Letter #22: A farewell see you soon

Hey there sweety pie.

When I woke up in the mornin' the smell of death was in the air. My face was numb from the dawn's cold, so I'm not sure if I cried or not.

I crossed the river in the same boat I came in with. Then headed north, to the power station Yes Man wanted me to go.

I was still feelin' sick. Raul told me that probably the bunker where all the 'bots were was irraiated and that was why I was feelin' that way.

We were gettin' hit pretty hard by those damn Legionaries. I guess killin' Caesar wasn't enough. There was still gonna be a battle in the Dam and some other vicious man is commandin' those murderers. I could only hope he wasn't even worst. And right when I was thinkin' this I heard Mr. New Vegas tellin' news about the second in command in the Legion. Legate Lanius. He said he made a whole squad who had failed a mission beat their own commander to death. Sick, sick, honey...

We had to go through El Dorado Lake, or dry lake, which was infested by - I ain't even kiddin' - giant ants that breathe fire! Once we learned this we tried to take out as many as we could by the distance, to avoid gettin' burnt.

When we arrived at the power station we saw the place filled with NCR troopers. They even got one of them to come talk to me and threatin' me that in case I went in the control room there'd be trouble. Well unfortunatly there'd be trouble. I pulled out the grenade launcher and killed 'em with two shots. I was gettin' tired of the killin', but couldn't think about that. Not at that point.

I went in and powered the substation by installin' the override chip, as Yes Man asked me to.

On my way there I restocked in ammo and medicine. If there was gonna be a battle, I'd have to be ready. Also, since I went to a clinic to resupply I asked to check why I was sick. The Doctor told me it was indeed radiation and so I asked her to cure me. Smooth 'n' easy.

I got to Yes Man and I told'im everythin' was ready. And then he told me that The Legion was already movin' troops. Hell, at the time I thought there was still some time left. But hey, if they're ready, I'm ready. Yes Man told me that I had two ways of runnin' things. I could destroy the Dam's generators, makin' it useless and takin' away any reason for the NCR to stay or I could override their station, wakin' up and callin' the robots I made work at The Fort. I wanted the Dam with power, I didn't want New Vegas to end, I just wanted it to be free. And also, gettin' those robots to work was hard, I didn't want it to go to waste! But even first than that I had to intsall Yes Man into the NCR's system. That was the plan.

I told Raul he didn't need to come with me. It was my battle. But he joke, typical of him. Said that I sat through his "boring stories" (his words honey!), so he had to fight this little battle with me. I just smiled. These last days had been dark for me, so a smile was more that I could manage.

We arrived at the Dam by mornin' We were pumped, we were ready. It was not somethin' we wanted to do, but was somethin' that needed to be done. Raul even joked about being there, sayin' he didn't believe he was doin' that and that, if he died, he wanted a twelve men mariachi band (a mexican thingy, he told me eh eh) playin' at his funeral. Yes Man had a robot (those Securitrons) follow me, to guide me.

Fortunatly, the NCR was on my side. Kind of. Let's put it this way: they weren't shootin' at me. That was a plus. The bot led me to a tower that had an elevator to the office area, where I needed to install Yes Man. But hot damn, the damned room was guarded by NCR troopsters in Brotherhood of Steel armor! Gladly I had one of those plasma explosive ordinance stolen from the Brotherhood themsleves and that took care of 'em. That made the NCR clear that I wasn't with 'em and they started shootin' then.

At the control room I installed Yes Man. He appeared on tiny computers and asked me what would I want to do, power the bots at the Fort or blow up them generators. I told him to power the bots. We needed more firepower. He told me he'd do it, but I needed to press a button. The bot I was with would direct me to it.

I killed both legionaries and NCR troopsters on my way to the button. Then pressed it and the Dam got all lit up inside. I guessed the power was already bein' sent.

I got back outside, where most of the fightin' was bein' set. Once I got out I saw the whole Fort burnin' up in flames and bot back up comin' and blowin' up Legion squads.

And then I reached the end of the line. Legate's camp. More legionaries to kill and then only their leader for me to worry about. I killed them, as I said and then walked up some steps to a tent. But once I walked up I saw him. It had to be him, the leader, Legate. There he stood, gigantic, majestic.

