Brian walked through the bar. Their employers were supposed to be here. Richard Wright, the Vault City Ambassador, Collin, and the Agent of NCR, Sarah. The bar was empty, except for him and the others. The floor was littered with broken glass and stained with blood. The walls had pre-war posters of Uncle Sam and pre-war bonds. The rusty-metal building that was supposed to be a bar was barely standing. The booths were empty, the taps were shut off, the kegs were empty.

The door opened to reveal Richard Wright. He wore a blue, pin-stripe suit and had graying hair. He wore horn-rimmed glasses and his eyes had deep bags and dark circles. Following was a man with blonde hair which was greasy. The man had short-hair and was tall. He wore a suit of combat armor and carried an assault rifle. Quickly following was a tall man with fiery-red hair and a gray suit. The tall-man had a lit-cigarette in his mouth and a ring on his finger. Finally a woman in a scarlet dress and high-heels came in. She had dark-hair and looked to be in her early thirties.

"Greetings, gentlemen," Richard said. "The Wright Family has come to offer five-thousand nuka-cola bottle caps to the each of you should you eliminate these pesky ghouls."

"Hello," Sarah said. "NCR is offering a reward of ten-thousand nuka-cola caps each to the each of you, if you succeed."

"Collin, Collin McCloud," Collin said. "Vault City is here to offer you each citizenship and the leader of your expedition the title of First Citizen."

"I'm the leader of this band of rag-tag smooth-skins," Brian butted in. "Yes, I'm a ghoul, Smoothskin."

"You do know Vault City is less bigoted than it was before?" Collin asked. "After Lynette died due to an assassination, we gave up those ways."

"I see," Brian sighed. "Listen, smoothskin, you better not cheat me or these smoothskins."

"We assure, we won't," Richard assured. "Don't worry..."

David Williams


"[censored] I'm tired." I took another swig of whiskey, then another swing of beer, then threw both empty bottles on the already filthy ground, which was so dry the beer bottle cracked open.

I swear, it never rains around this [censored]hole.

I looked at an old rusted up bar. Seemed as if the architect was due for a check-up because the pace looked like [censored]. Flies were buzzing about the interior, the lights were hanging from the roof, it even seemed too have a hole around the back that he could see from the entrance.

Meh, this is the wasteland. At least this building has walls.

Not far from the entrance was a group of humans, including a Ghoul. I could tell by the fact that everybody else was facing him that he must've been one of those...defensive types. The type of ghoul that has a personal vendetta on any and everyone who's skin is in the right places. I walked in, and plopped my tired ass on the closest stool. Then, I realized there weren't any bartenders.

Ahhh come on! Gimme a got damn break.

"Greetings, gentlemen. The Wright Family has come to offer five-thousand nuka-cola bottle caps to the each of you should you eliminate these pesky ghouls."

A meeting? Ghoul's killing ghoul's? This don't sound like a human hater to me anymore.

I leaned in, money always interests me.

This hardass looking girl offered ten-thousand. Holy hell now you're talking. This sounds to me like a fishbowl, like they're looking for a merc to hire. I stood up, decision made that I would take that money. I walked up to the group of men, and the gal.

"Whatever the hell you guy's are offering is enough to count me in. Just so long as the zombie here doesn't try to attack me."

He meant it as a joke, but he honestly didn't care how the ghoul received it. He was in it for the money not the friends.

OOC: So will we work together? She said 10,000 for each, as if you weren't the only one in a team. You don't ave a team yet...do you?

Christin was leaning againts the wall across the room and was obsevering the conversation between the ghoul and her employers. She didn't really like to take orders and the fact the so called leader was a ghoul made things worst. Most of her thoughts about him was how she can screw him up after they get payed and take his caps.

The ghoul proclaimed himself as the leader of the group after the employers finished taking. Christin overheard that, frowned and looked away while mumbling to herself:

"Leader of this band of rag-tag group of smoothskins, my ass..."

