Cherchez La Femme

Cherchez La Femme is a perk exclusively for a female Courier .
==Effects==
Taking this perk grants a permanent 10% bonus to damage dealt against members of the same sex as well as unique dialogue options with certain characters of the same sex.
Like with Confirmed Bachelor, the dialogue options unlocked by the perk identify the Courier as homosexual (or bisexual if Black Widow is selected as well).
==Interactions that require the Cherchez La Femme perk==
* During Bye Bye Love, Joana can be charmed into having sex for free (bypasses Speech requirement). Joana: "Oh confident. I like that. So, what do you want to do with what you've got?"The Courier: [Cherchez La Femme] "The better question is what are *you* going to do with it"Joana: "Oh my, aren't you something else...!? I guess you'll have to see for yourself what I can do, huh? Consider it 'on the house,' honey."(Joana's dialogue)
* Talking to Cass about caravan life and her views on "soft men".The Courier: "How's caravan life in the Mojave?"Cass: "Well, I'm not one for soft living... or soft men, let me tell you. I'm guessing neither are you."The Courier: [Cherchez La Femme] "That's... rarely an issue."Cass: "What? Oh. Damn, no offense meant. Sometimes I get so drunk, I don't care who I share a bed with, so that's fine with me. My point before? Is that you know the Mojave, and it's a hard place."(Cass's dialogue)
* During The Coyotes, Sweetie can be persuaded to hand over the key to Saint James' room for free.The Courier: "Any chance you could help me get into Saint James's room?"Sweetie: "I do have his spare key, but I'm not sure he'd like it if I let you in there. Saint James can be a little crazy sometimes."The Courier: [Cherchez La Femme] "We girls need to stick together, and this'll be our secret."Sweetie: "I could never resist a woman like you. Here, take the key, but don't tell anyone where you got it."(Sweetie's dialogue)
* Talking to Corporal Betsy at Camp McCarran and hearing her aggressive flirtation tactics.Corporal Betsy: "Girl... you are some grade-A poon, anybody ever tell you that?"The Courier: [Cherchez La Femme] "Only all the time."Corporal Betsy: "You and me at Gomorrah, rolled up in those silk sheets. I got leave coming up in a bit, so let me know if you'll be around."(Corporal Betsy's dialogue)
* During How Little We Know, the Gomorrah receptionist can be charmed into giving up information on the local happenings at the casino.The Courier: "I'm sure you have all the good dirt on what goes on around here."Gomorrah receptionist: "I sure do, but loose lips sink ships."The Courier: [Cherchez La Femme] "Beautiful, I would love to help you loosen those lips."Receptionist: "I... well, since you ask so nicely, and I'm not sure I could resist those pretty eyes. What do you want to know?"(Receptionist's dialogue)
** One can also persuade any female Gomorrah prostitute to tell where to find Cachino,Gomorrah prostitute: "You looking for a good time?"The Courier: [Cherchez La Femme] "I be a sexy lady like you could tell me where I could find someone named Cachino."Prostitute: "Gorgeous, you can have anything you want from me. Cachine is in Brimstone."(Prostitute's dialogue) resulting in the man coming to her directly to find out why she's questioning everyone about him.Cachino: "I hear you been asking questions about me, dickweed. What the fuck do you want?"(Cachino's dialogue)
* Talking to Christine about her past relationships after rescuing her.The Courier: "Family? Husband"Christine: [She frowns, shakes her head, and even more so at husband.]Courier: "[Cherchez La Femme] Oh - girlfriend."Christine: [She hesitates, then waves her hand.]Courier: "You were more than girlfriends - lovers."Christine: [She nods, and looks at you a little surprised.]Courier: "What, you think I don't understand love?"Christine: [She raises an eyebrow, looks at you.]Courier: "I understand how important a loved one can be."Christine: [She nods slowly, studying you. She seems to be gauging you again. She makes a slow circle motion after a moment, taps her wrist.](Christine's dialogue)
* During Mixed Signals, after activating the remote maintenance terminal to help Christine (instead of her getting into the elevator), she can be further reassured of their partnership.Christine: [Christine motions to you, points at the door uneasily, then makes a pulling motion with her hand. She seems hesitant to go near it.]The Courier: "I've found a way to do the bypass from here. You should be able to just use the terminal over there."Christine: [Christine nods gratefully. She glances in the direction of the terminal, looks at you, smiles, gives a thumbs up.]Courier: "Are you going to be okay here?"Christine: [She nods... the gestures at your hand, offers her]Courier: <Take her hand.>Christine: [She holds it, meeting your eyes intently for a moment. She gives your hand a gentle squeeze, then releases it and smiles slightly.]Courier: [Cherchez La Femme] "I'll be back for you, okay?"Christine: [Christine tilts her head slightly, glances at your collar, then your Pip-Boy. She opens her mouth, frowns, then closes it. Her face looks sad, and she taps her chest once, slowly. She nods at you, then the exit.]Courier: "I mean it. Stay alive until I get back."Christine: [She narrows her eyes, determined, and gives a last nod.](Christine's dialogue)