I holstered my weapon. I may not be smart, but I ain't dumb too. That armor of his would protect him from any shot I could shoot, while he rampaged against me and cut me in half, with not much effort. So I took a deep breath and walked towards him. I told him the battle was already decided and that was the reason that I went there. He told me that the roads the Legion use to move forward are marked by the bodies and blood of people who tried to do what I was doin' just then. But then I asked him if he really thought he was movin' forward. They have been tryin' to take the Dam for years. But he said that they didn't took it because they didn't have the full power of the East - him and the remainin' legionaries - and that the West would be taken now that he was there. So, what about the East? If they needed all the East to take over the West, the East would have nothin'. He said the East would hold and that the West would be easy to hold, because nothin' was harder than the Dam. But that wasn't right. It would take all the Legion to hold the West. And he knew it. He knew he couldn't hold both East and West, even if he succeeded in the battle. And then he said that Caesar focused too much on the Dam. He would not have that place be the graveyard of the Legion. I tried to be as fancy as I could and told him there was victory in his wisdom. Then he told I, too, was wise. Hum. But also told me that he would return, eventually and test the strength of the West. He hoped that the West would be filled with men like me, so that the fight would be a worthy one. I told him I could only hope that someday his ways would change. He told me there is no changing to us. Told me we were marked by the violence and fortified by it. Told me he was was marked and that so was I, by the two bullet scars on my head. Violence was in us and it made us stronger. But sayin' this, he went back to his tent. I can't stop thinkin' about his words.

So then the Legate was taken care of. But I didn't guess that the NCR would make it's move. They do have a tendency for cowardice. I was walking out the camp and the doors blew up, throwing me back. Then when I got up I saw six of those armored Rangers and one man dressed in military fancy outfit. He came to me with big words, sayin' I did an outstandin' job and that he could he use a hundred like me and that he enjoyed the light show I put on the Fort (he was referrin' to the explosion that made the bots go free and come help me). But then I stopped him. Told him that if he liked that so much, he would LOVE what came next. And that said, almost a hundred of them bots - one of them with Yes Man on the screen - appeared behind the NCR men. The man, General Oliver, asked me, terrified, to tell them to put the weapons down. I told him that if the Hoover Dam was won by anyone, it was for me. Both him and the Legion had lost. But he didn't like that and started talkin' to me like he was mad and could do somethin'. Told me he'd shoot the hell out of me. I asked him if he thought that would be wise. But he kept on and on, sayin' that I wasn't messin' with him right then, I was messin' with the whole NCR. But that did it. I was tired of their superiority. I asked him how would he feel if I asked my bots to fuck him AND his battalions with a rocket barrage. And still the God damn bastard said he came for a fight so he'd fight. Eh eh... I told him I just killed and stood down all of the Legion's toughest. He understood what I meant. Then started talkin' about how hard it is to build a nation. But I don't care. I want the people to be free, not to have a nation. So I told him that worst than the NCR I can't do.

And that was it. I thanked deeply to Raul, cried a little. I loved his company. Told him to give my gun to Rose, because I had to take care of somethin'. He didn't want to let me go, but I told him to return to the New Independent Vegas we had returned. Raul always understood me. My best friend.

I'm wondering if what I'm doin' now, gun to my head, sittin' on the grave that Benny dug for me, is fair. Fair for Raul and for Rose. I know they like me. But I want confort. Warmth. I need you, honey. I need to go meet you. I don't want to leave you all alone in the afterlife. And I'm comin'. Knowin' I made a difference, for the better or for the worst, the people of the Mojave are free, like I wanted.

And that said, it is time to drop my pen and press my pistol against my head.

Farewell sweety pie.

I'll see you soon.

Letter #21: A whole lot of killin'...

Hey there sweety pie!

So as you knew, I was goin' to deal with them Omertas. I... I had only one way to deal with them rapists and no good drug dealers, sweety pie.

I shot'em up real good. They didn't diserve their place in the Wasteland. And I was makin' sure of that. Of course, I let all the folk that were there for the gamblin' or lookin' for fun go. I only killed anyone related to the Omertas and their lil' operations.

Of course, the suite level was the hardest. Little space, many thugs. I unlocked the two rooms I couldn't get into the first time I was there. There was nothin' there, though... So I got back to that fellow Clanden's room and shot him up too. He wasn't expecting it, I guess. But I didn't want to think about it. They had to go, all of them.

And that settled my business with the Mojave tribes. I had to go back to Yes Man. No sweety pie, I have no regrets. Those were bad fellows.

First thing Yes Man told me was that that bunker in Fortification Hill he had told me about was super-important. It had an army of these robots that Yes Man was gonna control and use as my allies. So I had to go there and upgrade them and once they were upgraded Yes Man would do the rest.

Then told my computer friend that I decided to ignore the Boomers, convinced the Great Khans to leave the Mojave, the Omertas could be out of our thoughts, the White Gloves were cannibals but I resolved that problem and that the Brotherhood of Steel was to be ignored.

