The rogue colonel

The capital wasteland was a dreary place. Over two hundred years of fighting and age had reduced once gleaming relics like the Jefferson memorial to rusted dust filled husk`s. Today however history was in the making as a giant pale blue robot made way over a brittle bridge. Girders buckled and groaned under its heavy footsteps. Its followers took little notice as they were too busy avoiding the incoming rockets that sent one or two flying over the edge. The Lone wanderer however was laxer than ever. She didn’t take stock of the upcoming confrontation with the rogue colonel. The only thing on her mind was when would the damn robot get on and bring down the force field. So far this mission had been the most boring one yet. At least raven rock had that whole go fuck yourself to Mr. ZAX computer-president Eden option. Though she could entertain herself by watching the body’s fly up in the air for now.

The rogue colonel

Colonel Augustus autumn stood still by the steps that led up to the purifiers control room. So much had gone wrong so fast. Hed had all of it in his grasp. Step.1 take project purity. Step.2 retrieve and install the G.E.C.K into the water filtration system. Step.3???? Step.4 reap the benefits as more people joined the enclave`s army, increasing its ever growing power. So what happened? The damn computer thought it was a great idea to bring the Lone wanderer into the base and give her freedom move about. Had they just taken the codes this would have not happened. But no the president decided he didn’t trust his second in command but her instead. This whole thing justified his fears of the president’s judgment.

Sadly he didn’t get time to continue his thought as the brass door to the room swung open, followed by a rusted T-45d power armored solder holding over their shoulder a… the experimental MIRV? No this day had gone from bad to shit yourself and pray to the high heavens. Augustus stood there motionless never letting the Lone wanderer insane choice of weapon get to him. This however didn’t relate back to his body guards who despite wearing hell fire armor were making good use of its fecal matter disposal system.

He attempted to get the Lone wanderer`s attention but was interrupted by her screaming “NUKE ME BITCH!”.

Augustus and his men braced as the crazed girl fired off eight mini nukes in their vicinity.

…

…

…

“Awesome” finally spoke the crazed rust clad solder. She couldn’t believe she hadn’t tried that in the first playthrough. Still she couldn’t help but wonder what had happened before her. The room was surprisingly empty of body’s with only some blood stains on the floor. Checking her health she frowned at her state. Less than half of her max heath remained and her whole body showed broken bones. Shrugging her shoulder she flipped to her inventory. After twelve stimpak`s she took inventory of her supplies.

2342 ultra jet`s check

6754 mini nukes check

4345 stimpak’s che.. no only 3623 oookay used more than I thought.

Rad-x at 675… once again more missing. Two or three hundred units gone but still good.

3… you got to be joking.

The Lone wanderer lower her pipboy slowly revealing a flat face. Her eye twitched ever so often. She then threw her head back and released a scream into the room.

“Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu

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Colonel autumn remained still as he laid on the ground face down. Groaning, he slowly used his right arm to push himself to his side, bringing the gloved hand to his face to wipe off the moist soil. Rubbing off the offending contents he stopped mid-way at a strange sensation of the glove moving across his skin. Instead if the usual cracked leather he felt an almost peach fuzz between his hand and him. Opening his eyes light over loaded his sense. After a couple of second the world came into view revealing a rather dark forest. Not that it being dark was unusual to him or forest, thought trees were rare now and days.

That wasn’t what startled him. His vision seamed distorted, like he was looking out with a fish eye lens. On his face no longer the nose he had known for so long. In its place erected with his mouth was an almost stump like feature covered in a sand tan fur.  Slowly but steadily he brought up his hand to his face and removed the glove. Giving a short gasp, he took in its unnerving appearance. Long gone was the Caucasian skin, in its place he found the same tan fur that appeared on his face creating an almost feature less appearance. The now disturbed colonel turned his attention away from his self and to his environment for clues on his situation.

Before he was at the Jefferson memorial and had felt the first hand effects of eight mini nukes and lived. But his appearance certainly showed the cost. No longer pure human, he was as far as he could tell mutated beyond normal circumstances. Hell most ghouls were closer to humanity then he was. But then again it might be a small mutation. Yea. Just a physical deformity. Nothing some anti-mutagen couldn’t fix…and maybe a couple of facial reconstruction operations and he be back to normal in no time.

This thought was crushed as he felt two appendages from under his suit push out in vain from his back.

From his back two appendages pushed. ones that were not his arms, two appendages not his….

He began to hyperventilate as this action repeatedly filling his brain with unknown sensations and feeling alien to him. Forcing his self-upright out of sensory overload, he stumbled into a tree. Taking hold he steadied himself on the dark barked plant.

Taking a minute to calm himself he turned around and leaned on the tree, running his hands threw his hair only to snag on what felt like an ear on the top of his head.  Ignoring the ever more disturbing discovery of his mutated body he returned his focus on the forest area around him. Now despite being an almost fantasy to find a forest it was far less grand than what book`s he had read described. Shure grass was nice but the air was humid and filled with bugs. Trees were a neat experience but were no help to him as they block out the sun. The shade however did not conceal the dark lumps laying near him. Crouching and moving at a slow but steady pace the object came into view. The sight heaving his heart.

The objects revealed themselves to be the power armored corpses of his former guards. His grieving turned to despair as he studied the twisted forms of their bodies. Though the armor hid much of the flesh he could see purple fur stick out under the neck seal. Slowly he removed the suits from each studying the strange changes in his fallen soldiers.  The head were the oddest thing about them, and perhaps the most familiar. Like his face or so he guessed they had what most would call a snout on their head. He too noticed the pointed ears siting on the top of the head than the sides. The eyes though were so enlarged it was comical. Had he walked in to a base or any settlement like that they probably be shot then and there.

