FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

"What ya say Jake?" Marcus the wasteland merchant asked to his favorite customer and friend, a human cat hybrid named Jake who was busy looking over a number of broken laser rifles. "Meh..." Jake huffed as he picked up and moved aside one of the broken weapons to exam the ones under it. "Shit..." Jake muttered to himself as he thought hard on the asking price and then raising his hand to his mouth he took a long hard drag on his cigaret.

The weapons were in surprisingly good condition compared to what you would find out in the wasteland and in the runes. Most the damage appeared to be cosmetic, which could easily be fixed, however if the gain medium or crystal arrays were damaged, it would be impossible. Some of the weapons needed a new MF Cell mount, child's play to fix, however despite all that...five hundred caps was an outrageous asking price for junk!

"Well?" Marcus asked again, knowing he had the cat by his tail from the way he sucked hard on his cigaret. Jake drew his ears back, twitched his tail angrily and let the smoke he flow through his raised lips and exposed teeth. "I think I'm being fucked without so much as a kiss Marcus!" Jake jokingly snarled, hinting he found the price unreasonable but he had no choice.

"Fuck!" Jake said with a snarled and tossed a bag full of bottle caps to Marcus. "Sold! However I hope you know that due to the sudden influx of inflation, the price on my moonshine has just now gone up another hundred caps!"

Marcus's expression suddenly changed from happy to worried upon hearing that. "Oh come on Jake!" Marcus said and pointed out, "Do you know how fucking hard it is to come by these what with the brotherhood camping out all over the place?" Jake just shrugged and said, "Sorry mate, but if I'm going to be meeting your prices I'm going to have to rise the price on shine!"

Jake was one of the few moonshine brewers out in the capital wasteland who was able to produce a none radioactive, sweet and surprisingly strong moonshine. Marcus didn't know how Jake made it other then it was produced from punga fruit, yeast and a specially made distillery he had hidden in an undisclosed area. Once Marcus tastes Jakes moonshine he craved nothing else, however Jake wanted better then a weeks trade in earning for just one jug. Suffice to say Marcus was powerless to resist and the damn cat knew it!

Marcus eyed Jake dangerously and Jake eyed him back but with a feline smirk. Marcus then broke composure, smiled and shook his head. "Alright you flea bitten son of ah'bitch!" Marcus said as he opened the bag, counted out two hundred caps, pocketed them and tossed the rest back to Jake. "Two hundred it is then!" He then spit in his hand, offered it to Jake who did the same and they shook to seal the deal.

"Pleasure doing business with ya!" Jake said with a snide tone to which Marcus replied, "Yah fuck you too cat!" They both laughed and took a moment to catch up on their friendship.

"Wanna suck on a fag Marc?" Jake asked as he offered Marcus some of his homegrown tobacco cigarets. "Pfffsss!" Marcus hissed as he took the two Jake offered him. "You are a fag Jake!" Marcus joked and Jake chuckled, "Yah but at least I'm on top baby!" Marcus then gave Jake a playful hard punch in the shoulder and lite his cigaret.

"So what you need the tech for Jake?" Marcus asked and took in a deep breath of smoke from his cigaret. Jake also took a puff from his cigaret and as he exhaled he replied, "Energy weapons have always been my thing and specialty Marc." Jake took another puff and continued, "With the brotherhood locking down on all technology trade, there's a major supply and demand in the underground market...I'm hoping to cash in on it soon as I have these pieces of shit up and running!" Jake pointed to the crate of broken laser rifles.

"Hmmmmm..." Marcus said as he curled back his lips, shook his head, exhaled and said "The underground don't make deals with freaks or ghouls you know! Bunch of fucking bigots they are!" Jake said nothing for a moment and replied, "I found a contact whose willing to act as a representative for me with the underground. He's a jet addict, but at least he's loyal to the hand that feeds his addiction and knows a few high paying gun runners."

Marcus chuckled, "You sure you can trust this waste of skin?" Jake chuckled also and said, "No but if he tries to fuck me, I'm gonna cure his jet addiction for good!" Jake looked over at Marcus and said, "Funny thing about jet..." Jake had Marcus full attention, "It's very similar to ether and hard to tell the difference, that is until your lungs shutdown and you suffocate!" Jake winked, suggesting he knew how to setup a jet inhaler with a lethal amount of ether.

Marcus smiled, shook his head and said before taking one last drag on his cigaret, "Remind me never to buy any chems from you!" Jake laughed, reached over and patted his friend on the shoulder. "Oh you know I'd sell ya the pure stuff and not this drain cleaner cut shit dealers are trying to push to save a few caps!" Marcus had to admit the cat was right.

Jake is a tight ass when it comes to buying and selling, but he was very honest unlike many others. This was the main reason Marcus always did business with him, there friendship on that other hand...that was a different story!