* During Picking Your Brains, when talking to Dr. Dala's, her "scientific intrigue" on the anatomy of humans can be... satisfied, which triggers and then completes Coming Out of Her Shell to gain Dala as 1 of 3 required "votes" to make Dr. Klein back down during Old World Blues (bypasses Perception and/or teddy bear requirement).Dr. Dala: "You are an unusual specimen to so boldly... walk... into the mighty expanse of the Think Tank. Fearless and proud as a teddy bear. Between the extraction of their higher reasoning abilities and urination-inducing fear, most Lobotomites dare not approach us. Let alone speak to us. Yet you have no such fear, facing me, epidermis flushed with blood, plasma running molten beneath, your face contorting with... muscular expression. Will you... indulge me? Say a... few words? Face towards the monitors, please... so that I might record it... for further examination."The Courier: "The quick Scribe jumped over the lazy Paladin?"Dr. Dala: "Yes, yes, go on. Seeing your... lips and mouth forming the words... both revolting...and somehow... how does it feel to have the flesh roll around in your mouth like that? To control each muscle... and the tongue... like having a fish, or extremely dexterous slug, lolling and flopping in one's... mouthal cavity."Courier: [Cherchez La Femme] "It seems to me you have more... biological needs than your counterparts."Dr. Dala: "What? Nonsense."Courier: <Close eyelids, breathe deeply, then stretch languidly>Dr. Dala: "What... what are you doing?"Courier: <Turn and cough roughly, then slowly scratch nose.>Dr. Dala: "Stop it. Why... why are you making me partake in this... filthy formography?"Courier: <Run your hands along the sides of your face, then exhale rapidly.>Dr. Dala: "Enough! I am already... intrigued. You have sufficiently... percolated me. I don't know what it is about the biology of Lobotomites. It... it infects my thoughts. All that skin and muscle... and tissue."(Dala's dialogue)
* Talking to both the Light Switch 01Light Switch 01: "Oh my. Partial functionality restored - that's less than optimal"The Courier: [Cherchez La Femme] "It's not often I meet a light switch with brains and beauty. I think I'm going to like it here."Light Switch 01: "Oh... well that's very sweet of you. Maybe one of these nights we can... discuss theorems?"Courier: "I'd enjoy that."Light Switch 01: "Me too. Hope you can keep up - I work pretty fast. Here - something for you to brush up on."(Light Switch 01's dialogue) and Light Switch 02Light Switch 02: "Mmm... that was a nice little, uh, catnap. How long was I out?"The Courier: "A light switch that turns *me* on? I must be dreaming."Light Switch 02: "Oh you! I bet you say that to all the light switches!"Courier: "Only the sexy ones."Light Switch 02: "Now I know you're flirting with me. And it's working. Why don't you take Meeting People|this - to remember me by?"(Light Switch 02's dialogue), they can be seduced, gaining rewards such as a Programmer's Digest or a Meeting People magazine depending on which was flirted with respectively.
* During Old World Blues, talking to their extracted brain, one can flirt with it to uncomfortable response.The Courier: [Cherchez La Femme] "Come on, you're my brain, and I'm your body. This is meant to be, baby!"Courier's brain: "Are you... are you coming onto me?! Sweet Lord, I don't even have the words for how repugnantly wrong that is!"(Brain's dialogue)
==Behind the scenes==
* "Cherchez La Femme" is a French phrase originating in the 1854 Alexandre Dumas novel, Mohicans of Paris. It literally means "look for the woman" and is a staple trope of vintage detective fiction, where the source of the mystery is a femme fatale or a female love interest.Cherchez la femme on Wikipedia
* "Cherchez La Femme" was also a #1 US dance hit performed by the big band/disco group Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band, released in 1976.
* Director of Fallout: New Vegas Joshua Sawyer came up with the idea of creating perks for various sexualities, including Confirmed Bachelor and Cherchez La Femme.Q&A session with Josh Sawyer during a live charity stream. (reference begins at 10:12:23)
==References==
Non-game
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