She really didn't feel the need to have a talk with him, nor the employers. She knew what the reward was and what they had to do and didn't care about the little details around the mission.

She suddenly heard the word "zombie" and quickly looked back at the crowd near the door with a big grin on her face. To her it looked like someone else shared her idea of taking the zombie's share after all this ended. Christin gave out a long sigh and stood up. She walked to the crowd and looked at the Vault City representer.

"A citizenship you say? Even for me?"

Christin rose her head making sure the guy clearly saw the permanent slaver tattoo that was stretching across her face and with a grin continued talking:

"To be honest I don't care about the Vault citizenship... I'm here for the caps, plain and simple."

The gal then looked at the rotting corpse that was next to her.

"Just to make things clear - I don't trust you and I don't care if it's mutual, alright?"

"Zombie?" Brian barked. "Listen smoothskin, I was alive before your great, great, great grandparents. I'm one of the pre-war ghouls. Yes, I survived the bombs. Watch your tongue, or I'll cut it out. Call me Zombie one more time and you won't live to regret it. I always keep my word.

Richard nervously stated, "Relax people, we hired all of you to work together. Mr. Brian just seems to be the most experienced. You're a team, just because the ghoul is the leader is no reason to fight. And can we keep the racial slurs to a minimum."

Brian looked at Christen and growled, "Listen, slaver-wench. My 'son' died in a battle with slavers. And just so you know, I don't care if you trust me or not. I could hack into NCR's computer files and put a bounty on your head for one-hundred thousand caps paid by President Samuel. Every thug in the wastes would hunt you down. Now shut the fu--."

Collin slammed his fist on the table, "Shut up, the lot of you. Memor's ghouls grow stronger every day. Do you want them to take over the wastes or do you want to survive?"

The Ghoul glanced over, the scottsman was mad. He seems to have a clue that these maggots are lacking. Hopefully he keeps his temper, I once knew a man named Sam Moriarty, Father of Collin Moriarty. When he drank, people ran.

Collin sighed, "Listen lads and lasses, we may not like it, but we have to fight these Memor-Ghouls. I don't care if you're here for caps or citizenship or if you just have a good spirit, we need to work together, all right?"

"Collin, you're a smart man," Brian said as he put his hand out to shake.

Collin shaked it and Brian left the room. He grabbed a pack of cigarettes off the table that belonged to him. He was outside sitting and looking at the picture of his family before the 'nukes'. He lit a cigarette and put it in his mouth. I need to relax before I hurt these smoothskins. The picture showed him in a suit, with his younger sister in a blue, spring dress and his father in a suit as well, while his mother wore a yellow, spring dress. He put it back in his wallet and wiped a tear from his eye. I miss Samantha and Dad and Mom. I remember my last talk with my Dad. We argued about me joining the military, I wanted to, he didn't want me to.

He went back in and growled, "Now then, can we get to business?"

David Williams

Oh [censored], looks like someone's got issues.

I felt the right thing to do was to apologize, but like a said earlier, I don't care. Now that slaver on the other hand, if Super Mutants strolled into this shack and dragged her out by her neck, I wouldn't budge. Pulling jokes at a half-copse was one ting, but slavery was worse than wrong. That's demonic. It was entertaining enough to see her get put in her place. I was busy enjoying the scenery when a loud thud snapped me out of my enjoyment. A grizzled man was gettin' in his two cents in about the situation.

Yea, yea just tell me where to shoot, save the monologues for pre-apocalypse.

Then the zombie guy, Mr. Brian they called him, walked out and then slowed as he pulled out a picture.

He must've had a family, like a thousand years ago. Yeah, I remember when I used to carry a photo of me and my parents. Sold it to a freak in some church up North. After all, a good heart doesn't fill your stomach.

He stuffed it back into hiss armor and approached us again, "Now then, can we get to business?"

"Damn strait we can...zombie."

Being an a**hole never gets old.