***

About five years ago Marcus was just an amateur wasteland merchant. Buying up and selling whatever he could scrounge up from the capital wasteland and with other merchants. He had heard rumors about the terrifying man cat that prowled the wasteland just northeast of Megaton, however he didn't believe the tales and shrugged them off as chem addicts delusions.

One day Marcus was ambushed by a small band of raiders who were juiced up on psycho and looking to kill someone just for sport. Fortunately for Marcus the infamous man cat was in the area hunting the raiders and dispatched them easily with his trademark custom modified laser rifle. "What's the matter boy?" Was the first thing Jake said to him after he appeared from hiding in the shadows and stepped through the hot ashes, which was all that reminded of the attacking raiders. "Cat got your tongue?" Was the second thing said and to Marcus's embarrassment...Marcus fainted.

Jake took Marcus back to his dwelling, an old abandoned fallout shelter with its entrance hidden underneath an old camper trailer. The two spent some time together, Marcus had been tortured almost to death by the raiders and needed time and close observation to heal properly. Jake on the other hand just wanted company and someone to talk to besides himself.

Jake new nothing of his origins other then he was found out in the middle of the nowhere and adopted by a family of ghouls. He was very young when his ghoul parents adopted him, he was just barley old enough go walk and spoke a very funny language that sounded very similar to ancient Nordic. He also wore some very unusual clothing and all of it hand made.

Jakes adoptive father was at one time a well respected scientist and robotic engineer before the bombs fell. Jake learned everything about robotics, tech and general science from his dad. From his mother he learned to speak proper English and how to cook. Jake's father speculated that Jake was some sort of hybrid experiment who somehow escaped his creators and ended up lost in the wasteland.

Jake barely remembered anything from his childhood other then a few images; white falling snow and a vortex bright blinding colors and symbols...everything else after was just darkness.

Jake had left home in search of his origins, but so far he found nothing, not even a rumor or suggestion of a rumor could be found or heard about where he came from and who his real parents were.

***

"Well I better be off!" Marcus said as he loaded up and shouldered his backpack full of goods to sell. "Very well Marc, I'll walk with you a ways." Jake said and walked with him to the road that lead to his next stop.

"You ever find anything you were looking for?" Marcus asked and Jake replied, "Not a god damn thing!" Marcus nodded and turning to his friend he said, "Well," he then gave him a hug, "Good hunting!" Jake giggle and returned his friends hug, "Good hunting yourself you damn scoundrel!" Marcus then replied, "Takes one to know one freak!" Jake scoffed and give his friend the middle finger as he watched him headed off down the road to his next location.

"Be safe you son of a bitch!" Jake muttered and headed back to collect what he bought and head home. "If anything happens to you..." Jake said and sighed sadly, not wanting to ever consider the fact his friend maybe killed on the road someday, he shook it from his mind and focused on walking.

***

Jakes sat quietly in his King of the Castle edition chair and reading an old 2077 Readers Digest he found in the shambles of a pre-war home. His entire fallout shelter was run on solar power and by series of car batteries he managed to salvage. The only things that needed power were his lights, refrigerator, radio and some of the equipment he used to repair high tech equipment. Most would use fusion batteries, but fusion batteries have a very nasty habit in exploding like a mini-nuke if handled incorrectly...that or it would result in a lethal shock.

The fallout shelter was very well stocked when Jake first found it, most of everything inside was all survival goods and gear which he traded off for better goods and supply. It was very easy to miss due to the entrance being located underneath a ransacked camper trailer. Jake came across it when he dove underneath in attempts to avoiding a very grumpy Yao guai male who didn't get any action during the mating season and was attacking everything in sight.

Ironically the shelter was never inhabited prior to when Jake first found it, in spite of the fact whomever stocked it was more then ready, they were most likely were in the wrong place at the wrong time when the bombs fell.

"Heh!" Jake scoffed after he finished reading a humorous morality crisis article about the dangers of leaving your wife home alone with the robot manservant. "Even the damn robots are getting a piece of ass! Lucky gearboxes!" He then turned the page to the next article that was a debated on wither America will be pulled into Nuclear war or not.

"HA!" Blurted out and continued, "This should be interesting!" Jake started reading the article when suddenly over his modified long range radio he heard a familiar gruff voice say, "Dead Papa calling a Big Cat! Dead Papa calling a Big Cat! Big Cat do you read me? Over!"

Jake groaned for he knew who it was and had no choice but to answer the call. He tossed the magazine he was reading aside, pushed himself to his feet, stretched, yawned, then moseyed on over to the radio and sat down in the nearby seat.

"Big Cat are you there? This is Dead Papa! Over!" The gruff voice

said and on that note Jake turned on his microphone and replied, "Hey dad, this is Big Cat! How's you and mom doing? Over!"

