Rebirth: A Second Chance

CH.1 The grave

Mojave Wasteland

It had three years since I had helped the NCR assume control over the Hoover Dam while making ties with: the New Californian Republic, the Boomers and the Brotherhood of Steel, having them all work for him. And somehow over three years I had never gone back to Goodsprings graveyard where I was shot in the head.

I guess it was too much to think about my road to revenge against Benny and Mr. House followed up shortly by the Great Khans and the Legion.

'Arg the Legion' I thought to myself 'Anyone who makes people suffer like that needs to die.'

I shook my head of these unpleasant thoughts of maim and blood, quite a few from my own hands. I remembered the bloody swath I had cut in my revenge fueled murder. I also remembered trying to escape my 'fame' by staying on the strip and drinking and fucking. This had lasted for a year before he meet Cassidy again on one of my caps trips trying to maintain my stupor in the strip.

When she meet me again I was half drunk moving through the disembodied recently made corpses with a fresh bottle of whisky in my blood-soaked hands. I was more fucked up then she had been when I first came across her. At lease she could control her problem.

She did what any reasonable person would do and picked me up, dried me out and helped me become me again. After that we started roving around together like the old days. I could see another glint behind her eyes.

We eventually had sex and started talking serious. I guess you could call her my wife if you wanted too. There is no regulations on marriage so to show our bond I had forged something for us to wear.

The end product looked like a cross between NCR Ranger armour, a Chinese Stealth Suit and Brotherhood of Steel armour. It was a set of Matte-black slimmed down power armour with a heavy dark brown trench coat over it. The helmet looked liked a BoS helmet only in place of the headlight was glowing red eyes that had night vision, invisibility, a weird thing called 'biometric scanner' that could tell us the condition of people like the Pipboy could for me and of course a radio to keep in contact.

The setup made us a little slower but augmented our strength and endurance so we could go longer, farther and carry more stuff. This made the trade off worth it. I walked farther under the Mojave heat only sweating slightly.

I walked over the foothill only to see their water treatment facility. I decide to stop and freshen up. Splashing water on my and then sitting down I remembered why I was here. It was all started with a conversation with Cassidy...

"I will not go back to that town Cass!"

"Listen Jack you have to go. I think this.."

"Oh you think. I think this will just fuck me up more!"

"Listen to me Jack it will help you. Things start and end in the same place and this might help with your condition."

"Condition! It's not a condition it's a disease. You've seen it consume me."

"Listen just go. If it helps good if not oh well."

Sigh

"Alright Cass I'll go."

So now I was outside the parameter of Goodsprings taking a swift drink from the pipes. I looked up to see on of the many caravans that the NCR was now running. On of the men spotted me and whipped off a quick salute that I returned.

After the great 'Liberation' as it was called the BoS and NCR folded into one. Among all of the things I was also promoted to a LT in the Officers Division. It was more of a honorary rank then anything as there was rarely any military operation he was on.

However this didn't stop the honorifics from the Light and Heavy Infantry. Or the paperwork. All the goddamned paperwork. This form, that form, this request, this raid. It was maddening. Thankfully I had Cass to help.

Standing up and slapping my helmet back on I walked off to the graveyard. Night was falling and I started to pick up the pace. It takes a couple of minutes to finish jogging up to the side of the hill. I suddenly stopped and looked up into the air. I guess I was looking for answers but clouds and dust covered my view of the stars.

Sighing and beginning my march up to my deathbed. I stood there at my unmarked grave and sighed deeply. I feel a slight drag on my trench coat as a soft piter pater of rain started to fall on my helmet.

I lost track of time as the rain fell and a sense of calm and piece washed over me for a long period of time. Slowly I started to drift off into the dark realm of sleep. I started to teeter totter in the dark as my eye lids hung heavy and closed.

I arched to the ground and my armour carrying me down. I crashed to the ground of solid steel awaking me immediately. I looked up to see a green tinted boot smash into my visor and kick me in the chest, sending me into a double barrel roll.

I crashed into a solid blue figure which 'gingerly' stopped my roll with a foot planted into my chest. I hear the racking of a slides and the slapping of clips into weapons. I looked around to see a conglomerate of armour and weapons pointed at me.

Not looking good as both of my Ranger Sequoias where strapped to my waist and both my YCS/186 and Bozar where sling across my back. The only close weapon was my combat knife and hatchet. Not seeing anyway out I raised my hands in surrender.

The armoured figures looked at each other and dragged me to my feet to reveal a gruff older man looking out a window at a planet. I realized I was in space and this man was most likely in the Officer Corps and the figure Heavy Troopers.

I the man turned around and said a fairly simple sentence and question,

"My name is Colonel Holland and who are you?"