Oscar saw the raiders get shot one by one by the group of settlers. They were surprisingly
well armed for simple wanderers. He decided to follow them and found a small settlement which explained the weapons because it seemed to be based inside a pre-war fort. He entered and was welcomed due to the fact that he was armed and had not shot anyone yet which was always a good sign in these small settlements in the wastes. Oscar needed to find somewhere to sleep for the wastes had made him tired. There was always the chance that he would meet one of the Vault city people trying to get help with the Memor ghouls and his way back home.
" I am offering full citizenship to anyone willing to join a group of Mercenaries to fightthese ghouls." a fat man said, desperate for volunteers. Getting the job wold be too easy.
" Hello sir I am Oscar Malone and I am interested in your proposition."
The man looked physically relieved to have someone take him up on the offer. This town looked like it saw the rest of the world as nothing more than a source of food and supplies.
" Before I sign on to this what exactly am I doing and where do I point my gun?"
The man was quick to answer my questions and it wasnt hard to gather that he wanted me to help eradicate the Ghouls of Memor whose story was well known. Reminiscing of home he decided to do the job. Life would be normal again back in Vault City.

OOC: No, just no. Sorry, but you haven't followed anything at all. None of the characters are fat. Your grammar is bottom of the barrel. There were no raiders. This is a bar. I'm sorry, but your character can't join.

Brian ripped out his trench-knife and hissed, "Listen, I don't want to hurt you. I would've gladly died a couple hundred years ago in Vault 13. Guess, what, I didn't make it there in time." He shoved the trench-knife back in its sheathe.

"This isn't important," Brian sighed. "Let's just head out and get in my highwaymen, yes I have one of those old hunks of junk. It was a gift from President Tandi when I hacked into the Mariposa Military Base main-frame and set all the turrets to 'disabled'."

The ghoul walked out and noticed his car was gone. He slammed the door as he came back in. "Bloody hell, my car is gone," Brian screamed.

McCloud put a hand on Brian's shoulder, "Listen, it's okay."

"Your car is gone?" The NCR agent asked. "Strange, listen, my employer has authorized me to give you these. She opened up a large crate and pulled out four Wattz 2000 Laser Rifles and handed one to Brian, one to the slaver, one to David, and held one herself. Now then, the president of NCR has armed you with weapons would you kindly get going."

"Only if they do," Brian grumbled. "I look after these are my wards."

((accidental double post))

((OOC: I thought you told me to go to some random bar in the wastes and not join you until later, so I was under the impression that I was not anywhere near you))

OOC: I meant join us during your first post, but still your grammar still stands. Sorry.

Christin grinned when the ghoul answered her back. Seems like he had more guts then she thought at first. A one-hundred thousand caps reward for her head was something she didn't want to get so she had to play along with the ghoul, for now.

When the 'zombie' left the building to have a smoke she used the time to think over the situation again. It was clear no-one would have made any friends since everyone had a different past and views on things. She prefered to show the fact she's a slaver before they started shooting down the horde of corpses since that way people knew what to expect and there weren't going to be that much surprises. But that also won her the hate of the group, atleast that's what she thought.

Her lips were dry again, but that was the wasteland - always hot and barely raining. Christin took her plastic bottle that was attached to the back of her belt and opened the cap. The water was muddy, it was gathered from somewhere in the wastes. The slaver chick took a sip and frowned from the taste, but she knew that was the best she had at hand and it sure was better then dehydration.

The fact the black guy cracked another "zombie" when the ghoul got back made her smile again. Christin enjoyed seeing the ghoul angry again. So many bigot jokes came to her mind at that time, but it was better if she kept them for later, when the corpse would have made her angry again.

When they walked out of the bar the ghoul realised his ride was missing and raged once more. Christin was barely able to hold her laughter. He got what he deserved for playing a badass. But then again, the whole "crew" was screwed since they all could've enjoyed using a highwayman instead of walking miles and miles.

Then after he finaly calmed down the NCR lady handed them over laser rifles. The new gun really surprised Christin. She never saw a laser rifle, not in this condition. It look amazing to her, but it was still useless in her hands, unlike some other toys she brought with her.

