The fires of an unstable Independent Vegas relinquished as the Securitrons controlled by the Courier took firm hold of the surrounding communities. Though some gangs still operated, they were mitigated and flushed out eventually by either the robot army or the newly invigorated communities who wish to finally prosper after a prolonged struggle between the corrupt NCR and the malevolent Caesar's Legion finally ended with both being kicked out of the Mojave. Most expected the Courier to lay down some ground rules for everyone, but instead she left without a trace. The Securitrons were left under the control of Yes Man, who sent a message out to the varying communities with a proposal made by the Courier: A central council to represent the Mojave's issues. Though some communities initially declined, over time the prospect of communities working with each other to keep the outside powers from coming back became the popular political position. As the First Mojave Council was established, Happy Trails Caravan Company found a new homebase.
After the corruption of the Crimson Caravan and the Van Graffs were revealed by Courier, the two companies promptly left alongside the NCR. This left two abandoned complexes ripe for the taking. Mick and Ralphs took the Van Graff's storefront, officially separating their businesses into Mick *and* Ralphs, confusing citizens. Ralph sold his weapons and armor from the new storefront, while Mick stayed at the original store. Happy Trails took the Crimson Caravan outpost as they started to finally turn a profit from the lucrative trade deals with the Dead Horses and Sorrows. The traffic towards New Vegas gave the caravan company an extra boost in profits, which were evenly distributed towards the workers. Over the next 10 years, Happy Trails Caravan Company expanded into NCR territory, thanks in large part due to the new president's endorsement, President Hanlon.
25 years after the First Mojave Council formed, and 27 years after the Courier disappeared, Happy Trails Caravan Company announced a new trade route to Albuq.
As the hot Mojave sun shines upon the Happy Trails New Vegas Headquarters, Rhea diligently packs up her rations and clothing in the women's barracks. Her friend and coworker, Jenna, looks with concern. "Are you sure you want to be apart of the first caravan? You could always wait until they send out a couple or a dozen-"
"Jenna, someone has to be in the first caravan, not everyone can just sit by. We have it all planned out." Rhea explains in a calm tone, attempting to cool Jenna's nerves.
"We don't truly know the dangers on those highways though, what about the Gecko Gang? What if the Shadows of Caesar-"
"Jenna, the Gecko Gang only hang around the 93, so we'll be taking 95, so I'll still be in Nevada for a decent bit up until Searchlight. Once we get to I-40, we're talking about a route filled with patrols protecting traders. The Shadows are a barely a problem at all, most of them don't even carry firearms." Rhea walks towards Jenna and gives her a hug. "I'm going to be ok, I promise I'll come back, aaaaaand maybe I'll bring some souvenirs from Albuq for you." Rhea smiles warmly.
Jenna sighs, but gives a smile back. "I trust you then."
"Perfect. Now, I have to finish packing." Rhea picks up her folded pile of clothes and stuffs them in her duffle bag, putting it around her shoulder. She kneels down and picks up her hunting rifle from under her bed. The rifle is painted burgundy with an inscription on the bolt handle side. She hangs it around her back as she stashes the .308 cartridges into her ammo bag on her left hip. Rhea unbuttons her leather jacket and untucks her light pink undershirt. She looks towards Jenna. "I'm heading out. I promise I'll be safe, unless there's a hot girl involved, then I might risk it all." She gives another smirk, Jenna rolling her eyes.
"You dog. Let me at least follow you to the caravan, just so I can tell Harold to keep you on a tight leash." Jenna chuckles and gives Rhea a playful punch on the shoulder, to which Rhea hugs Jenna.
"I'm pretty sure Harold would encourage me more than scold me." Rhea's bags dangle as she sways back and forth
"Then maybe I should get ole Whitmore to whip you two into shape." Jenna turns her head at Rhea with a devious smirk.
From the outside of the barracks, a deep voice calls out. "Rhea! We're about to head off!"
"Coming Harold!" Rhea lets go of Jenna and gestures her to follow. The two exit the barracks and see Harold along with another caravanner. "Ay! Did Jenna decide to come along too!" Harold's right hand shields his eyes from the bright sun, sweat dripping down his dark skin, a brown pipboy on his wrist providing extra cover. His white shirt has the first couple of buttons undone as he tries to cool off. The other caravanner comments, her voice hyperbolically snarky . "Eh she wouldn't even survive till Searchlight." She chuckles as she fans her face.
"Gabi you couldn't even survive one whiskey shot last week." Jenna quickly quips back.
The 4 friends laugh as Jenna and Rhea walk towards Harold and Gabriela. Gabriela untucks her blouse from her light blue jeans as a wind of heat hits the outpost. Rhea starts putting her brunette hair into a ponytail as she wipes sweat from her forehead. Jenna shakes her head.
