Letter #11: Happy Trails

Hey there sweety pie!

I followed what the radio transmition said would be the location. There was a cave and inside the cave there were 5 fellows. I got to know 'em all a bit. The first one I talked to was Ricky, a fellow in a vault suit, but that was lying about being on a vault. Everything that came out of his mouth was a lie. I got a chance to blackmail him and hell did I take advantage. I told him to go. The expedition would be better off without someone who lied with every teeth in his mouth. Other two were just guards who didn't talk much. Then there was Stella who was also a guard but more talkative and friendly. Finally talked to Jed Masterson, the caravan master. He thanked me and Rose for clearing out the Crimson Caravan eh eh! He told me that this expedition was all about saving the Happy Trails Caravan, because without New Canaan they would go bust. But he also told me that the Zion area was filled with tribes and raiders and we ought to be careful.

He told me that they only planned the caravan for one more, even if the Ricky fellow had left... That meant I had to tell Rose to leave for the Lucky 38. She didn't like the idea, but at least she'll be safe. I gave her my hat eh eh... She hugged me after that. Then we looked at each other, with smiles on our faces.

On our long trip, Jed told me what was happenin' in Zion. Turns out one of the people of power in Zion was the Burned Man, once known as Joshua Graham, a former tough-as-nails Legionarie, who Caesar had burned and thrown to the Grand Canyon, after he lost at Hoover Dam.

When we arrived Stella observed that we could not get back the way we came. Well darn. Also, the place was beautiful! I wish you could see it sweety pie!

We were immediatly ambushed by a tribe named White Legs... All those people I came with died... I tried my best to save them...

After shootin' my way out of the ambush I had to cross a bridge that coul very well be the last time it was going to be crossed, for how old it was. Another White Leg tried to shoot me but a tribal - from another tribe - appeared behind him and struck him down. Follows-Chalk was his name. He was affiliated with Joshua Graham and said that he wanted to talk with me. Follows-Chalk showed me around, givin' me directions and tellin' me what was happenin'.

Like the Legion, Joshua had White Legs' heads on spikes, to warn them that the Dead Horses, Joshua's and Follows-Chalk's tribe, were serious about fighting.

I arrived at the Dead Horses' camp. Most tribals were training severely outside a cave which Follows-Chalk said was the Angel Cave, where Joshua Graham was. We went in. The tribals had a hard time speakin' english properly, but they tried.

Joshua was... Not what I expected. He was already expecting a Courier from the Mojave. He showed simpathy for those who died in the ambush. He was very different from the rest of The Legion. He told me that New Canaan was destroyed by the White Legs, leaving whatever hopes I had of completing the Happy Trails' job destroyed. He said that he knew someone that could help me out but he also wanted help. I actually wanted to help. Joshua wanted pre-war instruments that would help him navigate like a compass and walkie-talkies.

Our first place to go was a crash site of a pre-war bus. There we found a broken compass which I was able to fix and we were ready to go. But we were walking for a while now and I wanted to stop and rest my feet. So we are resting next to the bus right now and then we are headed to find the other things Joshua wanted.

Love you sweety pie!

Letter #10: Change in management

Hey there sweety pie!

Acording to Yes Man, once I'd get rid of Mr. House all his robots would stop functionin'. So before I headed inside the Lucky 38 casino, I talked to Victor one last time. Poor fella didn't even know it would be the last time.

I went up to Mr. House's penthouse and then I looked at him for a while. He was waitin' for me to talk. On my first way into the Penthouse I had noticed a terminal with a slot, with just the size of the Platinum Chip. It was my only chance. I made a run for the terminal and inserted the Chip. A door on the wall opened and I ran past it, without knowing what was inside. There was another terminal to unlock an elevator, I accessed it quickly, getting shot by Mr. House's Securitrons in the process. But then I entered the elevator and went down to the control room, where the real Mr. House was.

He was awful lookin', but still kickin'. It was so hard... Doing what I did... The man had sacrificed everything to go into that corpse-state just to have his plan come to life and, for all I know, it could work. But still, how could I trust him? How could I trust anyone but me? It was so hard sweety pie... So hard...