Yes Man told me that Mr. House planned on helping President Kimball, the President of the NCR, who was goin' to the Mojave to visit and had a very high chance of being assassinated by The Legion. By Mr. House's calculations, the death of Kimball would result in a decrease of visitors to New Vegas for five years. But I didn't care, I just want the corrupt out of my Wasteland, so everyone can be free. So I told him I didn't care what happened.

Lastly, he gave me another assignment. I had to install an override chip at a substation controlled by the NCR. I'd get it done.

Firstly I wanted to go get my robot army. So I filled Raul in and headed south, to where the Legion fellow told me to go. Cottonwood Cove. There it would be a bark that'd take me to the Fort, Caesar's home.

Well HOT DAMN! On our way we were attacked by an assassin squad! A Legion assassin squad! That meant I was no longer a guest in Cottonwood Cove OR The Fort... But I had to go there! And so I kept on goin'.

We decided to sleep at the camp that once belonged to some gang members and I had cleared off.

When we got near that Cottonwood Cove place we got on the cliffs that watched over the camp and started pickin' up Legionaries one by one. I'm doin' a lot of killin' this time around heh? I'm sorry sweety pie.

I went down in the camp and finished 'em off. They were gettin' crippled, one legionarie after 'nother. They couldn't stop us.

I found a slave pen at the camp. I unlocked the cage and told them to run. They didn't seem to want to run at first but then I convinced them to go. Told 'em everythin' was gonna be alright. Honey... I didn't notice their explosive colars... Ten steps away from their cage and they all blew up... I... Did I do that?...

No. The Legion did it. Them bastards... I'd get them. Ohh, I'd get them honey.

I killed the man who guarded the boat to The Fort and then rode it myself to the arms of The Legion. But not to hug them. To grab 'em and break 'em.

I got in the camp and they recognized me right away. Didn't even gave 'em time to act, I shot 'em right then. The more I advanced, the more of them there were. But I kept killin' 'em. And Raul too. He shared my pain. Pain that was not mine, but from everyone who The Legion had hurt.

I had almost forgotten why I did go to The Fort. But still, before I went in the bunker, I had to pay Caesar a visit. That bastard.

A couple o' explosive ordinance later, there he was the "Mighty" Caesar, by my feet. Dead. Like many who bravely dared to cross his path. His reign of terror was over.

Then I went in the bunker. There were a couple more legion inside, but I was used to killin' them by then. I put the Platinum Chip in a slot and a hatch opened, leadin' to a door with the Lucky 38 logo. Pass that doors, there were robots and somethin' weird in the air. I started feelin' sick. But I advanced to the end of the bunker. There were lots 'n' lots o' machines. In the end there was 'nother console for me to put the Chip in. I did and I guess that did the trick. There was a big noise and I heard robots marchin'. Then looked out the glass and hooooly dayum sweety pie! We're gonna have lots of support, believe that!

I got out of the bunker. I'm tired and feelin' sick. I have to sleep here at the Fort. The place where I just killed dozens of people. But I can't let that bother me. It's a good deed that I had done to my future Wasteland.

Love you, sweety pie.

Letter #20: Playin' cupid...

Hey there sweety pie!

I was searched once I got inside the casino, like useual. Raul, too. I didn't know where to start, so Raul suggested we'd talk to the woman at the entrance counter and maybe she'd even give us some dirt on the fellows. While the lady did have loose lips, she seemed afraid to talk about anything related to the Omertas family. Well if even one of their own is afraid it was worth checkin' right?

Lots of strippers, gamblers and drunks inside the casino. Took quite a few turns in the lower lobby, main level and the suites. Lots of areas had restricted access, so I couldn't get inside.

Found the first man that wasn't wearing the Omerta's outfit in suites so I sat down and talked with him. Clanden was the fellows name. He wasn't a man of many words, though. Actually sounded weird.

I couldn't take it anymore. They had all the atmosphere of being criminals, but I couldn't find nothin'! So I broke into the first unguarded locked room I found. Searched everything. I found something illegal alright. It belonged to someone named Cachino, it was a bunch of notes about his own chems and weapons traffic. It seemed clear, also, that the Omertas did not know a thing. So I could use this in my advantage. All the other things on the floor were either tightly guarded of unlockable, so I got down. Thought I'd find this "Cachino" fellow.

Both me and Raul were startin' to get tired of walkin around. We had only one more place to search that wasn't guarded. The Courtyard. Well, we had no idea that's where all the... Prostitutes, would be at. One of them came talkin' to me right away. Joana was her name. She thought I wanted some... Action. Heck. I told her I just wanted to ask some questions. She didn't want to answer my Omertas questions. So I asked about her, to see if I could get a more personal approach. She started to avoid my questions, so I told her, calmly, that she could trust me. She got sad and told she couldn't talk there, so asked me to follow her to her room.

