming since I'm really not into action media. Reacher is the thinking man's action hero though, that's the part I like most.

I tried to make a Silverlight reference in that last chapter, but I think I got it wrong. Couldn't remember if she's the real estate agent, or if the heroine in California is, or if I'm just inventing a real estate agent in Stormcrow yet there wasn't one at all. My memory sucks. Wish I could buy more RAM for my head.

Aspiration might've gone with Vicious; I did consider if that would work. In the end it'd be too complicated, methinks. I want to get this story entirely told by Halloween/my birthday. 🎃

[Renee]

For this next story, Lopov is the one who made Dogmaster's face! We emailed back and forth, see. He did a really good job; guy looks ugly and (to me) scary as hell.



Episode 64: Diabolical Dog

Date: Monday, October 1st, 3:27 PM


Cheese Head has been awake for hours. Staring at a bank of blurry monitors, snorting an occasional blast, waiting for their target to approach one of the cameras which'd been placed inside the Metro tunnels leading to Georgetown. Finally, there she is.

"Got her," Cheese says into a Prewar walkie-talkie. "Just spotted the *female dog*, she's in Tepid Sewers. Over."

Though their walkie-talkie set is over two-hundred years old, Dogmaster's top assistant Cheese Head (so named, because he's originally from whatever's left of Wisconsin) had gotten the pair of ancient Radio Crack® devices working like new. He even figured how to reverse-engineer original 9-volt batteries to keep them powered. That's his job; making sure every device, gadget, and machine his boss owns actually works, as though just out of the box. Because even diabolical crime bosses like the Dog need to rely on specialists to keep their operations running smoothly.

"Perfect," Dogmaster booms in one of the rooms of his aboveground mansion. "Make sure them raiders on the ground leave her alone. Vicious is to be treated as a queen."

"Ten-four," says Cheese, rolling his eyes. "Over and out." It's not as though that last bit of information hadn't been drilled into their heads these past couple days. He gazes at the bank of monitors on the wall, as Miss Vicious leaves the sewers and climbs a set of stairs.

Now that the *runt* is finally here, he's eager for one thing: a four-hour nap. Hmm, make that ten.

She'd been assuming Georgetown is somewhere deep in the district, yet after just three hours of scuffling through Tepid Sewers, she's already arrived.

All this time, years in fact, she's had no idea where the Dog lives or operates. No one does. Certainly, no common raider within a ten-mile radius knows. Not even Slick Rick had a clue. Everyone's been assuming the Potomac raider boss stations himself in some remote location. Turns out he's right here, right in the middle of it all. Probably just a mile or two from Dukov's and Anchorage Memorial, according to what her Pip Boy's map is showing.

Dogmaster's hideout sits above A Cuppa Joe, a former coffee shop neighboring Cornucopia Fresh Groceries. Cornucopia was a nationwide chain of food markets, from D.C. to California, more upscale and trendy than Super Duper Mart. Like comparing Whole Foods in our reality to Safeway or Vons.

Vicious strides into Georgetown West, hoping she's in the right place. She notices a Vertibird (a helicopter) had been parked down the street, though. Only folks who've got a 'bird are militant factions, and those who can afford one. So it seems she's found the correct location.

She makes a left and then a right over crumbled pavement, suddenly aware she's being watched. By raiders, that is. Typical thugs wearing a typical mishmash of armor, but there's something different about them, too. Their eyes are wary rather than glassy. They seem know who she is, and why she's here.

"Where Dog at?" she asks. -- Their silent finger-pointing leads to A Cuppa Joe's door. -- "Here?" -- One of them nods. She opens the former cafe's door, which leads to the interior of a rotten rowhouse. A *craphole*, unbefitting a crime boss, it seems.

"Is this a joke?"

The concept of him living here seems ludicrous.

Two centuries ago, the abomination she's standing in now would've been a bright, impeccable coffee shop, perhaps rated 4 stars out of 5 by The Washington Boast and other local publications. ...A Cuppa Joe's Guatemalan Blonde Java is to DIE for...! Perhaps place was owned by a socialite Democrat who imported only the world's most exclusive beans, drove a Plexus to work, donated to public radio, vacationed in Nag's Head. Over the past couple centuries this splendid bistro then succumbed to rot and age, just like the rest of the Wasteland. Typical raider trash pit. Vicious'd been picturing the Dog's home as ... well... not this.

Somebody's here.

"Keep walking through," commands a man who materializes out of a wall. Dude's got a gun, its barrel pointed toward the floor. A second man walks in, a dreadlocked fellow wielding a sword.

"Up da staircase and t'rough da door," dread-man says. "Da Dog, he ee-ager to meet you." - Both men are wearing the same Prewar military-styled outfit Lamont Stamford wore. These guys are relegated, disciplined soldiers, not typical raider delinquents.