His luck turned as he pealed the suits off and slide into their form fitting embrace. Wiggling the helmet over his stretched face he was silently grateful that the dura-frame project had included space in the front of the helmet than squishing it back to save weight like he had suggested. Standing straight he flexed his muscles letting the suit react to his will. Smiling that suits sensors still worked with his corrupted form he turned his attention back on his fallen…

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Having the last finished patting down the dirt Augustus stood up to take in his hours of work. Where just grass and weeds had taken root now laid two individual mounds of dirt. Despite his initial difficulty’s Augustus had given the fallen the proper burial they deserved. Taking the load over his shoulder of salvaged gear he making head way through the forest.

Shifting between various worn and grown over paths he finally cleared the dens forest in a manner of hours. Looking over the hill a sight surprised the infallible colonel. Had he been expecting a town? yes.  Was the town suspected to be small? Sure. Was the town supposed to look like it came out of a story book? Sorry but no that was not on the list.

Colonel autumn remained steadfast in place by the sight before him. Down in the valley below was a town that looked almost as untouched by the ravages of time as no signs of decay or shady repairs appeared on its unblemished surface. Shaking himself from the sight Augustus half walked half jogged down the hill side towards a large white building on the outskirts of town.

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Nurse Red heart sat comfortably behind her desk in the hospital. Normally she would be off work by now but button burner had called in sick earlier. Still she enjoyed helping ponies. Thought what happened next was out of the norm even for this town. A large creature came through the open doors heaving a giant bag and stopped right in front of her desk dropping said bag on her desk spilling some of its contents onto her desk space. Form first glace she spotted several syringes filled what she could only guess as morphine. The rest was a mystery as it varied from small mint tins to huge plunger syringes covered in tubes intertwining with one and other.

She could only give a blank opened mouth stair at the pile of narcotics thrusted upon her. Breaking out of her concentration she turned her attention back to the dark creature standing in front of her. “What are you?” she spoke her voice trembling. The monster before her seamed it give its own variation of a huff almost gawking at the idea that she didn’t know what it was.

“Miss I be only a humble scavenger here to unload his wares of all sorts of useful items. For a fair price you see.” The creature replied it voice swab yet commanding. “You do have the caps to trade of courses?” Now Red heart sat confused again.  Caps? What currency was that? All she had heard of was the horrid griffin trade of iron bars with their kings symbol on them.

“Caps…I..I don’t believe I know what that is. We only except bits here.” She replied regaining her poster in her chair. Shifting back and forth in fibrous seat she picked up one of the small syringes filled with a clear liquid. “You know… we haven’t had a shipment of morphine in almost a year…” she dropped off focusing on the liquid splashing back and forth in its dull metal container. “This is morphine right?”

The creature remained silent for a moment before replying “Why yes it is and there`s more of it in the bag if you want to trade.” It remained prominent in its stance before replying. “Perhaps one or two for a bed for the night. I haven’t had a shower in a while and this armor as you can see is less than comfortable …could you by chance spare some clothes as well?”

Nurse Red heart raised an eye brow at that last statement. What pony would wear such….a clunky form of protection, even the royal guards had form fitting uniforms. This this was junk painted black that strapped on. Then of course this town was filled with weirdoes and expanding as time went on.  “Sure…the room in back is open. Thought only for a while, but we might have a few stray articles from former patients that they left behind. Take a look you might find something that fits you.”

He nodded his head and picked up the mess of medical supplies on her desk leaving only two syringes in front of her. As he drew from the room he turned back facing her. “Just for formalities my name`s Augustus Miss…” he peered down as if reading something. “…Red heart?” he spoke in an almost questing tone and turned back on his way

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Augustus autumn quickly dashed out the hospitals main room and in to the many halls that filled the building. Passing by rooms he began to ponder over his recent conversation with the mutant out front. Now he had a better understanding of the situation. He was as far as he could tell some were up in former Canada. How else could you explain the non-hostile manner she conversed with him. Better yet she was unarmed a most rare sight now and days. The trees though what probably sealed it form him, that and they still had a working heath care system.

Looking to his side he could almost see the room Red heart mentioned. Walking forwards towards the south corridor he came upon the brown wooden door. Opening slowly Augustus found his expectations were underwhelm by the bland room. Like most it had a bed with light turquoises sheets with a door that led to what he assumed was the bathroom, a closet door and mirror rested on the opposite side wall. Sauntering towards the closet Augustus began to peel off the hell fire armor and tuck it away under the bed. Returning to the mirror he finally took in his form.

Form earlier observations he was in fact covered head to toe tan fur. He still had his trade mark dirty blond hair and brown eyes. His eyes though were no longer pin drops but saucer plates on his face or what could be called his face as he like the creature outside had what looked to be a muzzle. Though his was more angular probably a trait exclusively to males. His ears too had moved. Now they rested on top of his head, a most disturbing sight to see, one that they seemed to understand and folded down on his head.

Taking deep breaths Augustus moved his attention to his back. Slowly removing his light grey under shirt he studied his new appendages that unfolded from his back side. Like the tan fur covering his body they too were the same color. They were however not arms but wings. Wings like a bird had. Not gangly mutations but fully developed wings!

Sighing at the sight. His ridiculous appearance set even more strain on the already exhausted colonel. Walking to the bed he let himself down only to find his wings in the way of his normal sleep patterns causing him to twist in turn to get comfortable.

This was going to be a long night.