Madame Modjeska

"Madame" Modjeska is the resident political expert of Redding in Fallout 2.

Background
"Madame" Modjeska derives her moniker from the work she used to do for the Malamute Saloon, taking care of its prostitution business. After a falling out with Lou, she quit her job, spending her time with Jet, the drug that smooths the rough edges of existence. She does, however, retain her keen perception and insight, allowing her to clearly see where Redding stands in the three-way struggle for domination in Northern California, particularity between New Reno, Vault City and NCR. She knows who stands for what and educates those willing to listen, like the Chosen One.

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{107}{}{Most of the rabble are just working to get enough Jet. They need something to take their minds off this place.} {111}{}{Jet does have its uses. It tends to make one care somewhat less about the surrounding squalor.} {115}{}{Jet is so expensive lately. It's just criminal. Speaking of which…I hear that our cherished Mayor Ascorti is working to get us more Jet. Always a champion of the masses, that man is.} {117}{}{Mayor Asctorti? Who is that exactly?} {120}{}{Seems like everyone's sick. That last batch of Jet had everyone swearing off the stuff. My guess is that they'll be back on Jet soon enough, though.} {124}{}{Looks like I was wrong. Most of the people who were real Jet pilots have sworn off the stuff. After that last bad batch, most of us can't so much as smell the stuff without getting sick to our stomachs.}

{128}{}{I am…Madame Modjeska. What do you wish of me?} {129}{}{Hello there. What can I help you with?} {130}{}{I don't have time to waste. What do you want of Madame Modjeska?} {131}{}{I can hardly be bothered with this now. What do you want?} {132}{}{Madame Modjeska feels indisposed today. What do you want of her?} {133}{}{My head feels as though it must surely split in twain. What do you want of me?} {134}{}{I'm Madame Modjeska. One time Jet user, amongst other things. Now I only dabble in other things. I find that Jet no longer agrees with me.} {135}{}{What can the Madame do for you?} {136}{}{What do you do here Madame Modjeska?} {137}{}{Looks as though a lot of people here are chem-users. What's going on in town lately?} {138}{}{Hear any interesting rumors?} {139}{}{Why do they call you Madame Modjeska?} {140}{}{What's the matter with you?} {141}{}{What happened to you?} {142}{}{Lately, I don't do much at all. I used to run part of Lou's operation at the Malamute Saloon - but we had a falling out, so I quit.}

{145}{}{All I hear about are politics. That always seems to be the big stir in discussion.} {146}{}{Politics? What do you mean?}

{149}{}{I used to work in the Malamute Saloon. As part of that job, people called me Madame. The name just stuck, even though I don't work there any more.} {150}{}{Where do you work now?}

{153}{}{I flew a bit of Jet a few days back and it made me feel quite unwell. Must have been a tainted batch. I 'm not eager to try that again. Oh well, back to the bottle, I suppose.}

{157}{}{What do you mean? What happened?} {158}{}{Have you ever seen a greased brahmin contest?}

{160}{}{Nope, never heard of anything like that. Tell me about them.}

{162}{}{After that last tainted batch of Jet, I've sworn off the stuff. Maybe when I feel better I'll get drunk instead. (she laughs)}

{165}{}{What they do is grease up a brahmin calf, and then everyone in the crowd tries to catch the calf. If you can't catch it yourself, you make damn sure nobody else can, either.} {166}{}{I don't see what that has to do with politics.}

{168}{}{In this game, Redding is the greased brahmin - and a golden one at that. New Reno, the New California Republic, and Vault City are all trying to catch us...or at least keep the others from catching us.} {169}{}{What do you mean?}

{171}{}{Here in Redding we mine gold. Then we ship it to New Reno, the NCR, and Vault City in return for goods. Each of those places would like to have the gold - and the trade - all to themselves.} {172}{}{Why don't they just attack you and take it, then?}

{174}{}{We're big enough, and far enough away, to make a take-over expensive as well as dangerous. Much more efficient to have us join willingly.} {175}{}{What do you mean?}