I did it. It felt even worst that he did not understand that what I was doing wasn't for personal gain or "vanity", as he said.

I made my way back to Yes Man, who was at the Tops' door. I told him I was ready for him to join me at the Lucky 38. He went first as I remembered that I had to recruit talent for The Tops. I accepted the job for someone specifically, but might as well do it well done. One of the people I gave Tommi's card to was a comedian that was trying to put on a show right there on The Tops' street. Only three more to go, one of them being already reserved.

Then I went to the Lucky 38 to see what Yes Man had done with the place. It was so sad entering the place without Victor sayin' "hi". When I got to the Penthouse Yes Man told me he was going to transfer himself to Mr. House's system. Once he got there he figured out what the Platinum Chip was for. So he told me to head into the Lucky 38's basement. There, he showed me a demonstration of what the Chip does. The Securitrons I knew changed the face on the screens to mean troopers and launched missiles and grenade launchers. They also repair automatically now. Yes Man said they increased their efficiency by 263%! That's a lot right?

I exited The Strip and scouted for talent in the Freeside area. At the Atomic Wrangler there was a ghoul comedian that wasn't liking his place at the Wrangler, so I took my shot. He said I had to talk to his boss to terminate the contract. The boss was easy enough to convince. Just like that, I only had two cards left.

Next thing on my list was going to the Legion's Fort, to activate a giant army of upgraded robots, that Yes Man would control at my comman. But something just came up as I exited Freeside. A weird job request by Happy Trails Caravan, who were looking for mercs, prospectors and couriers. But it had something... My instincts... I couldn't really explain. But I had a heck of an urge to do it. So I am headed to the Northern Passage and then we ride to Utah!

Love you sweety pie!

Letter #9: Unchained

Hey there sweety pie!

So I went and met Mr. House. Victor didn't let Rose through, only I could go in. He directed me to the elevator that took me to the penthouse floor. There I found a... She robot, which I didn't even know that existed, who accepted a snowgloe that I was carrying for 2000 caps! YEE HAA! She also talked very highly of Mr. House, saying he was the best and the smartest ever. I'd see.

In front of me stood no man. A giant monitor with a face in it was talking to me. I asked him why was he treatin' me like some fancy VIP fellow, if I was just a courier. He said that I wasn't "just a courier", not since Victor dug me out. So I asked what he wanted with me. He said he wanted the Platinum Chip that Benny had stolen, sayin' I could do whatever I wanted with Benny himself. Offered me 1000 caps for the job. I was just in it for Benny, so didn't hurt to make caps in the proccess! He told me to talk to Swank, one of the Chairmen (Benny's tribe), because he could help me, if I conviced him.

Eh eh, Mr. House gave me the Lucky 38 Presidential Suite! That's livin' in style! I'll send Rose there when I have to do things alone. Darn better than that Mojave NCR Outpost!

I went in The Tops, Benny's casino. I found Swank and talked to him about Benny. I told him everything and he told me he'd keep Benny away from his suite while I investigated. Before heading to Benny's suite I passed by the casino's theatre, The Aces. Y'know, 'cause I owe some fellow with a guitar? So when I'm wanderin' I'll be lookin' out for talent.

I went in Benny's suite and found something... Big. Very big. A robot, like the ones Mr. House controlls, who called himself Yes Man and said he was reprogrammed by Benny to follow every command. He had a cheery face and voice. When I asked why Benny was doing that, Yes Man said it all to me: he wanted to kill Mr. House and take over New Vegas.

There I started thinking... What if I had New Vegas? Remember what I had told you? "I'll do whatever it takes to change this Wasteland we live in. To set it free. Free from everyone who wants to rule it and ends up ruining it." This was my ticket. Yes Man was my ticket.

He said he was the robot that set up the courier that carried the Platinum Chip. The pride in his voice made me doubt whether I could or could not work with him. But when I told him who I was he "felt bad" for saying it with so much pride. I didn't know robots could "fell bad".