"Jake my boy!" The voice replied happily and continued, "Long time no chat you bad cat! You're mom and I were worried! Over!" Jake groaned for his father was absolutely right about him not keeping to his promise in calling them at least twice a week.

"Yah I'm sorry dad, things have been tough and I've been working hard to make ends meet. Over!" Jake lied but he didn't want to hurt his dad's feelings in saying he just didn't feel like talking to him and his mother for the past few days.

"Oh? Need some caps son? Over!" His dad asked and he replied, "Oh no dad! I'm doing good now and thanks! Did mom get the package I had sent? Over!"

"The package delivered by AJ? Yah we got it! You're mom is very happy with the wedding dress you found! It looks just like her old one! Over!" Jake smiled in knowing he made his moms day, "I know she misses having one from the way she talked about you and her when you first got married. Marcus, a scrounger merchant whose a very good friend of mine, found one untouched and safe in some old ruins near DC. She try it on yet? Over!"

"Nah, she's just happy knowing you were able to find one! She says she hopes to be seeing her future daughter in law wearing it! Over!" Jake chuckled for a moment and said, "I don't there's another freak like me in this world for me to marry and I'm sure the majority of human girls aren't thrilled about marrying a walking and talking house cat! Over!"

"Ah let your mom dream son! Besides I'm sure you will find someone in due time! Over!" Jake sighed sadly, he would love to have a mate of his own but due to being half cat, it wasn't likely to happen. "I hope so dad... Over!"

"Cheer up son! You're more evolved then most humans! Show the girls what you are made of and you be beating them off with a stick! Over!" Jake had to admit, he felt much better after hearing that from his dad.

"Thanks dad! Over!"

"Your welcome son! Over!"

***

Jake spend several hours talking back and forth with his ghoul parents. He was pleased to hear that his dad was making progress in his tech repair shop and his mom with her flashback 2043 cafe.

He was also sad to hear his dog Fusion had died of old age but happy to hear he had a litter of puppies with the neighbors dog and that his folks got pick of the litter.

Other news his uncle Bart, also a ghoul, had moved to Underworld in the capital wasteland. It was good to hear his uncle Bart was close by, but he really had no way of visiting him in Brotherhood of Steel controlled ground. The BOS hated mutations or none humans and wouldn't hesitate to shoot him on sight if they could. Right now there is a very dangerous off branch of the BOS known as Peacekeepers, they have installed martial law over the majority of the capital Wasteland and actively seek out and confiscate any and all pre-war technology from the residents...all in the name of keeping the people safe from themselves. Even in disguise he would have problems getting through the check points recently installed to police and seise any contraband tech goods...namely weapons or weapon schematics.

Out in the wasteland, he had problems dealing with The Outcastes; the Outcastes are a rouge branch of the Brotherhood and are just as dangerous if not more so then the BOS and Peacekeepers. However that is all now in the past thanks to him saving one of their high ranked Scholars from becoming a Deathclaws chew toy. He had earned a degree of respect from The Outcastes and they agreed to leave him alone so long as he didn't interfere with their search for advanced technology.

He had even offered to repair their T-45 power armor for a fee but they refused, believe it inconceivable a freak of nature could possibly understand, let alone fix power armor...which he could and even improve it if they would give him a chance.

After a long chat with his dad, he informed him he was very tired and falling asleep. Honestly he just wanted to get off the air for the longer he talked with his dad, the more homesick he felt.

"Alright son, you get some sleep and don't go forgetting to call us! You understand me boy? Over!" He dad said and he replied, "Yes sir! Over!"

"Goodnight son! Remember we love and miss you!" Dead Papa over and out!" His dad said and he replied, "Night dad! Love you and tell mom I love her too! I miss you guys! Big Cat over and out!" Jake turned off his microphone and sat back in his chair next to the long rang radio. His eyes were wet with tears for he indeed miss home and his folks who were just fifty miles away in a wasteland shanty town and ghoul colony named Trade Town.

Jake had often considered giving up his quest and just return home with the wealth of caps he made and start a new life close to his parents. However the need to find his roots was still very strong and it was too soon to give up hope in finding anything.

Jake got up and returned to his King of the Castle chair. "Now what to do?" He said and picked up two magazines, "Masterbate..." He said as he held up an old Playboy, "Or educate?" He then held up the Readers Digest.

"Hmmmmm..." He hummed as his eyes went left and right between the two magazines, his tail also swung left and right and he was now looking like an old cat clock keeping time. After a careful thought, he chose the Readers Digest. "Ah fuck it!" He said as he tossed the adult magazine aside and opened the Readers Digest. "Getting rather tired of jerking off to long dead chicks anyway!" He said with a giggle and started reading.

