#manny...

the hardest part is that the more I think about Boone the more he both makes me miserable and pisses me off wait hold on don't whine in Boone's defense to me because I'm already irritable plus whatever it is... consider the possibility that I've already considered it !! inside and out !! over and over and over and over !! at every angle and overly in Boone's defense too many times so reel it back on track here and wait I also know it's the writing and how it's limited for game space so whatever let me be mad at Boone('s writing 🙄) thanks anyway

and right now I'm thinking about how especially in relation to Manny... he's a shit friend to Manny and they're stuck like that in game since there's no interacting with eachother and even then like fucking step outside of Boone's perspective for a minute here with me

Manny would be so sorry horrified even if he knew any of the truth because what happened was a rotten terrible sick thing nobody wishes slavery or death on the family of their best friend regardless of anything at all

and then he'd probably feel so weird about Boone considering the weight of everything like that's so much to process and it all loops back into other parts

you didn't know your best friend killed his wife and might have almost blamed or at least suspected you for what happened just because you seemed happy she was gone while you had no idea what actually happened to her and you just thought she got sick of being with him in a town she's miserable in and left even others were sure she just left nobody else (yeah except No Bark) saw any signs of kidnapping so of course you didn't like her you thought she ditched your best friend and was hard to get along with because your ordeals* clashed with hers** whatever but you wouldn't betray your best friend you wouldn't sell a pregnant woman to to fucking legionaries and yet your closest best only friend thinks you could have done that !! your only friend !! and even after he finds out who really did it he still avoids you doesn't even tell you he's leaving with a total rando and by the way that tribe you joined as a kid with your cousins? yeah your best closest only friend killed a bunch of them even the children the sick the elderly civilians amongst them that's what nobody would talk to you about but reeling back around that friend your best closest only friend thought you could have something to do with his pregnant wife being sold into slavery to legionaries your best friend thought you'd traffick his wife your closest friend thinks of you that way your only friend sees you as a potential slaver and because why what you were according to ncr propaganda a mindless heartless raider and even to your only friend subconsciously is that it? it couldn't be that right? either way you're alone in that dinosaur alone in the world

and maybe that's why they shouldn't talk or maybe that's even moreso why they need to

Boone is both grieving and should be sorry. All Manny did "wrong" was make the mistake of reacting according to how he perceived a situation without knowing everything. Boone knew more and jumped to worse conclusions with it.

I know it was probably when most people were probably sleeping except Boone (and No Bark?) and probably Jeannie and they snuck the back way ugh Dinky isn't really a good vantage point that way and of course some legionaries gotta be good enough at sneaking around I'll give them that and if they got her muffled or knocked out concussed before she could wake up and scream they still had to be so lucky (not sure I want to word it that way) that nobody else happened to be restless or nothing went wrong to wake anyone...

imagine if Carla had the chance to scream yell kick make noise...

startling Manny (and anyone else near enough) awake adrenalized jumping out of bed running out rifle in hand yelling for Boone as he realizes it's Carla and that there's legionaries and starting to fight them off

I can see some people just keeping their doors locked and keeping quiet to avoid things but idk I don't believe everyone is that selfish and cowardly about survival I think some would help even if it's scary and hard... some would try to defend their home their community from fucked up evil slaver legionaries I feel like Ranger Andy could get in a few shots at least

Manny would try even if he's not getting along with her she's still his best friend's girl a pregnant woman in danger in need of help and those are fucking legionaries in their home

would anyone see Jeannie? was she sleeping snug and smug? would she just hide or fake some act to cover her involvement? how directly was she helping the legionaries during the kidnapping? I'd hope she'd get caught somehow and at least No Bark noticed a legionary enter Jeannie's lobby

I like to imagine Manny put up a damn good fight to defend not only his home but his best friend's family and as both first recon and a Great Khan (so so lovingly)

Carla of course would be traumatized and it might worsen how she feels about Novac even if people try to be nicer out of sympathy but trying to leave might feel just as unsafe since unlike the town the road or open wasteland has generally no fences no locks no walls but she'd appreciate Manny for helping... for saving her

their dynamic would shift and they'd have to be more sympathetic of eachother

Boone would be intensely extra protective... still turning out hypervigilant... on top of his guilt complex about how bad things are still coming to him for Bitter Springs... I think he'd still have that

but so thankful for and proud of Manny

even if everyone makes it out without too fatal of physical injuries it'd still be a traumatic mental scar it'd shake everyone in town up

the town would know they need better security especially in case more legionaries retaliate and they probably will

if Jeannie May Crawford isn't immediately caught she'd try to cover her own ass at least from residents... until legionaries retaliate

I'm not sure Novac could avoid a Nipton fate in the event of retaliation... maybe... before thaaaat might be where the courier comes in to help like defending Goodsprings and helping Primm... and of course with the bad guy option to help the legionaries instead ugh fuck you but whatever

Boone found a torn/stained copy of the bill of sale so is vigilant that the failed kidnapping was a set up. You still need to find out who did it.

and Novac needs extra security

so you are hired as that extra security and you are to patrol or stand guard in an area where the retaliating legion raiding party will approach you

and if you're not yet hated by the legion (and if you aren't immediately attacking them) a leader will start dialogue offering you choices: 1. allow or join their raid 2. offer to hand over some residents somehow (the resident that failed to deliver or breached their agreement of sale which anyone can be framed for / the "profligate defenders" as in Boone or Manny or even Ranger Andy / maybe Carla to complete the sale [-∞ karma hello?]) which stalls them from attacking waiting for you to lead someone to them or 3. to start a fight and defend Novac from the retaliating legion raid

in case you missed the dialogue chances to find out about the kidnapping being set up by a resident one of the legionaries has a note about the deal to sell/kidnap Carla or a copy of the bill of sale

and I think you'd still need to do a little investigation or guessing who (the name of the Novac resident being torn or smudged) and of course it's still Jeannie but you gotta snoop still to be sure and

you have the option to turnover Jeannie (or whoever you frame) to Boone or the legionaries and to turn over anyone you just convince them to follow you like normal

but for completing the sale of Carla you have to get a key or pick the lock to her and Boone's room and also convince (or kill) whoever might check on her that you're not endangering her somehow

you can alternatively warn Manny and/or Boone if you stall the raiding party and fight the legionaries with them

even if you hand over (even all 3 of) the requested residents to the legionaries they still attempt to attack Novac unless you pass another dialogue bit to convince them to just leave because taking the residents is payback enough or just intimidating them

but if you don't betray Novac (handing over Jeannie doesn't count tbh) and everyone stayed safe because of you yayayay you did your job

and I think it could be interesting to recruit more security for Novac akin to finding a new sheriff for Primm... but it'd be easier enough to say they've just hired someone else after you've completed your job similar to the security gig at Silver Rush