Once in a Blue Moon: Part 1

  • January 28, 2288

    Another great day, I thought walking out of my old vault. I wiped my hands with an old handkerchief, bloody motor oil was a pain to get out of a good suit. It was dirty work, but I was finally starting to get somewhere with this little project of mine. The fat old ghoul would soon meet the wrong end of my faithful revolver. The damn idiot was still stuck in his bunker, burned and scarred by the crap he injected himself with, but I would find out the combination soon enough. There’s no hiding from the King of Boston.

     

    As I walked into my office, I couldn’t help but notice there was a bit of a draft. It seemed the cold January winds blew open the large window that filled the far too familiar hole in the wall left by the apocalypse. Bostonian craftsmanship isn’t what it used to be. I closed the window and stared into the distance. Green clouds gathered in the south, a radstorm was brewing. I would have to ensure everyone took their rad-x on time. Other than that, the skies were clear, letting the now nearly full moon light up the streets below in an eerie silver light. A familiar and gentle click pulled me out of my thoughts. I turned around to spot a beautiful creature leaning against my trusty holoplayer. The machine’s purring and sputtering told me it was about to start singing.

     

    “It has been a while since we last met, hasn’t it?” I declared, my reflex was to reach for my revolver, but I restrained myself, we both knew how that went last time.

     

    “It has certainly been a while since you last saw me, but what can I say, I’ve been admiring you Mr.Lafoy. I do hope you liked my last present.” She smiled, her scarlet lips framing teeth so clean they felt oddly out of place in this time.

     

    So it was indeed her, not that there was any doubt. The package did come with my treacherous revolver.

     

    “I strongly appreciate the welcome, I presume it was your own performance?” I looked at her. She was wearing a beautiful silver dress, her long rose-scented hair falling down her shoulders, her eyes had a playful glint in them.

     

    “It was indeed, mind if I ask what you thought of my voice?” She slowly walked towards me.

     

    “Entrancing.”

     

    “Oh, is that so? I can’t imagine a man of your make to be swayed so easily.”

     

    “That would, indeed, be unbefitting of me.” I smiled. “I meant the tape you started playing; “Blue Moon” by Glenn Miller, I believe?”

     

    “You are so very clever.” She bit her lip, “Yes, it is, indeed. I personally prefer Sinatra’s rendition. It has a special place in my heart from when I traveled back west.”

     

    “Do you care to dance, oh beautiful stranger?” I offered her my hand, “Can’t let such a beautiful piece of art go to waste.”

     

    “I would love to.” She accepted and pulled me into a slow waltz as our eyes interlocked. What beautiful eyes she had.

     

    I was the first to break the sensational silence.“You have been west? How peculiar, how is the good old US of A faring over there?” I said as we initiated an allemande.

     

    “I would love to discuss the topic at length. But Simon, my dear,” her right hand reached for my cheek and caressed it, “that is a story for another day.”

     

    “Well, in that case, I would love to know why you’re here,” I whispered during a short promenade. “I can’t imagine you needing my help and you don’t look like you have a deathwish either so I can't help but think you might be at the wrong address.”

     

    She laughed playfully. “Oh, but you would be wrong. I have a friend in need yet I believe I may not be the person he needs. Besides, I hear you have the best wine collection in town.”

     

    “A friend of yours?” I tried to smile, but my eyes surely must have betrayed me, “What does he need? A long evening walk along the Charles, a new hemp tie or a bullet in the knee? I offer plenty more, but for one of your friends I’m sure these will suffice.” Having given up all subterfuge, I made sure to emphasize the word.

     

    “Oh, Simon. Don’t tell me you’re jealous?” She laughed, “He’s not that type of friend, no far from it. He’s just a little man I owe a small favor, in Diamond City.”

     

    “In that case, let’s talk business over a good glass of wine, shall we? I managed to save a bottle of Merlot from the Boylston’s folly.” We swayed back and forth.

     

    “I would love to.” She broke off the dance and took a seat at my desk where she picked up my lighter and lit a cigaret, awaiting the wine I offered.

