Ringo's Story

Ringo walked into the Lucky 38, the biggest casino in the Mojave, recently reopened by the Courier, a good friend of Ringo. He smiled, smelling the whiskey, the sen, the smoke and the orderly chaos that was the Strip. He grinned to himself, realizing that he now had 2000 Caps to blow in this Casino. He had set 3000 Caps aside for hiring, he had spent 1000 already and the other 4000 out of his expedition fund had gone into to buying supplies, Brahmin and goods for the journey. The destination: The destroyed, but amazing, possibility filled ruins of New York, now dubbed Neo York. All he had to do now was hire a team to get there, and where better to start than the most popular casino in the whole of the Wastes? He grinned to himself as a stripper winked at him. God he loved this place,but he needed to get to work first.

Men and women tried to sell him drugs and sex as he strolled through the Casino, recently populated and opened. The Gambling tables tempted him with big riches, but that would come later. First, he made his way to the stand, to announce his plans, with the permission of the Courier.

"Ladies and Geeeeeeeeeeentlemen!!!! I hope you are all havin' a fantastic night! My good friend, the famous Courier, gave me permission to tell everyone about a big business opportunity, courtesy of the Crimson Caravan Company. My names Ringo, a famous caravaneer. Not too long ago, I set out with a large group of people to find the ruins of Old New York, and a couple of settlements called Skytown and Undertown, due to the famous broadcast by the towns mayor, Hollander. So, I came back. Alone. The ruins of Neo York, as it is called, ate all the other members of our 200 man trek. I realized, I need a smaller team. A stronger team. I came back, got some caps from Crimson Caravan to establish a route, and start a new station in Undertown. So, my offer is this. I am hiring people to come on an expedition, have experience or skills, cause if ya dont, this place will eat you alive, and then snack on your friends for breakfast. This is a new start, people. Come with me to Neo York, I'll be here all night, and all tomorrow night. After that, I set off, to a new world, a new start.....and a very old city. Come and join me people!! Thank you!"

He stepped down to massive applause, and he made his way to the bar, ordering a whiskey, and hoped to god some people would come with him to fabled city....

Lucas had only been in the Lucky 38 for half an hour before this “Ringo” made his speech. Neo York, it sounded appealing. An adventure, it had been a long time since Lucas had one of those. He thought the trek south from Capital Wasteland would have been interesting but more than anything...it was tedious. But a new place, a new start. That was exactly what he needed. But could he really make this decision so quickly? He had only been in there half an hour. He was so delved in thought that he didn’t even notice he had lost the game of blackjack. Cursing under his breath he rose from the table. He could at least enquire about this new adventure, hell he needed something new. His caps weren’t going to last forever...especially in New Vegas...Gambling and Lucas just didn’t mix.

With a sense of purpose Lucas approached the bar and asked for a whisky. A few of the strippers flashed their “goods” in his direction, but he ignored it. Without turning to the man he was addressing he gulped down his whisky and signalled the bartender for another.

“So you’re heading to this Neo York, huh?”

The bartender came and poured Lucas another.

“Need any particular skills to join your company Mr Ringo?”

He gulped down his second whisky and signalled for yet another

“What kind of people ya’ lookin’ for?”

Ringo turned on his chair and grinned at the two newcomers, and he was honestly suprised people had been eager to go so quickly. Were people really this desperate in the Wasteland?

"Righto, you two, I'm givin' you a map to where we will be staying before the journey. We need a good sleep, and all my stuff to get there is there, so, yeah. Man, I need mechanics, soldiers and traders, you look like a soldier, so your hired. You girl, if you got anythin' to offer, head to my place later. Same for you man. However, before you go, I gotta couple of missions. Girl, I want you to go and recruit others to join us. Man, I gotta list of items for you to collect, they are not hard to fine. Come to my place when your done. Have fun you two, and before you go, can i get your names?"

He lent back in his chair, sipping his whiskey and smiling. A hot red head and a hardened soldier. What more could he ask for?

