Fallout New Vegas: Chronicles of the Legion's Regime

Brother's Thoughts

As Mercedes divided his time between tending to Caesar and his own free time, the others manage to get to know him a little better and he with them.

'My sister has rather unusual friends but I know when I say that I approved.' Mercedes thought.

Through his interactions are here,

For Cass, they started off in a rather rocky note. She is blunt in her conversations and often takes her ever present Whiskey despite his warnings regarding over drinking alcoholic beverages. However, he loves buying her company's products and said so to her face. Eventually, he taught her basic first aid and it was tricky at first due to her resistance, it proved to be beneficial as Cass applied it during a journey to trade with the Happy Trails Caravan Company. She thanked him by making him Moonshine and she discovers that he can hold his own in a bar, granted it only took four to five bottles before he gets drunk but Cass found out that a drunk Mercedes can be funny as he was heard rambling about topics that are unneeded and embarrassing and he ended up pouring out his honest feelings about Caesar to her which she gave her a laughing fit. He's used to her roughhousing and entertains her a little but won't hesitate to discipline in a way that would make her feel like being scolded by a father. She on the rather hand, is surprised that he can work despite being blind and hoped it wouldn't happen to her and asked him what she should do to prevent it. She felt relieved that his advice had nothing to do with drinking. Although she doesn't care for his advices, she is okay with him around as he gives her tips about health which are straight to the point and doesn't compromise her drinking.

As for Raul, he was fascinated by his story and loved examining his medical condition. He questions the ghoul about his old age and the effects and symptoms of ghoulification which Raul answers to the best of his ability. Mercedes shares that he had a ghoul employer once and the man went feral when they arrived at a raider fort where he charged in and Mercedes knew that he would never see him again. Raul would sometimes help him with some of his off-hand projects whenever Mercedes would have the time and the sarcastic banter they often give each other keeps their mind off the stress of the operation.

For Lily, Mercedes was unsure but Lily gave him many opportunities to assure him that she meant well. Lily tells him that she's been taking her pills every time she is supposed to and her mind feels clearer. When Six explained to him that Lily no longer remembers her grandchildren, Mercedes knew that was a necessary sacrifice in order to attain a clear mind. Lily treated Mercedes like one of her own grandchildren and soon Mercedes felt safe with her around and sometimes he would ask her help to carry things that are too heavy or he couldn't carry and she happily obliged. Lily was tickled that her little Jimmy had a brother and told him about her relationship with Dog and her (grand) daughter Melody which Mercedes listen with great interest.

For Veronica, he gave her a clear threat to take care of his sister or he will tear out her organs and donate them to someone else. Unfortunately Veronica didn't get the memo as she attacked Six the other day when she found out that she knew about Father Elijah all along and beat her up with a Super Sledge. When Raul told him, needless to say that Mercedes was enraged when he found out and an amusing adventure happened where Mercedes chased her all around the Mojave screaming out bloody murder and when she was distracted by a pink dress, Mercedes caught up to her and dragged her back to the Lucky 38. It also didn't help that Cass was also there and he tore out her liver without anesthetics and replaced it with a fresh one when he found out from Raul again that she called Six a hypocrite and a disappointment which Mercedes was completely furious over and he knew that Six had done nothing wrong (to his knowledge). To punish Veronica, he didn't rip out her organs like he said he would but he literally amputated her arms WITHOUT anesthetics and replaced them with prosthetics versions he got from the western Brotherhood of Steel. That horrifying day humbled the two of them greatly and they spoke to Six in a respectful way when her brother is around and apologized for beating her up (Veronica) and called her a hypocrite and a disappointment (Cass). Never let it be said that Mercedes is not a man of his word.

As for their relationship, Veronica proved to be an able assistant and is fascinated by Mercedes' inventions about how to transplant a live bearing heart and volunteered to assist him in making a sniper rifle that heals people by shooting at them which she suggested by using an Anti-Material Rifle. They worked well together thanks to Veronica's talents and Mercedes approved her relationship with Six but kept the threat hanging over her head. Veronica listens to his tales about the western Brotherhood of Steel while he listened to her frustrations and stories about the Mojave Brotherhood of Steel. Her cheerful personality and playful banter help warmed up his day and while she like to poke fun at his blindness, she carefully made sure not to draw the line as it was only meant to tease, not hurt. She'll stop when he says so. They spar sometimes and Mercedes' martial arts would clash with Veronica's unarmed scribe training with no clear winner but Veronica enjoyed it and Mercedes too and she respected Mercedes for being able to fight despite being blind.