Once we got there I asked her about the Omertas. Her attitude had changed, she called 'em sons of bitches and was willin' to answer my questions. Told me their leader was Nero and that Big Sal was his right hand. Also mentioned Cachino. Said he did nasty, nasty things... Oh honey.

She also started talkin' about her, because she was afraid. She thought she'd die eventually in that place. Mentioned a Carlitos, so I asked about him. She said that he was an Omerta who fell in love with her and, since that was breakin' the rules, Cachino ratted him and he disappeared. I asked her if there was a chance that Carlitos was alive. She said that if he was, he could be long gone. I said I'd find him. The poor girl deserved a chance.

So I left the Gomorrah. Raul told me the best place for him to be was near but far. Hidden under their noses. Because he wouldn't abandon the woman he loved. Heh, made sense! So we searched the Vault 21 hotel, the only low profile buildin' around that could accomodate someone. Sarah, the hotel's owner, told me that he was indeed there. Jackpot, eh eh!

When I found him he was in pretty bad shape. Tryin' to drink himself to 6 feet under. But he got very happy once I told him that Joana had sent me. Asked me to let her know that he was alive and ready to help her. So off I went back to the Gomorrah.

Runnin' back 'n' forth... Raul called me a cupid, eh... Oh well, me and my big heart!

When I got to Joana she was really happy to know that Carlitos was alive. Then she told she wanted to get all the other girls out too, so it would be a little bit harder. I told her I'd keep her safe, no matter what. And so she agreed to flee the Omertas. And I had to go back to Carlitos to tell him... Damn.

Carlitos had a plan. I had to get the girls to Freeside, there he'd have backup. I had to talk to his guys, to tell them Carlitos wanted to collect his favors. That was all right, but I asked him how did he intended to get her out of the Gomorrah. That woul be the hard part, I guessed. But he told me that if they dressed right, like the general Gomorrah customers, the bouncers wouldn't notice the girls.

Me and Raul decided not to collect Carlitos' favor. We were enough, if anything even went down. We had each other's backs. Los Vaqueros of the Mojave, eh eh! (Raul has actually taught me that it is "Los Vaqueros de la Mojave", eh eh).

I met Joana and told her the plan. We had to wait until midnight, like Carlitos wanted. Joana already had the clothes and the girls ready. And so we left the Courtyard. And the Gomorrah. No one even suspected a thing! It all went well honey, eh eh!

We met Carlitos outside The Strip's gate, like he said. It was all goin' pretty well, but then some Omertas appeared. Hell. I came up with somethin' real quick. Told him he was ruinin' "the mission". Of course, he didn't know what I was talkin' about. I mumbled a bit, yeah, but then I told him that the Omertas were tradin' Joana for what Carlitos had stolen. And that I was hired to watch over the deal. They bought it. Eh eh, my silver tongue saved us once again!

Carlitos and Joana seemed so happy. The other girls, too. I didn't want nothin' for the trouble. Just wanted them to leave. And now... The Omertas will get to know me. Mark my words sweety pie. No one gets away with those ammount of crimes in my Wasteland.

Love you sweety pie!

Letter #19: Sick, sick people

Hey there sweety pie!

I exited the Lucky 38 with Raul while Rose was still a-sleepin' and went to the Ultra-Luxe and was greeted by a creepy fellow with a mask, who asked me to give him all my weapons. Very polite. But still, so creepy. Everyone of them wore a mask.

I noticed a man with a cowboy hat that was sittin' on the balcony. You know that if I have to talk to anyone, my first choice is always someone with a cowboy hat eh eh! He didn't even let me talk, though! When I approached him he asked me if I hadn't seen a young man around, It his son that was missin'. His name was Heck Gunderson and his son was Ted. Of course, the old man seemed to be in pain, so I offered my help.

Then I went talk to the leaders. I had to ask them about Ted and about themsleves, in order to know 'em better. I ended up talkin' to a man in a fine top hat. He didn't know nothin' about no one's son and also had an attitude, like his "White Gloves" were better than anyone. Hell, I don't like these people sweety pie!

I talked to the other leader, a woman. I said I was lookin' for someone and she said that she had already talked to an investigator about that and that she was tired of people accusing them of cannibalism just because they once were cannibals. HELL!, I really don't like these people! What if the investigator is right and they are holdin' the boy captive to eat him? God damn, I had to get to the bottom of this! Raul wasn't likin' it too. She pointed me to the previous investigator's room and so I went there. Went I got to the room i found only a dead body. While I was looking at the body something hit me in the head. I fell to the ground and when I looked up Raul was fighting to of them White Gloves. I tried to get up and help with the fight, but I ain't much in a hand to hand fight. Then we heard shots and looked at the door. That same man that helped me in Zion was now in the Mojave helpin' me! He was gone before I could see straight.