Lucas downed his third whisky before taking the list from Ringo. He hadn’t had orders in a while, something about it made him feel calm and rested. He had a job to do, he had superior, there was something comforting about that, nostalgia from the old days no doubt.

“Names Redheart sir, Lucas Redheart. And I may look like a soldier...”

Lucas hadn’t been called that in some time, he giggled at the thought of looking like a warrior, all the other brothers always told him he always looked to skinny to be intimidating.

“But I’m not too bad with a spanner either, did some mechanic work in my youth. Reckon I can still do the odd job here and there for ya’.”

Lucas tucked the list into a pocket before turning from Ringo to the Red headed girl that arrived after him. He considered making some half assed sarcastic comment to her, but decided against it. His intuition was telling him she was one of those women that didn’t take much crap, and he really didn’t want to find out if he was right. Instead he just smiled at her.

“So you’re a crack shot ay’? I can imagine you being good...with a rifle I mean, but if we were allowed guns in here I’d ask you to prove it. Maybe we can compare shots on the road?”

It was a friendly tone Lucas used, as if he was genuinely trying to be approachable. But he really just wanted to gage her reaction, if she was aggressive Lucas would know to keep an eye on the crazy girl with a rifle. He knew he shouldn’t really care, she seemed genuine, but it was built into him. He had been examining people with weapons since he was sixteen.

Before long others began to approach Ringo, he decided it would be time to leave his superior to his business.

“I’ll to a quick run with your list, I’ll meet ya’ back at yours then...which is where exactly?”

Iris

The bright shiny town scared Iris a little but she had to find something to eat, she found that most everyone was busy and ignored the small ghoul. She knew she was at one time a petite young woman but any resemblance of that was long gone. But that was okay cause she didn't like talking much anyway, she was digging around in an alley behind a tall building that was a little loud and had a big sign that said 38 on it. Iris could read numbers rather well but it was words that confused her. She noticed a man in a hood slip into a door not to far away her, she shrugged and continued digging through the trash.
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Juniper

"My names Juniper Holland" she said then she turned to the man who called himself Lucas when he challenged her to a shooting contest. "Actually Im very good at handling a "rifle". Im just particular about whose rifle I use is all, so if you think you have a chance Mr. Redheart. I'll take you up on that offer fer a bit of a contest, and if I win when we make it to Neo York you'll oh me a stiff shot of whiskey" she said with a wink and a smirk.

Juniper had never been the type to turn down a bit of friendly competition, and it would be nice to have a little more people to talk to other then open wastes. This trip would be a good opportunity for her. A chance to make a new life for herself, and maybe feel like she's accomplished something a little more in life the surviving on this dust ball of a planet.

When Ringo asked her to recruit along side the spunky little girl with the curls, she was slightly offended but not surprised, "Well if I'm gonna catch some attention Im gonna have to rely on other assets then my good shooting skills" she said with a chuckle. She took the map from Ringo, "Come on Curly Sue lets go hook us some travelers" she said motioning for her to follow.

The only thing Atlas could focus on right now was his hangover that would make anyone else's head spin, and the voice booming over on the other side of the casino. How he wished he could order some drinks to calm his nerves, but those hookers stole all of his money, literally. If he ever caught up to those two-timing sluts, he would wring their scrawny necks.

Just as he was considering mugging some random goofball for caps to fund his needs, he tuned into what the announcer was saying, which he liked every word of. The parts he was able to pick out of the noise in the busy and bustling casino was something about Neo York, a smaller and stronger team, expeditions, and a new start. Oh, how he needed a new start. A new start to let go of the previous years of his life.

He simply observed as the merchant (at least he looked like a merchant) step down from the stage and take a seat next to the bar. While he debated with himself to talk to the trader or not, he saw several different people approach him including a tough guy with long brown hair, some ginger dame, a VERY big guy shrouded in a hood, and a ecstatic ditz.