The article he read was very boring; some mumbo jumbo about a guy who lived past one hundred and seventy eight on nothing but a heavy diet of red meat, American beer and eggs. He was just about the nod off until his eyes came upon the word Elder in the sentence, 'Our elders could benefit a lot from a true American diet!'

"Elder?" He said and just then something from his memory flashed before his eyes, "Elder?!" He said again, trying hard to call back the memory. Clear as day, the image that flashed in his minds eye returned and it was of a huge golden scroll. "Elder..." He said and then saw the scroll open, "Scroll!" Just then another image flashed in his minds eye and it was strange symbols flying off the scroll, enveloping him in a vortex of energy then with a bright flash...it all suddenly stopped.

"Elder...scroll!" He said trying to piece what his subconscious mind was trying to tell him and just then...he remembered! "IT'S AN ELDER SCROLL!" He yelled and then leaped to his feet to do a victory dance in celebration to actually remembering something from his past. He danced around, yelling and cheering like fool for a moment, then suddenly stopped, drew his ears back, gave a look of confusion and asked, "What the fuck is an Elder Scroll?!"

***

Aside from being an illegal tech weapons dealer, supplier and side line bootlegger, Jake needed a stable income as well a close connections with the neighboring colonies. Posing as a Ghoul named Christopher, a name taken after his mothers faith and favoirte saint, Jake would visit the neighboring colonies and set up business as a computer and electronics repairmen.

He wore a custom made mask, which he made himself, and it was made up from an old war gas mask, leather and black tint goggles to hide and or cover his entire upper feline characteristics. The rest of his disguise was just an old merchants outfit, combat boots and skin tight gloves. His tail he hide by warping it around his waist, which was very uncomfortable but he had no way else to hide it except by cutting it off.

"Ah Megaton!" Jake said to himself as he walked through the gate, "Smells just as bad as remember." One fault to being half feline was having a highly sensitive sense of smell. Even with the gas mask, which was the original idea behind using it in his disguise in blocking out the smells, he could still smell the strong stench of the town...it smelled like a blotted corpse decomposing in a cesspool.

***

Megaton at one time was policed by a local resident who was the towns sheriff, however when the Peacekeepers learned the sheriff was giving asylum to known energy weapon suppliers, they raided the town, killing the sheriff and anyone who stood up against them. As you may already suspect, the Peacekeepers were more thugs then law enforcement.

The story goes when project purity failed, a science experiment that was setup to clean the local water supply, a power struggle broke out in the BOS and the Elder leading them at the time was overthrown.

The new Elder wanted to install a civil police force on the local population and at the same time control the trafficking of pre-war technology, which the BOS felt none one but them was fit to use.

The Peacekeepers were founded and used to enforce the new laws over all of DC and the wasteland. Most of all those in Peacekeeper ranks are BOS Paladins and most hold a serious hatred or views of contempt for those living in the wasteland. Anyone who challenged them would either end up arrested or dead. Those who were arrested were relocated to unknown location known only as "The Camp." No one has ever returned from the camp and most suspect it was nothing more then a mass grave someplace in central DC.

Life under the Peacekeeper law was hard, especially when you are someone who's a thing or two about pre-war technology. However despite the harsh dominion, crime throughout Peacekeeper policed communities has dropped to almost nothing and local raider gangs have steered clear ever since...but at what price?

***

Jake headed down towards the heart of the town, an old undetonated and deactivated nuclear warhead laid at its core and all around it the community of Megaton thrived despite it ominous presence. Jake had even heard story's about an eccentric cult who worshiper the bomb, however their church along with the cult have long since faded into Megatons history.

"Watch it you filthy ghoul!" Snapped a resident who purposely bummed into Jake as he headed down towards the center of town. "Up yours smooth skin!" Jake snapped back in his fake ghoul voice, not giving the resident the benefit of intimidating him. Suffice to say Jake knew better then to let others intimidate him, for he knew most of it was all hot talk.

Fortunately not all the residents were hostel towards him, just about half the town has sought out his services in fixing things and or came around for friendly chat. One resident in particular he had strong feelings for was a young blond named Jane. Jane was a little bit of an air head when it came to anything technical and often broke things. Fortunately for her Jake aka Chris, would always drop whatever it was he was working on to fix her little problems, no matter how big or small and would give her his favorite customer fee of just a hug and thank you.

What really caught Jake's heart was when she confessed her undying love for cats and a secret wish that it was possible for a man to be half cat. Jake wanted nothing more to then to show her it was true by showing his true self, but he knew better then to let his heart run away with his head and so decided to push aside such thoughts...lest until he felt she was good and ready to know his secret!

