AN: 2/5/13 - Uploaded Chapter 35 also. Don't miss it.
Rated M for gratuitous profanity, violence, and ghoul sex.
The Fallout universe rights are currently owned by Bethesda Studios. I receive no money for this. It is merely a creative outlet, dream space, respite from the real world, and something to tide me over until Fallout 4 is released.
Chapter Thirty Six: Shock Value
"Well! Look who changed his mind," Zimmer said, poised at the bottom of the stairs as if waiting on Charon.
"Go get whatever tech you promised."
"Did you forget that you have a job to do first? I don't see an android besides Armitage, unless you are the android, in which case, I commend you on your—inventiveness in selecting a new skin job."
"Shut up, Zimmer. I want it verified before I go out of my way for you."
Zimmer harrumphed. "By whom? I assure that no one here has seen such sophisticated technology before."
"I'm not budging before I see it."
Zimmer sighed and waved a hand. "Go on, Armitage. Go fetch the implant so that this zombie will quit wasting my time."
"You wish to be left unguarded?" Armitage asked, detached.
"I doubt he would want to damage the only man capable of inserting it, especially not when his little ghoulfuck isn't truly safe. I will be quite fine." Armitage ascended the stairs wordlessly.
"Don't call her that," Charon hissed.
"Forgive me. I forget what creative pet name you have for her. Sleekskin? Ghoulfucker is easier to say and as repugnant as it ought to be."
Charon imagined brittle old man bones snapping under his hands. "Insult me all you want, but you will not speak ill of her."
"Or what?"
"Where is Doctor Li?"
"I have not seen her this morning. Don't tell me that you were going to have the vegetable queen look at it for you. She couldn't begin to comprehend it."
Charon approached one of the lab assistants. She looked nervous, then smiled. "Oh good. I was afraid you were Zimmer."
"Where's Doctor Li?"
"Lying down in the back." The assistant looked around and then whispered, "Apparently, she decided to take her frustration out on a bottle of wine last night."
"Would you please ask her if it is okay for me to talk with her? She does not have to get up if she does not wish to. Provided that she is decent."
"Being indecent is the last thing you want to be with all these chemicals. First, tell me why you want to talk to her."
"Because I believe that she offered to do me a favor last night, and I would like to take her up on it. Tell her that it's Charon."
"Sure, but don't be surprised if she says no."
The assistant disappeared into the room. Charon grew increasingly uneasy as the minutes ticked by. Armitage returned with a briefcase.
"Over there, Armitage," Zimmer said, gesturing to a table near Charon. Armitage covered the notes on the table with the briefcase. "I believe that you are out of luck, boy. You're welcome to look at it if you want, but it won't look like much to the uneducated."
"Zimmer. For the last time, will you please treat my lab with some respect instead of letting your robot throw things around?" Doctor Li said, glaring at Zimmer as she took small, slow steps towards them.
"Why do I have to keep telling you people that it's an android, not some primitive robot?"
"Because we like the sound of your voice. Especially with a headache."
"You should drink some water," Charon said, pleased to have learned something from Kate.
Doctor Li sighed. "I have been. I've taken some buffout too. It just hasn't fully kicked in yet. So what am I looking at?"
Zimmer began opening the suitcase. The inside was filled with black foam save for a plastic box in the center that contained a wire apparatus that looked like a spider with long, curly legs. "This undead cretin wants you to take a look at this implant, which should help speed up his rather lethargic reflexes. The microchip attaches to the brain stem and connects to each side of the vertebrae via these superconductive wires. The microchip is powered by the electricity of the brain, and when it detects adrenaline, it begins issuing commands, effectively bypassing the relatively long biological path. Let me know if I'm going too fast for you."
"And you will embed it in him?"
"If and only if he brings me my android."
"The deal was if I brought him in or if I found evidence that he is dead," Charon snapped.
"It. Not 'him.' And anyway, the deal changed when you took interest in it. Besides, you could bring any sort of trash in here claiming it was my 'broken robot.' Not that you could fool me. Don't tell me you're backing out now, or have you changed your mind about protecting her?"
"Ignore him," Doctor Li said, sighing. "Can you take your shirt off, Charon? We need to see how damaged your back is."
Years of smoothskins being disgusted by him, and suddenly, they were flocking to see him without his shirt. Another thing to blame on Kate. He removed his shotgun and piled his armor and shirt beside it.
"Turn around," Doctor Li said.
"Ugh. Absolutely repulsive," Zimmer said.
"If you can't stand to touch him, you can't do the surgery, and you're just wasting everyone's time."
"And I was so certain that the barbarians out here would be content with caps. I suppose it's lucky that I brought an extra incentive."
"Just tell me if and how you intend to do the surgery."
Charon stood there, occasionally being prodded. The touches were those put to a test subject. He bristled, feeling queasy from the memories. He distracted himself by glaring at Armitage, who was even better at remaining impassive than Charon. He wondered if the android bled. He wanted to find out for himself. Medical and biotech words were thrown around like they were talking about the weather. He heard Doctor Li offer some stimpaks and Med-X. Zimmer said that they could speed up the healing process if they "throw that rotting corpse in the river." Charon bared his teeth at Armitage.
Finally, Doctor Li said, "Okay, Charon. You can get dressed."
Charon put his shirt on, but he didn't bother with the armor. "What do you think, Doctor Li?"
"If you insist on doing this, I feel comfortable with it on the conditions that Doctor Preston and I are in attendance and if we can get more medicine for you to keep your pain down. Beyond that, it's actually fortunate that you're a ghoul. Since you are missing your skin in places, he will not have to cut deeply, so it should take less time for you to heal than a normal human. Of course, if you injured your back later, there's a chance that the wires could be disrupted. I'm uncertain what impact that would have."
Charon nodded. "Then I will return once I have the android. If not now, then later." He faced Doctor Li. "For now, will you watch out for my gun and my armor?"
Doctor Li's eyes widened. "Are you sure that you want to do this?"
"If you see her, don't tell her where I've gone," Charon said, unbuckling the armor from his legs.
"You're not even taking your gun?"
"I've got my reasons."
"Planning on going somewhere special?" Zimmer asked, studying him.
"Chasing a rumor."
Dr. Li pursed her lips. "Don't do anything stupid."
Charon snorted. "You sound just like her."