So, we had a dead investigator and White Gloves tryin' to kill me for investigatin'. Oh they're goin' down.

The investigator had a note with him that said "Steam Room, 4PM". I guess I'd be there instead of him. It was pretty hot on that damned thing while I expected the someone or something to appear. And someone did appear. It was someone who I had seen earlier, he was a White Glove but the only one who did not wear one of those creepy masks. His name was Chauncey. He said that Mortimer, the fellow with the top hat, was starting to take their group into the old cannibal days and that's why people started missin'. He also told me about Heck Gurdenson. He asn't the man I thought he was, he was crazed, always used brute force, even to drive his Brahmin cattlers' competition away. That was why he was so rich. Still, I couldn't let the White Glove go with these crimes... These... Freaks...

Once we were done talkin' those... An... An assassin sent by those motherfuckers to kill Chauncey. He also tried to kill me, but me and Raul were too much for'im. I'd expose them and end this façade, no matter what!

Chauncey gave me a few ideas to unmask the White Gloves. First I had to become an honorary member, to have full access to all Ultra-Luxe. I spoke to Marjorie and, given my reputation around the Strip, she accepted and gave me the key to the member-only section. Then I had to see it from the inside. I found it easy to sneak around without being seen into the kitchen area. Sure, they saw me enterin', but then I made my way swiftly to the kitchen without anybody seein' me.

Once in the kitchen, I had to drug the wine. I didn't really know how to do it, but I took some advice from a magazine I had on me and I did it. Hoped it would work. Then I had to call the waiter. But heck, the "chef" or whatever they called the fellow wouldn't leave the place where the intercom was! So I told the guy I was a new member, so that he wouldn't go crazy crazy on me and then told him I had seen radroaches on the pantry. Eh eh, wasn't that fun! Once he got there I locked him inside! He won't starve, at least eh eh!

I called the waiter and saw him grab the wine and take it up. That would only keep them occupied while I took Ted out though. It wouldn't expose the White Gloves. But I couldn't do anything else. I couldn't cook, like Chauncey suggested, even though I had the recipe. I'm that bad!

I found Ted. He was alive, in the freezer. Fortunatly. I didn't like'im though, just because he was rich he thought he was better than anyone else. He wanted to tell his father what happened and that would get all White Gloves killed. I told him only Mortimer and his followers were to blame and persuated him to believe me - he was a stubborn kid.

It worked. Ted, Raul and me walked by the Gourmand (the restaurant in which he was s'posed to be served as food...) like no one even noticed us and from there we ran to Heck, his father. He asked me who was responsible and I pointed him to Mortimer. He said he'd cut off Brahmin supply to everyone in The Strip and make them starve. I told him that'd be what they wanted, 'cause everybody would start eatin' each others. And he accepted that.

White Gloves wouldn't forget me anytime soon. They wouldn't be cannibals for sure. As sure as that's that, they won't be a problem. Only one more tribe to know before talkin' to Yes Man!

Bah, the Gomorrah's entrance is filled with strippers or hookers! I don't really like that stuff! I'm so glad to have you eh eh! I'm now ridin' into this pit of sin honey, I'll let you know how it went!

Love you sweety pie!

Letter #18: Los Vaqueros of the Mojave

Hey there sweety pie!

We exited Camp McCarran and rode north, to Nellis Airforce Base, to make contact with the folks called Boomers. When we approached the road to Nellis a stranger talked to us. Told us we'd get blown ta pieces if we went on. Seems like the Boomers shoot everyone on sight. With artillery. Big explosions. Well, not a good first impression I tell ya that! The stranger wanted to tell me the way to get past them, but only if I wagered with'im. Well why not. I gave the fella 300 caps and he said he'd double it if I could get back. Eh eh!

George, the stranger's name, told me it was all in the timing. I had to take cover while they were shootin' and run while they were reloadin'. And so I did it. It was hell on Earth baby! Explosions everywhere. I had to grab the wall I was pressin' against or else I'd get thrown out by the air waves! They reloaded, I ran. They shot, I hid. They reloaded and I ran to their fence, where they wouldn't shoot.

The guard was very surprised to see me alive. I put my hands up and said I didn't want no troubles. Then a girl came along, her name was Raquel. She was in charge of the security there. She took me to their leader. Their leader was an old woman named Mother Pearl. She said my coming was like a gift. Because they had so many problems. Now... This is where it gets rough. I couldn't help them baby. I saw the airforce base. They have farms, water, security. They live in their own world. I have to worry about mine. How I can keep the Mojave alive. I... I didn't like makin' that call. As I left Mother Pearl's house I felt sad. Y'know I like to help people. But I also have to make choices. There's a battle coming. If I don't prepare, I'll never get the Mojave to work the way I want it to, the best way to work.