"Hey Chris!" Jane yelled when she noticed him and rushed over to give him a warm hug. Jake hugged her back and had to fight off the urge to purr like a happy kitten. "Long time no see you bad ghoulie you!" She playfully punched him in the shoulder and then suddenly apologized, fearing that it hurt in that he is a ghoul and all.

"Baby, I've survived the end of the world! You think a little punch would hurt me?" Jake playful said in his ghoul voice to which Jane replied, "Oh yah! Sorry, it's just is I know you wear all that to protect yourself and was worried I..." Jake cut her off and said, "Don't worry about it babe! I'm a tough old ghoul!" Jane giggled and suddenly was called away by her boss over at the town cafe, her boss was also bit irritated she ignored paying customers to talk with a dirty ghoul.

"I'll be right there!" She called over and said to Jake, "Sorry but I got to get back to work!" She hugged him again and ran off. Jake purred happily as she had just made his day...however it all came to a halt when he noticed his work place.

"Oh my god..." Jake said with a groan when he saw his little makeshift repair shop, an old army tent without a door. What had aggravated Jake was seeing his drop box, a old garbage bin a where residents and customers could drop off their tech for repair when he was away and it was overfull!

"What the fuck?!" He groaned and walked up to the bin to see how what work laid before him and continued, "I stay away one fucking week and half the wasteland breaks down!" He sighed and then took out the first repair request, an old pre war toaster with a note attached that read

"Please fix! I paid good caps for this and it don't work! -Max'

"Hmmmm..." Jake said as he looked over the toaster, "Fucking wiring is shot! Hardly worth my time in fixing!" Jake then sighed and said, "Well...bitching about it don't bring in caps! Let's get started!" He groaned and walking inside the door to his his tent, he grabbed his homemade 'Open' sign, set it outside and proceeded inside to get to work.

***

The trouble with being in disguise and having a body covered in fur, was it made things uncomfortably warm. Jake was panting heavily as he added the finishing touches to an old radio. "Fuck its hot!" He groaned and reached over to take a quick refreshing chug from his ice cool Nuka-Cola. Making sure no one was around he lifted his mask and downed half the bottle. "Oh fuck that did this trick!" He said after he swallowed, feeling just a little big cooler. "Fucking shit is more addicting then Jet!" He giggled and took another gulp.

Jake suffered a sweet tooth and an almost chem like addiction to anything sweet. Sugar Bombs were his weakness right next to Nuka-Cola. Sadly sugar based goods were very rare and or exceptionally hard to find. Should Jake happen upon a merchant selling Sugar Bombs or Nuka-Cola, he'd buy them out!

Just then Andy, town resident and part time cook at the nearby dinner here in Megaton, walked in and asked if his repair order was finished.

"Right over there friend!" Jake said as he pointed to the vacuum cleaner, "Next time you hear that beeping sound, turn it off and empty the bag!" He continued in his pseudo ghoul voice. "That's all it was?!" Andy said and continued, "Ah fuck me!" He then went for his pocket to which Jake said, "Save your caps smooth skin, this one is no charge!"

Andy smiled as took up the vacuum. "Cheers Chris!" He said and asked, "How the fuck you know so much about old world appliances?" Making sure Andy couldn't see his true face under the mask, Jake swallowed the last bit of Nuka-Cola from his bottle, tossed it to his nearby wastebasket and replied, "I was fixing appliances long since the bombs fell! You never forget old tricks even when your as old, rotten and decrepit as I am kid!"

Honestly Jake learned everything he knew about fixing pre war appliances from his uncle Bart who was at the time, a home appliance repair and salesmen. Jake also copied the way his uncle spoke, aside from making the occasional vulgar joke, to add character to his ghoul role play.

Andy chuckled and said, "Yah I have heard some of you ghouls are very old!" He then said his goodbyes and left with his vacuum in hand. "Fucking idiot, cannot even read the simple instructions written on a vacuum cleaner!" He grumbled, shaking his head and got up from where he was siting to grab another ice cold Nuka-cola from the vending machine he had found out in the wastes, fixed up and installed in his shop for both customer and his own recreation.

He had converted the coin slot to accept caps instead of coins, which was the origional function but coins are worthless now. Asking price for an ice cold Nuka-Cola was 50 caps, it was a little expensive true but Nuka-cola is finite and won't be around forever.

Jake reached around behind the Nuka-Cola machine for the master key he had dangling on a string, took it, inserted it into the key slot in front, turned it and pressed the request button for a free Nuka-Cola.

A bottle dropped and he quickly took it, popped the cap and took a quick refreshing gulp. "Now..." He said as he looked over to his next project, a strange looking box with faded yellow lettering that spelled out VAULT-TECH. "The fuck is this?" Jake took up the box, which was surprisingly light and had a mini terminal and keypad. "Oh!" Jake said with touch of excitement as he moved the box to his work station, "I've heard of these! Vault Tech security lock boxes used by vault overseers for top secret goods!"