"Nice rifle you got there... I wonder how much caps can I get from it on the market after all this is done?"

Even if it was useless to her, she decided not to throw it away right away, after all it really was worth much on the market. She started tinkering around with it with the hope of not blowing herself or anyone around her. Then something striked her mind:

"Hey, if you have such nice high quality rifles... Do you by some chance have any grenades with a bigger kick?"

Christin was referring to the plasma grenades, something people didn't see often in the wastes.

OOC: ROFLMAO at least give 'oscar' a chance. just tell him what he needs to change (obviously alot).

OOC: ROFLMAO at least give 'oscar' a chance. just tell him what he needs to change (obviously alot). Give him another chance, I've how good his other forums posts are.

DAVID WILLIAMS

Sweet, new weapons.

I actually don't really care for anything that doesn't shoot lead, but this would do. After all, I have used a Laser Rifle before, until I ran outta bullets. I took it and holstered it, ready to do my medical rounds. First, I gave 2 stimps/RadAways to Brian.

"Don't want you getting yourself killed out there, we need you to scare the Super Mutants off."

Grinning I put them on the remains of a nearby charred car and walked over to the NCR chick.

"Thanks for the new toy." I said as I handed her her dose.

Next was the slaver, I honestly could care less if she made it out so I saved the res for myself. For simpacks and radways, ten med-x's and rad-x's. I looked at the slaver, with a facefull of deliberation, and walked out for the last time. Then I looked at my new skinless leader and said,

"Where to Brian?"

Brian glanced as he grabbed them David, "Memor. It's east of here. Yes, I know where it is, I used to live there." His tone dripped with anger. Brian firmly gripped the laser-rifle. This wasn't like the AEP9 Laser Rifle, this had a long barrel, a scope, and shots could cut you in half if aimed well enough. I remember when Dad had a rifle like this, Ol' Reliable...

The slaver, I have a feeling I'm going to have to kill her within the month and considering it's the eighteenth of December. The NCR woman also pulled out three pip-boy 2000's. "You'll be able to replay videos and archive your duties," she smiled as she handed one to each of us. Brian put it on.

This is a pip-boy 2000? Vault-Tec sure dropped the ball on this one, I can do all this with a pen and paper. Jeez, I do miss my job at Vault-Tec as a computer repairman. He clicked the button that said status and on the screen appeared the Vault Boy. It showed 100% on every limb. He also clicked the map button to reveal he was in a rectangular-room. Hmm, could be useful.

"Since my highwaymen is gone, we'll have to walk. Any of you smoothskins have a problem?" The Ghoul asked. "And Doc, I still do have connections in both the Underworld and Necropolis. It would be--wise for you to keep your tongue in check."

I may threaten the little punk, but he won't call my bluff. I prefer not to kill, but I'll do it if he strikes me first. And perhaps knock a few of his teeth out if he makes another bigot joke. And as for the Slaver-Wench, if she even thinks about another bigot joke, I'll blast her in the arm.

The ghoul lit another cigarette and blew it in Christen's face. "Oh excuse me," he sarcastically said. "I forgot that you smoothskins that treat other smoothskins and 'zombies' like animals deserved respect." He took another drag of the cigarette and rubbed it on a bar-table.

"Are we ready to get to business, or are we going to continue this little party?" Brian asked rhetorically.

Christin realised she was the only one not getting any supplies from the group. It seemed like the "medic" hated slavers more then ghouls.

Then she got a pip-boy from the NCR lady. That could've made a nice souvenir for her after all this ended, or another thing that could've been sold for caps. Since she was left handed and needed her left hand to be free so she can throw her knives more accurately she had to put it on her right hand. At first it was a bit wierd to her, all that metal pulling her hand down but soon she got used to it.

She turned around the rifle, and leaned it on herself with the stock on the ground and the barrel pointing at the sky. After that she started playing around with the pip-boy. All this shiny technology was new to her. There were all kind of things the huge wristwatch showed - date and time, health and all kinds of other data.