{177}{}{The three powers are trying to get Redding to choose which side to ally themselves with. They've all got powerful allies in town, and it looks like things are coming to a head. Soon, Redding's going to have to make a choice.} {178}{}{A choice?} {179}{}{Who's working for whom?}

{181}{}{The grease on this Brahmin calf is getting a bit thin. Soon, one of the powers is going to have to make a major play to take Redding before the others do. When that happens, people are going to get hurt. A lot of people.} {182}{}{Who's working for whom?} 183}{}{Why are people going to get hurt?}

{185}{}{I'm not altogether sure, but I think the lineup's like this: Dan McGrew's all for New Reno, Marge LeBarge's for the NCR, Doc Johnson's for Vault City, and I don't know yet who Mayor Ascorti's for.} {186}{}{How can those people help a takeover?} {187}{}{Who's Marge LeBarge?} {188}{}{Who's Dan McGrew?} {189}{}{Who's Doc Johnson?} {190}{}{Who's Mayor Ascorti?}

{192}{}{People are going to get hurt because this kind of change doesn't come easy. Those that think they're not going to get the prize get it in their mind to not let anyone else get it, either. The only way to avoid that is if we decide to go with one of the powers and make a quick alliance before the others catch on.} {193}{}{What do you think will happen?}

{195}{}{I think that the folks here will follow Mayor Ascorti's lead. He's a crook, but people trust that. He'll go with whoever's strongest. You see, whatever's good for Ascorti is also going to be good for Redding. I think he just hasn't figured out who's closest to being on top yet. But he's got to choose soon.}

{198}{}{Marge LeBarge is the owner of the Kokoweef Mine. It and the Morningstar Mine are the only two working mines left in Redding. I think that Marge's more of an NCR type. I don't think she likes their prudishness, but she recognizes power when she sees it.} {199}{}{Who's Dan McGrew?} {200}{}{Who's Doc Johnson?} {201}{}{Who's Mayor Ascorti?} {202}{}{How can these people help a takeover?}

{204}{}{Dangerous Dan McGrew, ah, yes. He's the owner of the Morningstar Mine. It and the Kokoweef Mine are the only two working mines left in Redding. I think Dan is leaning more towards New Reno, if I had to guess. He likes his miners doped up and happy.} {205}{}{Who's Marge LeBarge?} {206}{}{Who's Doc Johnson?} {207}{}{Who's Mayor Ascorti?} {208}{}{How can these people help a takeover?}

{210}{}{Ascorti's the Mayor. He runs Ascorti's Ace downtown. He takes care of buying and selling a lot of stuff. He's right in the middle of all kinds o' thangs.} {211}{}{Ascorti's the Mayor of Redding. But I don't rightly know where he is. Haven't seen him around for a stretch.}

{214}{}{Jet is a wonderful drug that helps me to take the edge of this miserable existence, darling.} {217}{}{Jet's a drug that helps me to feel truly alive. I'm a real sky-pilot with Jet.} {220}{}{Mmmm, I'll tell you what Jet is. It's delicious, that's what it is. Jet has something for everybody.} {223}{}{Jet used to be the thing. Now it's turning my guts around and around like a worn-out washing machine. I wouldn't recommend any of the current batch. This Jet has run out of fuel and crashed, darling.} {226}{}{Something was desperately wrong with the last batch of Jet that went through town. It crashed and burned on take-off. I think I'm through flying. Now, drinking - there's something that you can depend on.} {229}{}{Painless Doc Johnson's sort of a mystery man. I don't know where he came from, but he's a real M.D., all right. Only place he'd get training like that is Vault City. I'm betting he's been planted here to further their interests. He must've pissed off someone there to get the assignment, though; those VC'ers don't like the outside much.}

{235}{}{The Mayor's a man that knows how to play both sides while he's stealing the middle. He's got a few scruples left, but mostly he'll do what's right for Redding in order to keep his own interests safe.}

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Appearances
Modjeska appears only in Fallout 2.