Jake took the attached note and read what was requested of his services, being the box was in prime condition aside from being locked.

"I spent a fucking fortune getting this box to keep these damn thieves in town from stealing my chems! Damn key-code won't work! Please reset the key code to K61289!

- Dr. Shall

PS: I cannot pay you since all my surplus caps went into buying the box. You are welcome to keep whatever is inside as payment."

Jake rolled his eyes as he sat the note aside. "No caps my ass! Why not just pay me in chems you cheap ass! Four Med-X would cover the cost for the services and two Psychos would cover me not kicking your fucking ass for being cheap!"

Jake looked over the keypad for a moment and first typed the Vault Tech master override key code, #M1OVERRIDE23423, the one he learned from his father who had salvaged it from old ruins to break past all Vault Tech security restrictions on all advanced vault related technology. When he hit enter, the master passcode worked, resetting the lock and requested a new code to which Jake typed in.

The box monitor chirped and a with a loud click, the box unlocked and was ready to be opened.

"Alright..." Jake said as he looked inside, "What cheap ass worthless junk has the doctor paid me?"

Inside the box was a number of things and all in excellent condition. First item was a stealth boy at full power, next item was a plasma pistol with a full power cell, several other power cells and last was an inactive PIP-BOY 3-Billion model.

"JACKPOT!" Jake cheered and couldn't help but feel as though he had just gotten lucky with Lady Luck herself. "I've always wanted one of these!" Jake said as he shuffled passed the other goods, took up the PIP-BOY and quickly put it on to see if it would work.

Functional PIP-BOYS were very rare these days, especially when a number of mercenaries and raiders learned of its V.A.T.S feature, the Vault Assistance Targeting System, which allowed one who used it to calculate long distance targeting. Those that did work were often confiscated by the Peacekeepers due to it being pre-war tech, being able to access multiple radio frequencies and over hear classified BOS intel.

Jake had come across several broken 3000 series in the past, however most were too badly damaged to fix and PIP-BOYS required precise matching parts, else it won't ever work.

Sure enough as he put on the PIP-BOY and turned it on, it fired right up and took a momentary survey scan of his vitals. "WARNING: User anatomy unknown! This PIP-BOY is not programmed for users biology! Please wait while V.A.M.P.S, Vault Anatomy Medical Processing System, reviews users biology to best serve users compatibility! This may take several hours to days! Do not turn off or remove this PIP-BOY!" Said the PIP-BOY in a computer voice and suddenly a humorous animation of Vault Tech's Vault boy appeared on the screen with a magnify glass and was looking like he was studying everything. Under the animation was written 'Please wait while V.A.M.P.S processes users biology data...'

Jake couldn't help but give a fake chuckle, "Yah that makes me feel much better knowing I have nothing inside me that's similar to humans!" He sighed and looked around in the box to see if there was anything else worth keeping. "Well heeelllllloooo NURSE!" Jake said in a humorous tone as he happened upon a 2076 Edition of Naughty Medical Girls magazine.

Jake gave a sexy feline growl as he eyed the cover of a big busted redheaded nurse that had written in a quote box 'You ready for me to take your temperature?' To which Jake replied after reading it, "Baby...you could could take my temperature ANY day!" Jake couldn't help but open the magazine and take a quick peek.

"FUCK ME!" Jake said with wide eyes, when he saw a picture of a naked gorgeous woman posing in a position that would make even a serial rapist blush! Normally most adult magazines were more teasing then anything, but this magazine left nothing to the imagination! "Oh my love life just got more interesting!" Jake said with a snerk, then quickly rolled up the magazine and tucked it away in his inside coat pocket for his viewing pleasure later.

Jake was just about to examine the plasma pistole when an unknown face dressed in a fancy blue pre-war business suit walked in. "Everything I got around to fixing is over on that table! Don't see what you dropped off, comeback later! I'll get around to it in time." Jake said in his ghoul voice to which the stranger shook his head and said "No, I've only just arrived in town."

"Oh? Well what you want smooth skin? This is a appliance repair shop, if your looking to buy something, check out Craterside Supply. Nothing here to buy unless you need something fixed."

The stranger noticed Jakes PIP-BOY and said, "Nice piece of tech you got there my friend!" Jake quickly replied with a lie, "This? Just a piece of junk I bought off a trader long time ago! Only thing working is the radio, and even then it's mostly just static!" Last thing Jake wanted was someone ratting him out to Peacekeeper in that he's in possession of pre-war technology.

"Oh really? Strange I don't hear any music playing." The stranger pointed out and Jake replied, "Look smooth skin, I take pride in my work and I have two rules! First I never work under the influence and the second I don't have anything on that will distract me from my work, like music for instance!" 'Fuck that was a close one!' Jake thought and actually broke a bit of a sweat there for a second.