Suddenly she felt the smoke in her face and coughed from it. Christin saw the ghoul's grin and frowned. After getting the smoke away the slaver picked up her rifle. Even if she had no training with it, she knew how to use it and carelessly pointed it near the ghoul's body.

"Eh... This rifle is so nice!" she said almost childishly and pulled the trigger of the rifle on purpose.

The laser beam passed near the zombie's body, nearly hitting him and close enough to scare him. Christin grinned and tried to hide her giggling.

"Ops... My bad... You know I should really give this rifle back, before someone gets hurt." she said while looking at Brian.

The slaver then tried to hand over the rifle back to the NCR lady. There was no point for her to carry the rifle across the wastes if it wasn't of much use to her. Christin was studborn to use her own arsenal of weapons - after all as good as the rifle was... it was never close to the punch the grenades offered.

-----------------------------
OOC: My bad... Anyway I changed it.

OOC: Pip-Boy 2000 doesn't have Geiger Counter

OOC: Helpful tip to RPers, specifically you, Bloodlike. When writing sentences and words, stop and think: what would the average book writer say in this situation? Then do something else. example:

I was pretty hurt form the crash, but I knew I would be fine in a while.

After stopping and thinking it could be:

That crashed banged me up pretty badly, but at least I'm not dead.It'll probably heal soon.

DAVID WILLIAMS

The new Pip-Boy fit like a glove, or watch in this matter. I checked it out, on the main screen was basic health stats. I flipped a couple screens and came upon rads, health, addiction, even what was in my inventory (although how it did that escaped me).

This looks like something a medic/technician like me could play with.

I looked out east, to where this Memor place was. Maybe this things got a map too, and to my surprise, it had a map and a compass. This was now my favorite toy. Then I heard a pheewn sound. It sounded like a laser. Looking over at the small group, the slaver shot out at the zombie. I allowed the impulse to seize the moment take over me.

"Stop shootin' at that damn zombie, before we got another apocalypse on our hands."

I burst out laughing. It took me a couple seconds to stop and realize everyone was hating on the ghoul. I felt I should even the odds with another joke.

"Hey slaver girl, how come you can aim a rifle at yourself, but can't aim at nothing else?"

I took a quick grab at my own package to make sure she got my meaning. Yeah today would be fun. I started walking east, still playing with my Pip-Boy. Hmm, I wondered, this thing could use a Geiger Counter...

OOC: Pip-Boy 2000, not 3000... No Geiger Counter, but you can install one, and you can get a motion sensor. Also it doesn't tell you what's in your inventory That's 3000, look up 2000 on Fallout Wiki: The Vault.

IC: Brain sighed, "Bloody smoothskinned bigots, because I look like a corpse I deserve to be treated like sh--."

Once again Collin interrupted, "Brian's right, if you're going to work together, then show each other some respect."

Brian looked at the pip-boy. High-tech, I heard Vault 13 has some of these. The ghoul muttered under his breath. The ghoul rustled his fingers through his hair. Smoothskins, when I met Wesley, he treated me with respect. Good man, Wesley. Bloody Vault Dweller had to kill him. The ghoul's eyes wettened, but he wiped it away.

Collin seems to be a good smoothskin as well. Jeez, maybe I shouldn't of left Necropolis, I heard some mutants attacked, but... At least Set and me were friends.

Brian opened the door, it was obvious his feelings were hurt. He was a ghoul, but he had feelings. I need to get away from them, before I do something I regret like back at Shady Sands before it was NCR.

He took out the picture. Brian missed them so much, ever since the bombs dropped he had been alone. His friend, Wesley was dead. His car was gone. His dog was dead due to a raider-punk. His 'son' was dead to a slaver. He was alone. Completely and utterly alone. I've got to protect these smoothskins, they're too young and stupid to know any better. I guess in essence they're my wards. Even the slaver-wench doesn't know how many lives she has broken, I can't hold that against her if I don't try to redeem her.