A pack of dogs rushes into the room, of course they do. Vicious counts four. The dogs emit a variety of growls and snarls, all of them ready to tear her legs to shreds. Just give us the word, master humans, is their canine consensus. "Woof!" "Arf!" they bark at the newcomer.

"Chill, Screaming Hunter!" the first man commands. "You too, Natra."

"Don't worry 'bout dem, Veecious," dreadlocks suggests. "Dey won't hurt at yoo. Not 'less we say so," he chuckles. "So... donn make us say so."

Vicious takes their advice, keeping her Tazer in hand. Everyone's got their weapons out, 'cause this is how such things are done in the Capital Wasteland. Nobody wants to be the one to shoot last.

At first, at the top of the stairs, Vicious sees nothing. Nowhere to go, except into another room on her right. But then she notices a button sticking out the peeling wallpaper. Pushes it left-handed while aiming the stunner with her right.

...Dogmaster, your days are done... she's ready to zap that *clucker*!

The door slides open, she barges in....

...and is faced with another surprise. The environment she finds herself within now (which IS an environment... that's the first word which comes to mind) completely contrasts the rowhouse below. Pleasant and stylish, even elegant. It takes a moment to discern the word she's really grasping for though: luxurious. Not a term ever used while referring to Capital Wasteland domiciles.

Bars of track lighting hang from the ceilings, the smell of (flowers?) permeate the air, along with a hint of sanitizers.

Dag, look at this place, it's actually clean!

Indeed it is. Rivet City's newest custodian, Taneesha Jones, by now knows all about cleaning products! Can recognize the scent of Abraxo and Zorox when she when she sniffs them. The mansion's floor is polished. Its walls could use some paint, but are otherwise pristine. No rubble on the ground, no unidentifiable stains, no half-decayed corpses; she's now in a place of refinement.

But no one is here, it seems. -- Where you at? -- No Dog, and no Dog cronies. So she walks around a bit. And the surprises continue.

Art hangs from the walls. Zip hop music thumps softly from what she determines to be a sophisticated Prewar stereo system. Plants and flowers soak sun under a skylight in a central room, along with a small, manicured tree. Another word from her school days begins to trigger at this scene, and after a moment the word comes: ambiance. Place has ambiance! The home of a diplomat, rather than a doper. Exactly the opposite of what all other Wasteland homes are going for, which is mostly apathy.

Her entry into this virtual palace causes her guard to drop. So she doesn't hear the Dog until he's nearly beside her.

"You made it," he says. "Charmed to meet you, Vicious."

A tall man wearing a silly yellow outfit sweeps into the lobby, Prewar loafers whispering on the floor. In dog terms his face is a cross between a mastiff and a bulldog; scarred and mean; the face of a man who's had to fight to get to the top! - He's got a military haircut and looks like a prick.

Yet in his left hand is a fluted wineglass which contains something reddish, and smells sour. Vicious aims for center mass.

"You leave my family alone. Ya hear, dumb*donkey*? They got nothing to do with nothing!"

"Ah, come now," the man says, taking a sip from his glass. "Already, we are off on the wrong foot? Let us properly exchange greetings first, eh?"

"*Tuck* you... and *tuck* your *darn* greetings, you *plucking* *dirtbag*."

"I understand. You are upset, I get it. But let's start over first, okay? I'm the Dogmaster," he states, winking cheekily. "Just so you don't fry the wrong man with your gun. Err, is that a toy gun?"

Vicious says nothing while the Dog remains calm. Despite having somewhere north of 100,000 volts pointed his way, Dogmaster is jaded like Vicious: he doesn't flinch.

"Go ahead and kill me, Vicious, a'ight? But you do that, and guess what happens to your family up north? Actually, don't guess. If I die, others meaner than me shall take my place. Your worst imagination can't conjure the possibilities."

He smiles smugly, knowing that potential argument's been eliminated.

"Pinot noir?" he asks, tilting his glass forward a bit. A servant comes rushing into the room. Pours a glass just for her. "This is a Virginia wine, from the Year 2018," Dogmaster informs. "Its grapes were harvested late October, according to its vintner documentation. The east coast had a late summer that year which lacked rainfall, even deep into autumn." He takes a sip while his minion offers a glass for Vicious. "Everyone said droughts were bad for wines back in those days. But I prefer the tanginess of dry years."

"You shut the *heck* up," Vicious warns. "And take that *dung* away from me."

"Do as she says," the Dog orders, causing the servant to bustle away. "So what would you like? Some smoke? Toot? Got a whole network of sailors shipping coca leaves up from South America these days."

"I don't drink no more. No smoke, no toot. Chems are for losers."

"Really?" Dogmaster's ears raise a fraction somehow, independently from his skull. Just like an actual dog. "See, knew something was different 'bout you," he says, grinning like wolf. Like he's proud. "So that's why you got the job done, twice in a row, where others under my employ have failed."

Vicious continues to aim her Tazer while Dogmaster continues to ignore it.