     

    I walked towards the small cupboard I stored my collection in, took out two glasses and what I presumed was the last bottle of Falmouth Merlot in Boston. I filled a glass, but before I served it, I stopped to ask:

     

    “First, I don’t believe you gave me your actual name. Surely Arsène Lupin is but a pseudonym.”

     

    “Of course, Mr.Lafoy. My real name is Silvia, Silvia Fox.”

     

    “I’m truly enchanted to make your acquaintance, mademoiselle Fox.” I bowed and gave her the glass before pouring myself one as well and taking my seat.

     

    “So, Silvia, what about this friend of yours?”

     

    “His name is Paul Pembroke,” She drank, seemingly surprised by the quality of the beverage. “He once helped me get out of the Diamond City jail. Not that I needed the help, I was minutes away from getting the guard to hand me the keys, but..” I interrupted her.

     

    “A debt is a debt,” I declared solemnly, taking a sip of Merlot.

     

    “Indeed,” She nodded and continued. “Paul asked me to talk to Cooke and convince him to leave my friend’s wife. I assume you know Cooke is in charge of the city’s underworld; long story short I don’t feel safe talking to him alone and thought you would want to help a lady out.”

     

    I wasn’t sure what to think of her offer, it felt odd. She hadn’t shown herself to be the type to be afraid of dangerous men. After all, she showed a distinct lack of fear around me. If anything Cooke was a very small fish compared to me so her hesitation made no sense. But Cooke ran the chem trade in Diamond City and knew stuff Marowski would love to keep buried; I didn’t mind having an excuse to rough him up a bit.

     

    “Always, I have some business with Cooke that has gone unspoken for far too long anyway and it wouldn’t hurt to discuss it.” I finally decided.

     

    “Fantastic.” That beautiful snare of a Mona Lisa smile I remembered once again appeared on her face. “Besides, I do believe you promised me a night out in the city, you, me, this beautiful blue moon and whatever the apocalypse could throw at us.” Her fingers went over the edge of the wine glass, releasing a haunting yet characteristic crystalline sound.

     

    I smiled; “Here I was, believing you walked out on that offer.”

     

    “I never would. Trust me.” She pleaded. I wasn’t exactly sold, but before I could question her claim, she leapt up and said: “Good. Then I guess I’ll see you in Diamond City tomorrow night?”

     

    “I would love to meet you there,” I replied, startled ever so slightly.

     

    “Don’t hesitate to put on your best suit for me alright, dear?” She said as she elegantly walked towards the door, intent on leaving through the front and most likely embarrass Bishop and Queen who I sent to find her, without success, after the vault 14 raid.

     

    Before she left, she walked to my holoplayer, that had now gone silent, to feed it a different partition. She pushed the play button and Frank Sinatra’s “The way you look tonight” started playing. One blown kiss and a “Goodbye Mr. Lafoy” later she opened the door and away she was.

     

    Of course! I thought as she disappeared. Tomorrow night would be the second full moon this month; a blue moon.


Comments

5 Comments   |   Paws and 6 others like this.
  • Caladran
    Caladran   ·  January 24, 2018
    Lovely chapter. I got this Sin City color scale in my mind and this gave me very cinematic view. :)
  • The Sunflower Manual
    The Sunflower Manual   ·  January 8, 2018
    Despite all the colour in this - green radstorms, blue moons, scarlet lips - I find it hard to picture the scene in anything other than black and white, it's so deliciously noir. You be careful around this dame, Mister Lafoy.
  • Karver the Lorc
    Karver the Lorc   ·  January 5, 2018
    Dem women. Got us wrapped around their fingers just with a nice dress and full lips. And this chick? Oh, boy, I do know her name, I know it very well. She´s Trouble. :D
  • Paws
    Paws   ·  January 5, 2018
    While there's moonlight, and music and fun and romance, let's face the music and beat up some mob bosses! This reads like a scene from a Bond movie with added film noir. Those lips and teeth of Ms Fox? Yep, I'd! 
    Now let's waltz, Tein. Come dan...  more
  • Teineeva
    Teineeva   ·  January 4, 2018
    So, just as a general service to you all; the songs used in this chapter are: Glen Miller's version of Blue Moon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vG16V1OAwMI


    And Sinatra's "How you look tonight": https://www.youtube.com/watc...  more