"The Wasteland… a desolate place darkened by the shadow of a dead civilization. There are no heroes… only survivors…" –Foreword from Wayside Creation's fan film Nuka Break.
The sun beat down on the harsh desert landscape of the Mojave Desert, or what was left of it anyways. Ever since the bombs fell two centuries ago, the world was transformed from the largely populated, green place into a sparsely populated and uncivilized wasteland. The Mojave Desert was now the Mojave Wasteland, a little slice of heaven just east of the Sierras. Home to Hoover Dam, under the control of the New California Republic, and the city of New Vegas, ruled by the ever mysterious autocrat Mr. Robert Edwin House. Across the Colorado River, Caesar's Legion was sharpening their knives and waiting for the correct moment to finish the business they started years ago: take Hoover Dam and drive out the NCR.
This story begins in the area east of Camp Forlorn Hope. A man, looking in his mid-twenties, about six foot three, is walking in the wild, uncivilized desert. His brown hair is combed neatly, his eyes sitting behind a pair of sunglasses. He scratches the rough beard that he sports while constantly on the eye out for danger. This man is John Mercer.
Mercer lived in Shady Sands, the capital of the NCR. He served during the First Battle of Hoover Dam as an NCR Ranger. He braved the fighting on the dam, but was forced to fall back after General Oliver gave the order. But their efforts in retreating did lead the Legion forces into Boulder City, where a trap set for them obliterated the Legate's troops. Enough so to win the battle for the NCR. In the aftermath, however, an explosion from a Legion grenade sent shrapnel flying into Mercer's helmet, not killing him but leaving a nasty scar on his left cheek. After that, when it came time to enlist, he didn't. He took to exploring the wastes. He hung up the black Pre-War riot armor and walked. He kept the duster and the Sequoia.
Mercer had stopped in Novac for the night for some rest. His latest exploits had called him towards the REPCONN Launch Site to the north, but hit a dead end when the crazy ghouls that lived there didn't have anything to trade. But a traveling merchant in Novac passed on some information about some caves over to the east of Camp Forlorn Hope that seemed promising. Little did Mercer know that the cave he will soon venture into would change his life.
Mercer stopped and pulled open the map that the merchant in Novac had given him. If that bastard was right, I should be coming up on the first cave before sundown. He thought, staring at the map. It was about six o'clock PM and the sun was hanging low. Mercer folded up the tattered paper and slipped it into his ranger duster and trudged on through the rugged terrain. As per his predictions, Mercer was within view of the cave. Well, I'd better set up camp. I'll save the cave diving for tomorrow. He thought, setting down his pack and unrolling his bedroll. A lighter was pulled out of his pocket and was used to make a small fire. It was enough to cook the gecko meat he had collected. Ah, a bedroll to sleep on after a meal of gecko. I feel spoiled. Mercer thought as he lies down and succumbs to the veil of sleep.
He awoke with a start as he heard voices coming from the cave. Mercer looked up at the stars and figured it was around two o'clock in the morning. He sat up and went into a crouch as he quietly peeked around the rock he was taking cover behind. Mercer caught sight of a campfire in the cave and also saw about five people. He grabbed the binoculars in his pocket and held them up to his eyes in order to get a better look. Four men, and one… woman? Yes, there was a woman there. She wore a strange looking collar around her neck. Then, Mercer looked at the men around her. They were clad in sports equipment, dog heads, and one wore a plumed helmet. Legion… He thought, the hatred burning deep inside him, and that girl… she's a slave.
Now, Mercer had a choice to make. He either turns around and leaves this girl to her fate, or he could kill the legionaries and free her. If he left, this girl would be subject to serving the whims of some centurion across the river, or to Caesar himself. Of course, if Mercer came to the rescue of the damsel in distress, he would have to escort her to safety. He had great faith in himself that he could take down four legionaries. After pondering for a moment, Mercer decided to kill the legionaries.
Mercer crouched down and began sneaking over to the cave. The legionaries didn't suspect a thing as the ex-ranger remembered his stealth training and managed to get to a rock close to the cave, until he kicked a rock and caught their attention.
"What was that?" One said.
"Might have been a gecko… or maybe a profligate who's lost," another replied.
"Quirinius, go check whatever it is!" A gruff voice barked. That must've been the centurion.
Mercer swore under his breath as he pulled out his machete gladius (a souvenir he had looted from a dead Centurion while he was in the NCR), ready to take the life of the legionary when he came close enough. The shuffle of the man's feet against the sandy ground helped identify how close he was. Just as he turned the corner, Mercer sprung towards him, stabbed him in the neck, and tossed the corpse down to the dirt. Afterwards, Mercer slipped his gladius back in the sheath on his boot, pulled out his Sequoia, and continued to sneak over to the cave. He was just at the mouth of the cave as he slipped out a flashbang grenade and tossed it into the cave. After it popped, he heard the sudden moans of the men inside. Mercer popped out and shot the two legionaries with his black and gold revolver, killing them both. Apparently, the centurion hadn't been much affected by the grenade and he proceeded to charge at Mercer.
Mercer gasped for air as he was tackled and smacked down hard on his back and he lost hold of his Sequoia. The centurion pinned him down and looked at his duster. He smiled with sick satisfaction. "You weak Profligates do not stand a chance against the mighty Caesar," the centurion heckled as he pulled out his machete gladius, "I'll spare you the shame of seeing our flag fly over the dam." The centurion raised the blade above his head and stabbed, but Mercer grabbed the wrists of his attacker and kept the blade from penetrating his head. He managed to flip the centurion off of him and he stood up, pulling out his own gladius. The centurion rose and readied his gladius.
"This is a fight you will lose, Profligate," The centurion said. He lunged towards Mercer, slashing his weapon, but he parried it. This centurion was ferocious in his attacks. So ferocious that he began to be fatigued. The centurion gave one final slash and found Mercer's gladius in his abdomen. The man dropped to his knees and looked up at the cold metal barrel pressed against his forehead.
"Who's the Profligate now?" Mercer asked sardonically, "I'll see you in hell, you Legion bastard." He squeezed the trigger and the bullet tore through the centurion's head and came out the other side. The blood trickled from the hole in his head as he slumped over and died. Mercer slipped the Sequoia back into its holster and slipped the gladius back in its sheathe. Then he turned his attention to the girl with the collar. She was beautiful. Long, flowing brown hair, beautiful brown eyes, and a rather petite build. Why does the Legion always take the pretty girls?
"Sorry you had to see that," Mercer told the girl.
She shrugged. "Eh, I've seen worse. Plus, that bastard had it coming," she replied, "He kept eyeing me like I was a Brahmin steak."
"Yeah, legionaries aren't exactly the best people to have around. Here let me help you get that collar off."
After tinkering around with the collar, Mercer managed to deactivate it. He removed it safely from her neck. "My hero," she said sarcastically, "seriously, though, thank you." The girl gave him a soft kiss on the cheek.
"Anytime, ma'am. Here, let me help you up," Mercer said, taking the girl's hand and pulling her up, "I'm John Mercer."
"A pleasure, John. I'm Jessica, Jessica Sawyer," Jessica replied, "but my parents and siblings called me Jess."
This meeting in the Mojave was the initial act of a chain of events which would change the lives of the people this pair would run into. A great adventure in the Mojave Wasteland is about to begin.