"So, I'll get to the point. A simple mission, to eliminate a couple *mothertruckers* who've defected my organization, stealing what is MINE and not paying." -- A transformation takes place as he says this. His face tightens. The faux-cultured persona portrayed a moment ago gets replaced by a mean scrapyard mutt. No other way to put it. This is the man who'd fought his way to the top, no doubt.

"...But you'll be paid," he promises. "Quite handsomely, you take them down."

"Yeah whatever. Bottlecaps ain't important to me."

"Bottlecaps?" Dogmaster chuckles. "Who said you'll be paid bottlecaps?"

"Lamont Stamford did. Said I could buy Rivet City, I'd be so *darn* rich."

"Lamont said you'd be paid in bottlecaps?" Dogmaster laughs again. "That... big... dummy."

"What he told me," Vicious answers, only slightly aware she's just slipped into negotiations, curious about the money. Who wouldn't be? "What's wrong, you reneging your offer?"

"No, Vicious. I need you. All these other *flopholes* can't get the job done, see? ... But I don't deal in bottlecaps. You'll be paid Prewar bills should you succeed, not caps."

"Prewar bills?"

"Mm hmm," the wineglass goes down. "Treasury Building, okay? Was once the adminstrative center of all America's currency. And it's located on 1500 Pennsylvania Avenue, just twenty-two blocks away. For a long time, no one was able to break into its underground vaults, not even with missiles or bombs. I was the one who got in first. Me and my team, I should clarify. And guess what's inside?"

Vicious has an idea...but says nothing.

"More money than you, or I, could ever imagine. All of it from before Great War. So much money, I got *truckers* in there still totaling it with money counter machines, months afterward. I am well into the trillions with wealth, ya dig?"

Trillions? Well... sure. America was once one of the world's wealthiest nations after all.

"Just name your price," he tempts. "A thousand? Ten thousand? Hundred thousand?"

"A hundred thousand?" Vicious tries not to gasp. Her stun gun finally lowers. "Prewar bills?"

"Well, hmm. Don't wanna pay you THAT much," the Dog decides, "not for one job. You might decide to disappear forever! Buy yourself a Vertibird like mine, fly off into the sunset. But let's say... ten thousand, for sure."

Vicious tries not to blink. Ten-thousand. Prewar bills. "You joshin' me."

"You think? Well here's a bit of incentive to satisfy your reluctance."

With this, Dog pulls something thick out of a jacket pocket, throwing it on a nearby table. Thunk!

"That is for you."

Vicious can't help but look. Sure enough it's a stack of money, with one of those official U.S. currency bands wrapped around it, like she'd seen in an old comic book. $1000, the band promises.

"Legal tender, is how the Treasury Department once referred to paper money. Useless on its own, but it was supposed to represent our nation's actual wealth in Fort Knox. Nine-thousand more to come, you get the job done."

Taneesha "Miss Vicious" Jones, like most other humans who might find themselves in this situation, can't help but tally some numbers. It's the same mentality she'd used while counting recyclables on the way here, except magnified into the thousands. "Alright. You want me to take out some losers, I'll do it. But you leave my family alone."

"Hey. I don't want to harm them," the Dog assures, palms out. "They better off alive in the long run. I want to see our populations grow, matter of fact. Make America great again, ya hear?"

"Whaaat? Why?"

"Because five, ten years from now, my plan's to start collecting taxes from the entire DelMarVa region, once I get enough soldiers out there. More people means more money. And that includes your Jehovah Temple clan."

Miss Vicious stifles a laugh. As a religious entity, the Jehovah's Witnesses were exempt from taxation, way back.

Dogmaster produces an object from his pocket which turns out to be a Prewar pen. Another servant rushes in with a sheet of paper. Vicious finds herself signing a contract. A digital version of said contract is then downloaded to her Pip Boy.

And this is how her first mission to assist the Dogmaster begins.


------------------------

Dogmaster's Coffee Shop Hideout

The Dog hides his diabolic side behind a veneer of 'culture'.

You shut the hell up... (Bad Language Warning!)

Bottlecaps?

----------------------------------------


Notes: Cheese Head is Dogmaster's left-hand man, mentioned in one of the early episodes. He's tasked with making sure all the technical stuff (ham radios, for instance) runs properly.

This post has been edited by Renee: Yesterday, 08:00 AM

[macole]

I wouldn’t say Dogmaster is ugly, but he certainly has the look of someone who you wouldn’t want to cross. Lopov did a real good job making the face.
Real folding money, Miss Vicious doesn’t know what to do with it.

[Acadian]

I really enjoyed Vicious’ observations during her trip to see the Dog – particularly once she got to that coffee shop.

The Dog’s got himself quite the doghouse, once she gets through the unassuming front door and coffee shop ‘foyer’.

Blackmail plus a ton of cash manages to coax Vicious into working for the Dog as a highly paid assassin. What could go wrong?