I explored a bit more before I left. I wanted to see the Boomers. Maybe after I got the Mojave to work I could still comeback for them!

While watchin' the Hangars an' all those broken planes Someone caught my eye. An old man. Yes, this was the perfect oportunity to show Raul once and for all that old men can be useful! I could only hope that he was indeed useful eh eh! His name was Loyal. He was the repairman of the tribe. Just like Raul eh eh!

It didn't take long before Raul talked with me. Said that it was a good thing to see and I smiled. I knew what he ment. All those old people, making best of what they could to help their own. Then Raul asked me if he wanted me to finish his story. I smiled and leaned against a wall. Said headed north to Tuscon, Arizona. Had a shack and started fixin' things for the town and it's folk. He said he was... Happy, there. I asked why didn't he stay. Y'know, 'cause I do want so see Raul happy. He deserves it. He said that, after living in Tuscon for 75 years, he saw someone. Claudia was the gal's name. Said she looked just like Rafaela, her sister. Claudia worked in the town's brothel. Then a tribe of raiders went in to town, lookin' for ammo. Raul told me he sold them the ammo, hopin' they'd leave without no trouble if he did. But he was wrong. They went in the brothel and got crazy. Killed four of the girls. Took Claudia with them to their hide-out. Raul followed them, tracked 'em down. Took'im three days. When he had arrived, Claudia was shot in both her eyes... He avenged her, just like he did with Rafaela. Didn't go well. He killed two of them and the other five shot'im and shot'im hard. Said he was kept alive purely by rage and will power. And then he shot'em all. They were dead. Caudia avenged. He just laid there. After some time he could move. Even more time, he made it back to Tuscon. Then, after he recovered better, he rode West, swearing he'd give up on the gunslingin' life. Walked into Tabitha in Black Mountain. The rest I already knew right? Eh eh! But then he thought that, seeing me fight, he was only slowing me down. He sugested to keep my pistols workin' while I did the shootin'. Well, I respect his decision. I respect him. But I did say that he was foolin' himself. He was great with his pistols. Better than me. And then... You'll never guess what Raul took off his backpack sweety pie, eh eh!

His Old Vaquero costume eh eh eh! Raul and Carter, Los Vaqueros of the Mojave! (he'll teach me better spanish eventually eh eh!)

So we left Nellis, with hopes to come back after the Mojave's business was settled. We went into Freeside and got to The Strip as fast as we could. I still had to look into the White Gloves, the Omertas and had to go to The Tops to check on my buddy. I did that last one.

I talked with Tommy Torini at the Tops. Everyone I had talked to to go there was there. I received the caps though and then sat next to my friedn. We talked a little about what he thought of his new life. I could only think about I would, hopefully, make it all even better. And not just for him, but for everyone!

I wanted to go to the Lucky 38. Not talk to Yes Man, I'd do that when everything was done. I wanted to see Rose. And also get a good night's sleep. But Rose... It wasn't fair for her, I haven't been around for so long!

When she saw me walk out of the elevator she slapped me, then hugged me and then cried. We sat down and talked a lot. About Zion, about Raul... About my new hat, eh eh! It was so good to be with her again. We stood up late. And now I am going to sleep. A lot. Eh eh!

Love you sweety pie!

Letter #17: Keeping promises

Hey there sweety pie!

Now that that gal Melissa was on my side I was ready to return to Red Rock an' tell that the Legion was bad to all those other folk that I had to convince.

Aw Hell, as soon as we stepped out of the camp one of them deathclaw critters spotted us and came runnin', luckily we could keep it of our backs. Sheesh, those are some tough critters sweety pie!

I arrived at the Red Rock an' I knew the next order of business was to talk to a fellow named Jack and his sweetheart Diane. While I was on my way to the drug lab a Legionarie appeared, telling me that "Karl sent his regards". I only knew Karl was the Legion representative in the Great Khans, but I hadn't done anythin' to be attacked! Honest! Well, poor fellow and his machete had no chance against me and Raul...

We got to Jack and Diane fast enough. Regis had told me that I only had to convince one of them to get them both on my side. So I went for Jack. If he was anythin' like me, he wouldn't want anythin' to happen to his sweetheart. He talked really funny, like he was on some of the stuff he made. I asked him to opose to Caesar's alligiance and he said he wouldn't, because he didn't care who was in charge as long as he had Diane. Ain't that sweet. Problem was, he wouldn't have Diane. Caesar would make her a slave, just like Melissa would be made. And I told him just that. He said a bunch of funny words and then ended up saying he and Diane had my back. I really liked talkin' to this fellow eh eh!