For Christine, it worries him seeing all those scars and that throat one. He encouraged her to speak to him and she did. He encouraged her to let out all of her bottled up emotions which she held over the years and Mercedes listened with calm interest. She apologized for taking her anger out on him and he accepted it, knowing that suppressing emotions is not healthy. She told him about she was trapped inside an Auto-Doc and they terrify her ever since and thanks to the machines at the Big Empty, she could no longer read words but she can still do math, Mercedes can only sigh as there's nothing he can do about her condition. They don't really talk much but he acts like a father figure of sorts to her and allowed her to open up to him like she did her sister, making her feel better slowly but surely. She started to smile more often and though she was mostly quiet, she took initiative with speech. Six was impressed with the change and Christine credited Mercedes for it.

For Dean Domino, Mercedes often went to the Ultra-Lux to listen to his songs and he was a big fan of Dean's music. They don't interact with each other much but Mercedes is often is a reoccurring listener.

For Dog, Mercedes studied his wounds and Six explained that Dog has no recollection on how he ever got them so he didn't ask. Still, he had Dog's permission to bandage and clean the wounds all over his body and heal them.

For Arcade, they don't seem to talk much at first but they eventually got along because Arcade knew that Mercedes is also a member of the Followers of the Apocalypse and would surely snitch on him about his Enclave heritage. Mercedes assured him that he wouldn't and Arcade felt relieved. They shared their ideals and Arcade was surprised and pleased that Mercedes agreed with his pragmatic view on the world accepting that some people needed to be shot in the head. Mercedes expressed his frustrations to Arcade about the Followers being too kindhearted for their own good and especially for a place like Freeside which Arcade agrees on. All in all they get along swimmingly though their relationship is nothing more than friendship as Mercedes told Arcade that he was a widower and he had no intention of pursuing a relationship, even with a male one.

For Ulysses, they argue but it's actually a friendly debate which happens at dinner in the suite which Six would listen to. This is a breath of fresh air for Ulysses as he never had someone aside from the Courier to challenge his beliefs let alone question them. What he felt impressed at is that Mercedes agreed with his opinions about the Republic being too directionless to provide safety and security for the people but he explained that the Republic advertises freedom which is what the Legion lacks which Ulysses can respect. Whenever their debates got too heated, Ulysses would raise a hand and let it cool down while Mercedes would laugh and ask 'you manage to get me all worked up. How about another topic?'. They don't travel much together but they are always intrigued by whatever they have to say. Mercedes is the only person aside from his sister to understand Ulysses' speechcraft and Ulysses respects him for that. Mercedes also respects Ulysses for knowing the philosophical beliefs of the major factions and questioned them which in his opinion actually makes those beliefs stronger and Ulysses agreed to it.

For Rex and ED-E, he was fascinated by their technology and would treat them as if they were his own. He is also the only one besides Six, Arcade and Ulysses to understand ED-E's beeps and translated them. For Rex, he loves his cybernetic enhancements and likes the fact that another brain is in him to replace is already decaying one.

For the major factions, here are his thoughts about them.

For the Brotherhood of Steel, he wasn't surprised by their rather isolationistic beliefs but he did noticed the smiles on people's faces whenever he was given the tour by Veronica on the condition that he is her responsibility. Elder McNamara proudly told him that his sister a Paladin of the Brotherhood and has gone above and beyond the call of duty in aiding them, impressing him with how much technology they acquired.

For the Followers of the Apocalypse which he is part of, he gets annoyed by them insisting that they have to find a way to sustain themselves if they are working at a large scale the size of the Mojave and is irritated by their pacifist and optimistic views clashing with his pragmatic and realist views. Still, he believes in their ideals and thanks to his sister's influence and by his own talents, he is a higher ranked administrator within the Followers hierarchy.

For the Boomers, he is neutral to them at best. Not bothered by their isolationist policy. He is also impressed by their ability to be self sufficient and their abilities to keep out outsiders with the exception of his sister.

For the Great Khans, he is disgusted by their abuse of their knowledge to combat the NCR and even more disgusted that they had the nerve to blame the NCR for committing a massacre when it was THEY that provoked them to. He clearly expressed this to his sister who assured him that they will take the medicinal route of making drugs. It didn't stop him from performing a nasty verbal barrage against Papa Kahn, Jack and Diane from making harmful drugs. They all winced at his tongue lashing and berating and it made them feel terrible about their abuse Followers knowledge, not to mention that they are in the wrong from all the raiding and pillaging. They made true to their word and started creating helpful drugs to assist the Followers and Cassidy-Barton Caravans.