The plan was to recover the Platinum Chip, give it to Mr. House in order for him to think I am helping him, seeing what it did, then kill him. Also, I had to go around the Mojave and see which groups I wanted to spare or let live. Those groups were the Chairmen, the Omertas, the White Glove Society, the Brotherhood of Steel, the Boomers and the Great Khans.

After clearing things with Yes Man I headed back down to the Tops main floor, where I confronted Benny. He was very surprised to see me, as you can imagine eh eh! I told him I talked with Yes Man. Then he tried to buy me. Said he'd give me the Presidential Suite and he'd meet me there. But I am not that dumb. I told him that he had to loose the bodyguards and to go with me to the suite.

I already had it all figured out with Yes Man, so me and Benny had nothing to talk about. He still tired to do business though.

"All I want is to see you dead"

It was over.

I got the Platinum Chip and his gun. The gun wasn't really my style, but I kept it as a trophy.

I talked to Swank before heading out the casino, he was happy to know that he was the boss now. When I exited the casino, a Legionarie came talkin' to me and gave me "mark of Caesar", which supposely granted me passage to their Fort. He told me to go to Cottonwood Cove and from there I'd get a ride to the Fort.

Next step, I'm going to kill Mr. House. I'm not going to give him the Platinum Chip, I assume it is a key to wherever it is the place he is hiding, so I'll use it right when I go "meet him". I don't really want to do it, but unfortunatly I am the only one I could trust to free New Vegas.

Love you sweety pie

Letter #8: The Tale of Rose of Sharon Cassidy

Hey sweety pie!

As you know we were almost enterin' Crimson Caravans to get Rose her revenge. I went to the old lady McLafferty with Rose and told her that I had sold the Cassidy's Caravan. She gave me my job money. Then I told her that my companion was the previous owner of Cassidy's Caravan, Cassidy herself. She didn't get it at first, but then she got it. And that fear expression was the last she ever made. I pulled my shotgun real quick and shot her in the head. Rose took care of her guards almost by herself, leaving her in a bad shape. But she recovered and told me that next were the Van Graffs. I asked if she was sure and she said that she was damn sure. Well, that's all I needed to hear.

For my surprise, the rest of the folk in the Crimson Caravan area didn't try to shoot me. Maybe they knew better. I am sorry for what I am becoming sweety pie, the Wasteland does this to people. Mostly when I am driven by revenge. I know, I know, I could let it all go. Probably fancy pants himself doesn't even know I'm alive. But I couldn't live with it woman. The man shot me, in the head. For a Platinum Chip. I'll do whatever it takes to change this Wasteland we live in. To set it free. Free from everyone who wants to rule it and ends up ruining it.

When we got to Freeside it was a first to me. I had never been there. I didn't like what I saw. Bodyguards were needed to go from one end to another, kids were chasing giant rats to have something to eat... It was kind of depressing.

When we got near the Silver Rush - Van Graffs' store -, Rose told me she had an idea. She told me to get a job in the Silver Rush as a door guard and to trust her. And so I did.

When I got in the store I could see they were bad folk. They had a couple of fellows doing business with them and when things didn't go as expected they just vaporized one of them with those woopi yeepi weapons of theirs. I got the job as Rose asked. When I got outside their current bodyguard filled me in on the job. On the other side of the street was Rose. She winked at me.

One, two, three costumers passed by and I did the job as instructed. As the fourth costumer came near us, Rose did all kinds of hand and face signs she could. She was trying to tell me not to pat down this one guy. And so I didn't. As he went in I got picked on by the other bodyguard as I was supposed to pat the man down. Then all of a sudden a big explosion happens from the inside of the store! Somehow Rose had a guy blow himself up to kill everyone inside! We went in to confirm the kill and the other bodyguard, Simon, was really pissed. We just had to kill that one guy, instead of the whole bunch.

Rose was showing a bit sad at first, but then she got her spirits up. She said that she felt purified after dealing with those loose ends. And then she thanked me. She really meant it, I could tell. I asked her if she would still come with me and she said she would, without hesitating. I stole a suit from the Silver Rush store, since I was nearing The Strip. They wouldn't be needing it anymore eh eh! I also stole some loot to sell elsewhere, since I was only a few caps away of being allowed on The Strip.