On my way to the longhouse a couple more Legionaries appeared, tellin' me "You don't give up, do you?". Hell, no. And it wouldn't be a couple of fellows in skirts that would keep me away from my goals! All those attacks only made Karl look more suspicious. I went into the longhouse and snuck into his room. I found his journal on a small table. It said that he was sick of being among those "savages" and that he couldn't wait until they did Caesar's bidding so that they could all become slaves. Poor Great Khans folk, bein' played like that... I wouldn't stand for it!

I stood in front of Papa Khan's table for a while. There eating were also Regis and Karl. I looked at Karl as I handed to Papa Khan his journal. It was the last time they ate together. Papa killed the man himself.

Regis was convinced by the journal too. Now I only had to talk to Papa Khan about finally breaking the alliance. He told me he was confused. If he wouldn't stand with Caesar, where would he regain his tribe's greatness? I could see that the fellow really cared about his tribe, his men, women and children. I told him he didn't need to look for others to have his glory back. The Khans were proud and strong. Then I yelled, so that the whole house could hear, that he should claim his own glory! I felt kind of powerful sweety pie eh eh! He liked what he heard and told me that as soon as the battle for Hoover Dam started he would move out of the Mojave with his tribe and conquer other territories. I wished him the best and left Red Rock with a big smile on my face.

Next was to go to Nellis. I made only a slight detour on our ride... Remember my Lonesome Drifter friend right? I told you I promised myself I would get him a good job! I rode to him an' gave him The Tops' business card. He was very surprised to see me. Must've thought I had abandoned him, like his pa... He was very happy sweety pie eh eh!

I had another promise that I had to keep track of. I thought Camp McCarran was a good place to look for an old man who was still useful for his folk. You do know what I'm talkin' about right?

We arrived there at night and were tired. Raul didn't even know why would we walk into a NCR camp like that. I told him we had to sleep and it was safe. He mumbled some complaints and then kept walkin'. So we went to sleep on one of the empty tents. When I woke up I dragged Raul out of his bed and talked to one of the 1st Recon fellows, the old one. Then I started talkin' to him. Corporal Sterling was his name. He said he was once a Ranger, but got captured by The Legion and they tortured him, making his hands useless in a close ranged gunfight. Then the fellow said he crawled out of the place on his elbows and his knees and rolled down to the Colorado river, where he was found by other Rangers by luck. Damn. When we said goodbye I looked at Raul for a while and then started walking towards the exit of the Camp. As we were nearing the exit, Raul touched my shoulder. Asked me if I had a second. Heck, the expression on his face sweety pie... I didn't go to Sterling to make him talk, I was just trying to make him feel useful. But if he wanted to open up to me, I didn't mind that. Not one bit.

First he asked me if I thought that Sterling had done the right thing by continuing his service even after getting tortured and made almost useless. I told him of course, it was great to have such determination. Then he continued his story. He said he had to run with Rafaela. Told her he'd take her to see the "vaqueros", cowboys, in Mexico City. Thing is, Mexico City was annihalated by the Great War and they didn't know that. He said the city had become radioactive ruins, filled with forming raider tribes. Eventually, as they scavanged the town, the radiation started transforming him into a ghoul. Then he said one of his best memories was founding a costume store with an untouched Vaquero (Cowboy!) outfit, eh eh! He said he took it to hide his burns. Said it made her sister Rafaela laugh for the first time since the bombs had fallen. He said the costume created a legend. Which was not good. More people went after them, to prove themselves to friends, to prove they could take on the Vaquero. Then he started to sound sad... I asked him calmly to go on. He said Rafaela went off to find food for herself, because he was sick with the radiation. Sadly, some raiders went scavenging at same time and place that she went. The... The only way he could recognize Rafaela, his own sister... Was from a scar on her knee... I... I couldn't say anything... Terrible couldn't even describe what he had been through... He said he got a little crazy and killed the raiders for revenge. Then he wanted to be alone... Forever... He said he started travelling, thinking about his life. Thought the guns hadn't brought anything to him but disgrace, so he took off the Vaquero suit and put on the Petro-Chico jumpsuit he found on one of their refineries. Then he said he eventually made it to Arizona, but he wouldn't continue. I didn't want to force it, too. He had said so much to me... Raul... A great friend.

We'll be here at the Camp for a while more and then head on to Nellis Airforce Base, to make contact with those Boomers Yes Man told me about.

Love you sweety pie!

Letter #16: A sad ghoul

Hey there sweety pie!