"I ain't coming, and I think you're all insane for doing this trip, but Rhea reassured me, so I won't try to stop you. I will be walking till we get to Whitmore and Co."
"That's understandable, certainly understandable," Harold responds. "Well, I'll be certain that everyone gets to Albuq safely, no critter can escape my 10mm."
Jenna shakes her head. "It ain't the critters I'm worried about Harold, it's those damn Shadows-"
Rhea puts her hand on Jenna's shoulder. "I just told you, it's going to be fine. Let's all head to Whitmore, he'll have our heads if we don't get there."
Gabriela adds, "Yeah, he'll have our heads from a mile out. Come on, he's waiting by the Grub N' Gulp."
The four head out south, Harold keeping his hand on his holster and Gabriela brandishes an empty .38 caliber revolver, pointing it at the sky as she looks around. Traveling through South Vegas, the friends chat as new inhabitants move into the empty houses, cleaning the dust and skeletons. In the distance the four can see the former NCR sharecropper farms being tended to by the Followers of the Apocalypse. They eventually reach the trade center of South Vegas, the Aero Park. Preachers could be heard preaching the word of God.
"I get Gunnarsson got his guys from Utah to come down here, but this seems a bit overboard." Rhea remarks. Harold and Jenna nod their heads, Gabriela tilting her head down.
"I think its good to have some...hope, to rely on, something after death to have some optimism for." Gabriela responds.
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"Fine to have hope, its another to shout about how you have the only hope." Harold turns towards Gabriela. "But let's not get into this, we're almost at the Grub."
The Grub N' Gulp had grown a lot since the disappearance of the Courier, going from a couple of tents with a brahmin farm to a full blown roofed restaurant building with a big outdoor eating area. Hitched brahmin stand out on the outside of the restaurant, different caravans chatting with each other while they eat brahmin burgers. An older Lupe stands out at front offering free cups of water to the travelers coming by, young servers running out to serve food. The group arrives as they notice the Happy Trails bags on one of the brahmin, and then a group of 3 near it. The oldest among the three waves his hand towards the group of 4.
"Come on! We don't have all day." Whitmore shouts, scratching his white clean shave with his other hand. "Zachariah, get the brahmin ready." He turns towards the ghoul with Mark 1 combat armor next to him, and then towards the female ghoul with sunglasses and a cowboy hat, "Helen, you scout out the road ahead, should be clear but you can never be certain." Helen nods and starts to head out. The four finally get to Whitmore. "Jenna, you coming along now?"
"No, sir. I just wanted to walk with Rhea, say goodbye to you all." Jenna looks embarrassed as she wipes her red hair to the side. Whitmore shakes his head.
"You younger people will learn one day that doing these meaningless gestures will only harm you more, not make you comfortable." Whitmore brings his attention to the other 3. "Rhea, you're going to be towards the front of the caravan with Helen, scouting out far ahead till we get to Searchlight, at which point you'll consolidate with us. Harold and Gabriela, you'll be watching our backs. Keep attention, you two may be unfocused at times but the both of ya are good shots when concentrating. Jenna, I know you'll just complain if I don't allow you a goodbye, so make it."
Jenna nods her head. "I wish you all a safe trip, and Rhea, please just...don't do anything reckless, same goes for all of ya."
"I'll buy ya some seasoned coyote bites, heard that's Albuq greatest snack!" Harold gleefully remarks.
"I'll be sure to bring something that'll last, like maybe a rug." Gabi smiles and pats Jenna on the back.
Rhea hugs Jenna and pats her on the shoulders. "I promise. Whitmore here will make sure of it."
"You're damn right! Now lets get a move on, the Red Sun Republic is waiting for our arrival." Whitmore start to walk off as Zachariah leads the brahmin and follows suit. Harold and Gabriela wave Jenna goodbye and start walking behind the last brahmin. As Rhea starts to walk off, Jenna gives her hand a quick grasp.
"Keep the others safe too." Jenna begs, Rhea gives a smile in response.
"Of course Jenna, I'll keep them safe."
"RHEA! GET TO HELEN OR I'LL LEAVE YA IN THE DUST!" Whitmore shouts, getting the attention of the dining travelers. Jenna lets go as Rhea runs, clutching onto her bags as she passes the caravan and attempts to catch up to Helen.
Helen surveys the area in front of her, the scope of her carbine her main eye. The road is safe, another caravan showing the sign for all clear ahead. She nods, lowering her carbine. Rhea finally catches up, wheezing from exhaustion. Helen smirks. "Smoothskin, don't damage your lungs this early, we have a lot of weeks ahead of us. Wanna smoke?" Helen gives a chuckle.
"Funny...I-, just need a breather. Any sign of trouble, Helen?" Rhea starts to unholster her rifle.
"Nah, another caravan just gave us the good sign. We should be clear till Novac. The Vipers haven't really been seen in decades, and those damn ants luckily keep to the caves now. We can just walk through and we'll walk till we get to the outskirts of Searchlight. Camp there."