He finally concluded that without caps he would be on the street corner in less than a day, and this would probably be the chance of a lifetime (How many times has he said that before?). He got up from his seat, shoved his way through the crowd, and took a seat near the merchant.

"How much does it pay?"Atlas said cutting strait to the chase.

Lucas gave a playful laugh
“Sounds good Mrs Holland. Look forward to it.”
He nodded at her as she moved away with another girl. He smiled to himself before he turned back to Ringo.
“I like her. I’d put caps on her actually being as good as she says she is.”
With that he decided he had better go and get started with his new “mission.” That made him chuckle, he was on a “mission” again, it felt good to have orders. But he knew this wasn’t going to be like the old days, somehow doing the boss’s shopping didn’t quite compare with incursions into super mutant territory. But at least he had some direction now, something to work for.
With that thought he left the Lucky 38 casino, not before retrieving his weapons of course. Once outside he lit up a cigarette before taking a long drag of the toxic fumes. He stood outside for a while, watched as the men were led inside by the strippers and whores. One came up to him, but he knew looking all mean and distant usually got rid of them pretty easily. After awhile his cigarette burnt down to the filter and he flicked it into the rubbish heap close by.
“Well better get started...this Goodspring’s better have a comfy bed.”

Atlas simply watched as his now employer got up and walked up to a hooker before motioning to atlas and handing her a pouch full of caps. He was soon led of by a different dame to be.... entertained.

He couldn't believe his luck. 7000 caps? It seemed too good to be true, maybe it was. Something about this trader didn't seem right. His smooth voice, the way he walked, it just had a different vibe than usual. Atlas gut feeling told him so, and his gut feeling was rarely wrong. And besides, it didn't look like he had a very great team either. But for even the promise of 7000 caps he would jump into a pit full of starving deathclaws.

Just then he became aware of the tense feeling radiating off the big guy with the hood. He could tell the guy didn't like or trust him, and wanted nothing to do with him. Taking a closer look, atlas could see that the big guy didn't want to be seen or have any attraction drawn to him. Usually what someone that's in hiding avoids.

Just then he became aware of the other hooker that was beckoning him to a more private room for a good time.

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Atlas lay motionless, exhausted by the past half hours events.True, He wasn't as quite healthy as he once was, but he could still get the job done, and do it right (especially to a woman). He could also hear that what's-his-name had finished up and had wandered out to the ensuing chaos in the lobby.

After getting dressed and saying thanks for the good time, he sauntered out into the lobby. After scanning the lobby for his so called team, he noticed them crowded around some little boy. Scratch that, little girl. Scratch that, midget women. After examining the group for quite some, he noticed one slight detail-she was a ghoul.

He really wondered what that bozo was thinking,thinking of bringing someone like that along. It wasn't like she was going to be worth the caps to pay her, not to mention having to feed, clothe, and drag her sorry ass to and fro. He was sick of helping people, taking care of people, just to have it blow up in his face. He promised him self a long time ago that he would stop doing that whatever the cost. And that was a promise he intended to keep.

"Some team I have." He muttered to himself before he slipped outside to have a smoke and get some fresh air.

Iris
She smiled Cadence "Your both so kind", she was so overwhelmed by it all and then a man came up and started talking to them.

Iris looked down at the bar top when Ringo spoke to her "Iris...mmmy name iis Iris, I can cook annnnd clean and sew" she said. She smiled slightly when the man called Ringo ordered her some more food, this had to be her lucky day. Never had she been around so many kind humans before.
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Juniper
Juniper was a little concerned about his reaction when she asked his name, and after a moment he finally spoke.

"Hrm, Will. Names Will... "What's with the little ghoul?""