Before exiting the motel room I told Raul all about my quest for an Independent New Vegas. He agreed to support me and suggested we'd go to the Red Rock Canyon, home for the Great Khans. So we exited the motel room and prepared for our ride.

On our way we found an old NCR Ranger. I decided to talk to him. Remember that promise I made to Raul right? The Ranger, Andy, did say he felt a little useless though. He said he used to talk to some other rangers over the radio but then they stopped talkin'. He thought they got tired of him, so I offered to go see what was going on. He refused though. He didn't want them to think that he was havin' trouble movin' on. Then I asked  how did he got injured, since he had told me that his arm and leg wasn't workin' so well. He told me a pretty sad story. The Legion had used a child to lure him into a grenade the kid would drop. Damaged half his body. I told him what I tried to tell Raul. His body was injured, not his head. He got happy and taught me a technique he had learned when on the Rangers. It was a takedown, might come in handy when I run out of ammo eh eh! Point was, Andy felt better about himself. Age can do a number on your body, but your knowledge counts too.

After Andy got in his house and we were about to ride, Raul asked me if he could ask me somethin'. He asked me what I thought of Ranger Andy. What I thought of people who had given all but ended up not being able to do nothing anymore. I told him I thought all the experience earned was invaluable. Then he... opened up to me. A lil'. He asked me if I would be surprised to know if he once was a gunslinging adventurer. And then he told me his story from the begining. He lived in a family farm, before the Great War. Always was quick with his hands, either with a pistol or with a wrench. He told me his farm was far from the explosions so they survived the war, but things got bad quickly after that... He said his family helped refugees that came from Mexico City, where the bombs dropped right on, but that there were so many refugees that they had to start turning folk away. Then folk got violent. They burned his house and trapped all his family inside... He only had time to grab his lil' sister - Rafaela - and go off one window... His parents, grandmother, two brothers and two other sisters... All burnt to death... Raul killed the men that followed 'em while he ran with his sister. He had always been a good shot. Then he figured he should protect his Rafaela rather than go crazy with thoughts of revenge. He stopped there. I asked him if he blamed himself for what had happened then. He wasn't sure, but thought that with all his skills with a pistol, he should be able to do somethin'... I couldn't say anythin' else, he then thanked me for listening to him so kindly. Darn sweety pie... Poor Raul...

We went west and ended up near Goodsprings. I told Raul what the good Doc Mitch had done for me and he told me we should visit. So we did. The Doc didn't have much to say, he was glad to see me but didn't have any stories of late. Goodspring is a fine, quiet town, sure it didn't have anything new happenin'. And I liked it that way.

We went north, the ways of the Red Rock. On the main road there were some cazadores. We killed them and decided to go left, on a path that seemed deserted. While walkin' the path we found many burnt bodies layin' around and at the end of it was a camp swarmin' with those killer flys. Me and Raul hardly handled 'em. We needed to go slow after that fight. Dumb shortcut eh?

When we arrived I recognized the costumes that folk were wearin'. The fellows that gave me Benny's lighter at Boulder City had the same outfit. The ones that aided in my death. Still, I had to check 'em out. I went straight for the longhouse, the only building that wasn't a tent around the place. I talked right to the man who seemed to be the leader. He considered me a cub amongst wolves. I asked him to tell me the story of his people, so I could know about the Khans. I learned that there was an incident with the NCR a while back, in which they slaughtered the Khans' elderly, children, women and sick... Darn. Then Papa Khan, the leader, told me that they had now an alliance with Caesar's Legion. Oh no... I asked him, a bit afraid, for him to break up his alliance with the Legion. I told him that Caesar was just usin' 'em folks and then they'd all be slaves when it was all over. He didn't listen though. I had no more options, so we left the longhouse.

On my leave I was followed by the man who sat next to Papa Khan. He wanted to talk to me about breaking the Khan-Legion alliance. YEE HAA! He said I had to convince specific folk around the Khans in order to make Papa Khan listen. He pointed me out to them. Regis, the man who talked to me, still needed something to convince him, even though he wanted the alliance to be broken. I would do it. The Legion doesn't need supporters. And the Great Khans are good enough to go on without going so low.

So me and Raul had to leave Red Rock to go find a Melissa girl. The other ones I had to convince were all inside the camp so I'd do it when I got back.

It was dark from the night, critters were everywhere. Dangerous critters. Cazadores, Deathclaws, Giant Scorpions... I tried to avoid most. We ended up killin' three of those deathclaws... Sweety pie, those critters scare me to death!

Then we finally found the darn camp where Melissa was.  To convince her, I simply had to say what Regis told me. I had never seen any woman serve the Legion. They used women only as slaves.

They let us sleep at their camp now. We'll be ridin' back to Red Rock in the mornin'.

Love you sweet pie!