"Sounds like a plan, though that's a lot of walking. Maybe we should rest at Novac, just so we're not too tired when walking towards-"
"We have a lot of traveling, smoothskin, we can't be taking rests at places we know are safe. Whitmore would travel 20 miles without breaking a sweat to get to his destination, Zachariah and I could travel farther. You 3 young ones should have more energy than an old man." Helen cuts off coldly, not even looking at Rhea. Rhea just nods and keeps surveying ahead of her.
The duo look upon the El Dorado Dry Lake, once crawling with giant ants now just barren as all the scrap has been scraped through. Rhea sees a lone, torn up sign in the middle, just able to read the red font: "Always be on your guard w-", clearly a sign for a product. She also thinks she sees a figure in the distance, but once she blinks, the figure goes away. The caravan behind runs into an issue where a brahmin almost tips into the Dry Lake, with Zachariah able to catch it, but it takes some time to readjust.
"It's ok, Jimmy, stable ground now." the ghoul reassures the brahmin as he pets it, Harold and Gabi smiling at this action. Whitmore yells, "Lets keep moving!" The duo up front end up getting a lot further ahead due to this inconvenience.
The caravan travels through Novac, not stopping as many travelers stay for a bite to eat or a stay at the motel. Whitmore chats about work ethic with Harold and Gabriela, Gabriela applying sunscreen to her tanned body an Harold scratching his short curly hair. Zachariah blankly stares into the distance as he leads the brahmin with his faded green eyes, his holstered grenade launcher a deadly warning. The brahmin end up stalling a bit, taking 10 minutes to get moving, Whitmore complaining the whole way.
"Ah come on!" He screams, those 2 will be in Albuq by the time we get out of Searchlight! Zachariah, what is happening with these brahmin?" He turns toward the ghoul.
"Tired. Should get Helen and Rhea and take a rest here-" Zachariah explains before getting suddenly cut off by Whitmore.
"Nope, we are getting a move on! These brahmin can rest once we get to Searchlight!"
"Yes, sir." Zachariah coldly responds, looking at his brahmin in subtle anguish.
Helen continues her march in silence as Rhea looks around, creeped out at the entrances to the various mines. In the far distance to the west, she again thinks she sees a figure, but shakes her head. Helen finds a clearing for camp, going off road. Rhea's eyes start to weigh heavy as she yawns loudly.
"Come on, smoothskin, we're almost at the soon-to-be campsite. Just keep going." Helen diligently marches, though stumbles a bit.
The two walk until they're at the center of the clearing, a former sniper site overlooking former Caesar camp, Cottonwood. Rhea immediately crouches down and starts a fire, Helen keeping watch. A soft yawn could be heard from Helen, Rhea smirking.
"Didn't think ghouls could get tired, specially considering what you said earlier." Rhea quips, igniting a quite large flame.
"Well, that was just an unconscious muscle reflex, smoothie. I'm just....fine." Helen rubs her eyes and stretches her arms. She looks out at Cottonwood, and shakes her head. "Still can't believe there was a civilization so willing to tolerate cruelty, and for what? One man's twisted view? I don't know much about politics, but even I think the whole Legion was a stupid man pretending to be smart."
"That I can agree with." Rhea replies. "Men playing dress up and taking control of women, the most childish desire I can think of."
"Exactly." Helen shakes her head again.
Rhea finishes setting up camp, the smoke tall enough to notify the others of their location. Rhea comments, "Well they'll prolly get here soon."
"Yeah, just stay aler-"
*WHOOOOM*
A blast of energy consumes Helen as Rhea instinctively dives backwards, watching as Helens charred body falls to the ground. Her carbine falls to the ground, taking a bad bounce as it rolls down off the edge. Rhea's eyes look in horror.
"HELEN!" She screams as she aims ahead, seeing the assailant, four assailants. Fitted in dark, red leather armor and coyote masks, they start marching towards Rhea, holstering their weapons.
"Take this one alive, she wants the humans." a muffled voice screams out. He starts taking out a bundle of rope. "Citizen, please make this easy, I know this doesn't look-"
Rhea takes this as an opportunity to shoot the talking one, blowing his scalp wide open. Blood spews out as their arms reflexively move upwards, before the body collapses onto the ground, twitching. The three others recoil in shock and start to unholster their weapons, ready to take advantage of a prone Rhea. As she tries to aim her gun at a different target-
*WHOOOOOOM*
From behind the assailants, a red blast of energy strikes the furthest one from Rhea, a brief scream of terror cut short as his body begins to liquify, eventually turning him into goo. The two assailants look behind themselves, and witness upon a shiny, green suit of power armor staring into them, carrying a modified plasma rifle that shines an intimidating light red.
"Yield or feel the wrath of the Brotherhood, vagabonds."