I went in The Atomic Wrangler to sell the loot I had gotten. I stayed there for a bit, too. I talked to Rose for a good while and it felt nice. The company, the talking... We talked about Benny, because she asked why was I wandering the Wastes, heading to The Strip. She showed very supportive on my own ride for revenge, eh eh! You probably don't like her now eh eh! We also talked about her. She told me about her runnaway dad, like the Lonesome Drifter and her tribal mom, who got sick after her dad went away and ended up passing away... Also talked about her nickname, Whiskey Rose, which I don't have to tell you why she got it eh eh! We talked about "fish" too. She couldn't really explain to me what a "fish" was, so I don't really know now. We talked about the New Vegas factions too. Like the Legion, which she hated because of the slavery and women discrimination and the NCR, who she supported but said they didn't have direction and were most of the times assholes. She said that the Mojave suffered because of NCR's greed. And I couldn't agree more.

The greeting to The Strip wasn't very warm. When I was about t get in some fellow passed by me runnin' and got shot down by the robots - who looked like Victor - who were guardin' the gate. So I put on my fancy suit and headed to the guard (without runnin'). I submitted to the 2000 caps credit check and he let me through.

Waiting for me just inside was Victor, eh eh! He told me the head of New Vegas, Mr. House, was waiting for me inside the Lucky 38. I had only heard tales of that Mr. House character and from them I gathered that he was older than anyone and no one had ever seen him.

And so I'm wrinttin' this before I go see the big man eh eh! I'll tell you all about it, don't worry!

Love you sweety pie.

Letter #7: The path to revenge

Hello sweety pie!

We took the same road I had taken to go meet Rose. We were attacked by a gang after Nipton and she proved herself very good in a gunfight. I asked her something before we proceeded. I talked to her about that crippled Powder Ganger in Nipton, who told me that The Legion had some slaves in a camp east of town. So we searched a lil' bit and we found the camp, at night. It was the first time I was going against the Legion and I was kind of scared. They were monsters.

It didn't go as smoothly as we expected, but we got the job done. She seemed to enjoy taking on the Legion. I freed the Powder Gangers, who were scared shitless. Didn't even say a word as they ran out of the camp as fast as they could. We slept more ahead, at the El Dorado Gas Station.

We woke up early, to continue our ride. We passed by the Lonesome Drifter, but he was sleeping. I explained to Rose why I stopped there while we got back on track. On the way, on the 188 trading post, I found a Gun Runners trader, from whom I got a maple stock for my repeater. I look real smooth now!

We got to the place and most of the caravan was ash. She didn't take too kindly. She said it didn't look burnt, but desintegrated. After we checked out all the wreckage she told me she had heard of another attack like that, north of Vegas. I asked her if she wanted to check it out and the smile that appeared on her face made the whole day brightier. So we made ways.

I had my first run in against the Fiends. Ruthless bastards they are! I liked the way they died.

We got there more quickly that I thought. We found a map that had some locations marked. The one we hadn't seen yet was east of New Vegas. I just looked at her and she didn't even have to ask me if I wanted to go there. We rode there as fast as we could.

On the way I found the most odd couple. They wanted to rob the casinos of The Strip with this special gun they had found. I tried to talk them out of it and fortunatly succeeded. They even gave me their gun, a famous pre-war criminal's 9mm Sub-machinegun eh eh! When me and Rose got out of thei hideout we bursted in laughters!

We got there and had a look around, like with the others. I had to scavenge a combat armor from one of the bodies on the spot, since my clothes were pretty much torn apart... I don't really like it, but it will have to do to keep me alive! Then it hit us. The corpses on the spot were Van Graffs and Crimson Caravan's guards. Rose wanted to kill them for what they had done to her caravan. I supported her. They have no right to think themselves supperior.

So I'm sending this letter from the front door of Crimson Caravan's, where we will kill Alice McLafferty, their owner.

Love you sweety pie!