OOC: Is this dead or?

Lucien Gray

2 hours ago...

Lucien was crouched about 50 yards from the bar near a cluster of rocks, eyes trained on the bar waiting for a group of representatives to show up to plot against the ghoul threat. Thirty minutes passed but no one had shown up, ready to give up Lucien turned to leave but in the corner of his eye he watched as a lone figure approached the bar and went inside. Not to long after this a second individual appeared and entered the bar as well.

This happened twice more which eased Lucien's thoughts of the Ghouls of Memor laying a trap. As he picked himself up from his position of cover he wondered as to the low turn out. He assumed that most people were still unaware to the threat the Ghouls of Memor posed. Shaking his head as he walked his duster blew slightly in the breeze. Upon reaching the bar he noticed someone standing outside which he hadn't seen upon his approach. He looked the figure over and immediately noticed it was a ghoul, Lucien sprung into action unholstering his 10mm and training on the unaware ghouls head.

"Alright Memor ghoul I want you to drop your weapons and slowly walk over here!!", Lucien hollered. As his mind raced Lucien realized he should have been more prepared for an ambush and wondered how many ghouls lay in wait inside.

Brian gazed at the Smoothskin. "Relax, Smoothskin," Brian said. "I'm a friendly." His voice was suspicious, but not hostile. He stood up slowly. Memor has been causing a lot of problems. I swear I'm going to break the mayor's fingers when I find him. The with insane speed, the ghoul rushed back into the building.

"A bloody smoothskin wants me dead out there," Brian stated. "Can I get some help?"

Collin grabbed the laser-rifle from Sarah and exitted.

Joy, my only friend going off to die for me...

Lucien Gray

Lucien kept his trigger finger ready in case the ghoul pulled anything, his enemy then spoke out, "Relax, Smoothskin,I'm a friendly." The ghoul then tore off into the bar with speed he thought impossible for a ghoul. Lucien took two quick shots which both missed, cursing under his breath he prepared to breach the perimeter.

He then heard the ghoul shout out, "A bloody smoothskin wants me dead out there, can I get some help?" The door burst open and an imposing figure with a laser rifle stepped out. Noticing that this person wasn't a ghoul Lucien realized his error. Not wanting to cause further misunderstanding and a possible shootout Lucien dropped his weapon.

Looking up at the man he said, "Sorry, my mistake I thought this was a Memor ghoul ambush, I apologize for my haste now can you please lower that weapon?"

Brian quickly followed Collin with his Wattz 2000 Laser Rifle aimed at the smoothskin who tried to shoot him. "You thought I was a Memor?" Brian asked. "I said I was a friendly, but most of those Memors are lying, thieving cheaters. Come in here, if you try to hurt any of us, I'll put a laser-burn right between your eyes. And this isn't an AER9 Laser Rifle, kid. This thing will kill you faster than you say 'What?'"

Collin barked with his deep scottish accent, "Get in, punk."

Brian kept his aim steady on the smoothskin. Can't blame the smoothskin, far too many Memors out here. Collin went in, followed by Brian...

Smoothskins... I hope he doesn't try anything, I don't like to kill people...

OOC: Can we leave New Reno now? And what is Collin telling the guy to get into. I thought your highwayman was stolen?

DAVID WILLIAMS

I decided I wanted to meet the idiot who tried to shot at a ghoul. "Yo fella, you see that zombie there?"

I pointed over to Brian, knowing I'd get his attention.

"Shoot at him again and I'll stick this stimpack so far up your ass you'll bleed medicine. That guy is the leader of this here team and I don't want you taking him out. Are we clear?"

I walked off, all badass, stopping to bow my head to Brian. Even a wasteland vet like me could feel sorry for someone. I walked over to where he was.

"If it makes your crusty heart feel any better, I won't call you zombie anymore. Now can we get the [censored] outta here?"

I offered my hand in respect, I had a feeling he'd shake it.