The stranger nodded and said, "Fair enough! Now on to why I've sought you out!" Jake gave the stranger his undivided attention and the stranger then asked, "You any good at fixing weapons?"

Jake shook his head and said, "Unless it's got a gismo or gadget that needs replacing, no I'm afraid I cannot! I mostly deal with appliances smooth skin! Toaster, fusion cookers, vacuum cleaners and computer terminals! Weapons ain't my thing!"

The stranger then asked, "How about tech weapons?" Jake hesitated for a moment and said, "Maybe I can...however such things I rarely ever see with the new rules going on!" 'Careful now, something smells worse then this town!' Jake thought to himself and had a bad feeling in his gut.

The Stranger looked around to make sure no one else was looking and then pulled out from under his his suit a crude looking AEP7 laser pistol. "Know anything about fixing this?"

Jake looked at the pistol and against his better judgement, being he cannot resist energy weapons, took it in hand and examined it. "The fuck is this shit?!" Jake asked aloud as he noticed countless problems with the weapon. "Whoever worked on this knew absolutely nothing about laser weapons! First this wire should not be exposed like this! It could end up arching the titanium house, which would bleed all energy to the crystal array! Also this focusing lease is flawed! There's no way...oh fuck!" Jake began pointing out and then just suddenly released he was caught in a Peacekeeper sting operation.

Sure enough, right after he realized he had just ratted himself out in understanding energy weapons, two intimidating looking peacekeepers guys dressed in baby blue combat armor and each one armed with a close range sawn off laser rifles aka Tri-beam lasers. Even without their power armor, Jake could tell from looking at them both, that they are BOS Paladins.

"Hey, hey take it easy guys! I was only pointing out obvious facts that any repairmen would noticed! I'm just an old ghoul looking to make some caps in fixing stuff!" Jake said and raised his hands up in surrender.

"No, I'm afraid that is not true my friend! You see we have asked almost every single person in this area on if they could fix this weapon and so far none have come anywhere near as close as you in vivid detail! I'm suspecting you know far more about energy weapons then just fixing lasers!"

'Think Jake! Think!' Jake thought to himself and said, "Okey, Okey you got me! So I know a little about fixing a weapon or two! I'm just a harmless old ghoul running a fix-it busniess for fuck shakes! I haven't done anything wrong!"

Jake slowly creeped over close to the open vault tech box, just close enough to grab the plasma pistol should negotiations fail. It was either he convince them to leave him be or else he had no choice but to kill them all. If he allowed them to take him in, he was as good as dead!

The advantage he had over normal humans was his feline reflexes and he could easily out draw the two goons, killing them both with a single plasma shot to the head and then take out the unarmed one in the middle. A plan he didn't want to do but he had no choice other then ending up being killed or worse; subjected to being studied for the rest of his life...that's if they don't dissect him first!

"No...I'm afraid it's not quiet that easy my friend! In your case, you are FARE more dangerous then any free moving contraband weapon!" The stranger explained to which Jake released killing them all was his only option.

"Oh yah? How so smooth skin? I can barely keep myself from decomposing any further, let alone go out and cause other people problems!" Jake asked, attempting to give the stranger one last chance to leave him be. "Energy weapons are a threat true, however in time they eventually brake due to improper maintenance. The weapons become useless and in time they come to us, ending the cycle of illegal activity! You however can fix them and so doing would continue to allow the circulation and use of contraband goods! I'm sorry but were going to have up place you under arrest for being a dangerous risk in the control of prohibited weapons and tech!"

"Well..." Jake said in his ghoul voice and continued in his normal, "Sucks to be you then!" With lighting like reflexes Jake grabbed the plasma pistole and with two flawless shots of green energy, killed both the paladins with a shot to the head.

"OH MY GOD! HELP! SOMEONE HELP! THE GHOUL HAS JUST KILLED SOMEONE!" Yelled a resident from outside the tent who caught a glimpse of Jake killing the BOS paladins. Suddenly all pandemonium broke loose in the town of Megaton.

"DONT SHOOT!" Yelled the stranger as he raised his arms in surrender, to which Jake then removed his mask and showed his full feline face. "Oh my god!" Said the stranger as his expression changed from scared to pure terror, "What the fuck are you?!"

"I'm the pooch you just screwed!" Jake replied and with a single shot to the chest, he killed the stranger who just then had a molecular reaction to the plasma shot and melted down into a blob of steaming, green, glowing goo.

"For the recorded; I'm half cat and not a fucking dog!" Jake said and quickly stripped off his disguise so that he could make better speed for his escape.