She smiled "Well nice to meet you Will" she looked back over at Cadence and Iris "As for the little one, her names Iris we found her out in the alley eating out of a garbage can. So we brought her in to give her a proper meal, probably will have her come along on the trip she says she can cook, clean and sew. We might just need someone who can do that sort of thing for us. Would have brought her any way though even if I had to give up part of my own for her, I can't stand to see someone in such a state, ghoul or not. Ghouls aint as bad as so many other people make them out to be. The only reason the ones go feral cause they just go plum crazy from not hav'n no body to talk to. Hell anybody would go crazy if they are cut off from people too long even a smooth skin, but some people just get scared and stupid cause they don't know no better. I can't say I've never shot a feral... cause I have but when you know someone's about to kill ya you don't think about it you just act" she said looking back at Will.

She could tell he was a ghoul but she wasn't gonna make a big deal about it, "Well Will nice talk'n with ya maybe we can do it again some time during the trip iff'n you aint hav'n to cover Ringo's ass the whole time. She smiled and winked at Will then walked back over to Candy who was all a dither about the caps that Ringo had just tossed to her. "I'll be damned I haven't seen that many caps at once in a long time" she said to Candy.

Ivan had recently finished clearing out a group of doped out fiends from a cave. The two men who had hired him for the job and agreed to assist him were both dead. One caught by a fiend with a flamer that ambushed him as he walked around a sharp corner. His other associate had taken four rounds to the legs before taking a fire axe to the side of his head.

'Lucky for me' he had mused 'they payed me half up front and the guy with the axe in his head had the rest on him'. He had dragged his loot for what felt like half the Mojave before he reached it. New Vegas, in all its glory.

After removing his gas mask and breathing in the smells of cigarettes and garbage, his first stop was Mick and Ralph's where he dropped off a bunch of weapons, ammunition and supplies. He also restocked his own. In total he made around 150 caps. It would have been more if he had the time and parts to fix up some of the weapons. But when there's alcohol to be drunk and hookers that needed fucking, fixing up some two bit smg was the last thing on his mind.

His second and final stop being the strip. He always let out a deep breath when he got in. He was always afraid the bots would notice his pass was a forgery that he acquired for a few hundred caps from Mick. Luck was once again on his side as he walked right past the bots. Breathing a deep sigh he headed towards the Lucky 38. He had met the owner once or twice. Went by 'The Courier', god knows why. Ivan had heard rumors that he had been shot in the head. If he hadn't seen the scar he would've called the rumors complete bullshit.

He had entered the Lucky 38, just to hear some guy who was finishing talking about a place called 'Neo York'. Ivan had more important things on his mind. His gas mask dangling about his neck he sat at the bar and ordered a beer. Some blonde bombshell wearing a nice skimpy skirt was showing off around Ivan. Then Ivan noticed that the man who had been talking on stage had sat a few stools down.

A bunch of people began talking to him. He was to busy checking out the blondes ass and drinking beer to really listen in. Although the the red head with the big tits caught his attention. While they were busy chatting up the man Ivan began talking to the blonde in the skimpy skirt. She gave him her fee which he gladly accepted. Taking her to his hotel room where they fucked for hours.

Ivan had put only on the essentials. That being everything. He had a habit of always wearing his armor, one never knows when someone could go postal inside Freeside or even The Strip. His gas mask always dangled around his neck, just in case something was to happen. His gas mask hooked up to his bag where his Chinese assault rifle was hooked to the side. His other various weapons were on different parts of his armor. Seeing the hooker out he went to seek out the man he saw earlier. He managed to find him and decided it was the best time. He thought he heard the man mention him only staying here for a day or so.

Upon spotting the man Ivan walked up to him with a smile, showing off his perfectly white teeth. Which always seemed out of place to people, what with his rough face, slightly crooked nose and large scar running along from behind his left ear down along his neck.

"Hello, name's Ivan," Ivan announced cheerfully to the man knows as Ringo, in his Russian accent, "I heard you talking about someplace called 'Neo York' early. Care to explain where it is and how do I get there? I know I'd love to be in DC rather than this dust bin. Because if it's any better than here, I'm heading straight for it," Ivan finished while scratching his scar.