Just then two shot were fired at him, one just grazing the his cheek and on instinct he fired back with three shoots. Two missed where the third struck the shooter, some vigilantly resident with a 10mm, hitting him in the shoulder and crippling him.

"OH GOD MY ARM!" The shooter yelled and collapsed to the ground. Jake then used his claws, tore off his pants to speed up things, took the stealth boy and spare pistole energy cells from the vault tech box.

"Fuck I hope this thing works!" Jake said as he attached the stealth boy to his arm and activated it. A sudden charge of energy flowed around him and suddenly he turned transparent.

"Huh!" Jake said as he took a second to admired the clear water look he was now sporting thanks to the stealth boy. "Not exactly what I hoping for but it will have to do!" On that Jake made a full out rush for Megatons gate, running skillfully through the chaos of people running around in panic and past oncoming Peacekeepers who quickly started opening up heavy laser fire on his tent.

Just a few shots set the tent aflame, but the trigger happy Peacekeepers kept on shooting regardless of the friendly fire causalities they were now causing. "JANE NO!" Jake blurted out as he saw Jane make a foolish run from cover where she was hit and vaporized by a laser shot. "YOU FUCKING ASSHOLES!" Jake screamed and shot the peacekeeper who killed Jane, killing him with a clean clear shot to the side of his head. The peacekeepers head reacted violently to the impact of plasma energy and burst like a radroach in a fusion cooker. "FUUUUUUUUUUUUCK!" Jake cried and started choking back tears, "I REALLY LIKE HER!" He had to take a moment to collect himself upon seeing Jane's death and sat down by a nearby building.

"HOLD YOUR FUCKING FIRE!" Yelled one of the high ranking Peacekeepers, a few stopped firing right away but the rest kept on shooting. "I SAID HOLD YOUR FUCKING FIRE!" The superior yelled and continued. "THE NEXT MAN WHO FIRES A SINGLE SHOT WILL BE KILLED IMMEDIATELY FOR DISOBEYING A DIRECT ORDER!"

The Peacekeepers then moved in on the burning tent to see if they had got him. "No sign of the ghoul sir!" Jake overheard a peacekeeper say and then the superior replied, "Well he couldn't have gone fucking far! Find him and bring him to me

ALIVE! I want to deal with the son of a bitch PERSONALLY!"

Jake wiped away the last drops of tears that leaked from his eyes in morning of Jane, he then moved over to a clear view spot, took aim of the superior with his plasma pistole and would fired if he could only get a clear shot. "Deal with this you mother fucking son of bitch!" Jake snarled with pure hate, holding every Peacekeeper responsible for Jane's death as he took aim.

"You killed the only woman I ever truly fucking loved!" Jake sobbed as the emotional impact of Jane's death made his hands tremble uncontrollably and he couldn't get a focused aim. "Fucking hell...I can't get a fucking get a clear shot!" Jake then turned his attention to his PIP-BOY, hoping to make use of the V.A.T.S. The monitor screen pierced through the stealth field and allowed him access. The PIP-BOY was still running a V.A.M.P.S study on his biology and he couldn't access the V.A.T.S at this time.

"GODDAMN IT!" Jake snarled and quickly abandoned the idea in killing the superior. The peacekeepers were now running around the town, kicking in doors and gathering the residents under arms to the center of town to keep them under control while the search went on. Those who resisted were killed on the spot. Megaton was now under police lockdown and lethal force was licensed now.

The gate was quickly secured and armed guards lined up in tight shoulder to shoulder formation, ready to kill anyone none Peacekeeper who approached.

'Shit!' Jake thought and criticized himself for not escaping sooner. The stealth boy had enough energy left to conceal him for a few more hours, however that won't mean much being the peacekeepers are checking under every rock and stone at the moment. Unless he gets out of town and soon, they will find him regardless of him being transparent.

Jake decided to make a run for the old molerat breech that was nearby. It was a small flaw in the town wall that local molerats took advantage of and made an invasion in town a year or so ago. Jake targeted and shot out the spot weldings that barley held a crude patch of metal in pace to cover the breech. When the metal patch fell down, Jake moved it aside and quickly crawled trough the narrow crawl space that was just big enough for a child to get through. However regardless of the tight fit, Jake had his feline biology to thank in squeezing through the metal work and escaping to the wasteland.

Jake had to move fast, for off in the distance he heard what sounded like Vertibirds approaching. "Fucking Peacekeepers!" Jake snarled, "Like pissing off a nest of radscorpions!" Jake quickly made run for the southwest, hoping to enter into Outcaste territory were BOS peacekeeper jurisdiction was none existent.

However regardless of that, they will more then likely still come after him, but at least the Outcastes would give them hell and open fire on any peacekeeper or BOS paladin who crosses the line.

Worst of the matter...it is a long grueling trip back home!

***

To be continued...