| “ | Life has a way of punishing you for the mistakes you make. Big enough mistake, punishment can take a while.
— Craig Boone
|
” |
Craig Boone is a character in the video game Fallout: New Vegas. A retired military sniper bearing heavy regrets, he is a potential companion and confidante of the game's protagonist, the Courier.
Boone joined the New California Republic Army, serving as a sniper with the First Recon Battalion as the NCR attempted to take control of the post-apocalyptic Mojave Wasteland. First Recon was sent to Bitter Springs to deal with raiders from the Great Khans, one of the tribes the NCR had come into conflict with. Unbeknownst to the NCR, Bitter Springs was full of non-combatants. Bad intel and miscommunication led to many civilians being massacred by Boone and the rest of First Recon. Haunted by his actions, Boone left the army.
Boone eventually married a woman named Carla and moved to the town of Novac outside New Vegas. Jeannie May Crawford, a prominent citizen of Novac, became disgusted with Carla's outspoken dislike of the town. She made a deal with Caesar's Legion and had Carla sold into slavery. Boone tracked down the slavers but realized it was impossible to save Carla. He made the decision to mercy kill her from afar. With the loss of his wife, Boone became even more bitter and despondent.
Eventually, Boone would encounter the Courier, a former deliveryman searching for their attempted killers, whose help Boone requested in finding the person who sold his wife. Depending on his relationship with the Courier and the ultimate fate of the Mojave Wasteland, Boone could either be killed, re-enlist with his old unit, murder his commanding officer from Bitter Springs, become a mercenary or assassin, or be executed by Caesar's Legion.
Battle vs. Sniper (TF2) (by BeastMan14)[]
Day One
The Sniper walked through the mountains of the Mojave. After the war, the team discovered whenever they died, they just....came back to life back at 2Fort. They went their separate ways, and the Sniper had been a mercenary ever since. He had taken a mission from some man with a wolf on his head named Inculta to take out a squad of NCR rangers that had been hassling them. Sniper paused, then looked through the scope of his rifle. He had em. Chuckling, he opened fire, the round dropping the first Ranger, and the others panic and scatter for cover. "Like Christmas mornin!" He shouted as he crouched into a good position. He was gonna be here a while.
The Courier and Boone were doing what they had to do a lot. Walking. Courier had heard something about a group of women with rolling pins mugging strangers at Freeside. Someone was willing to pay to big money for their heads, and the Courier and his gang always delivered. He brought Boone along, in the odd event he needed backup. Suddenly, his NCR radio bursts out,"This is Ranger squad 12 calling in! We are under fire by a sniper, near Highway 95! We need backup ASAP!" "We gonna help them?" Boone asked flatly. "No. Serves em right for sticking around after Mr. House thrashed them at the Dam." The Courier responded, unflinching. Boone stopped, his voice beginning to show some of his inner rage. "We. Do. Not. Leave. Men. Behind. We clear?" Courier sighed, "Fine. We'll go."
The Rangers found themselves stuck behind a cover point as rounds slammed into cars, one of their comrades already dead, and another nursing his stump of an arm. The firing stopped, and for a moment, the Rangers thought it was over. Suddenly, their radio chimed in, and a voice, heavy Australian accented, said over the other line,"Hold on chap. Just gotta get some more ammo." Whistling, he switched his end of the radio off. "We don't have much time. Please let someone get here in time." One of the Rangers shouted into the radio. Just then, a voice shouted,"You're in luck. 150 caps and you'll have a savior." The Courier and Boone stood waiting. "What? We don't have time for this!" The Courier laughed,"Well then. 300 caps it is." The Ranger stared at him with an exasperated look. "We don't have time! Here!" He tosses a sack of caps at the Courier. "Well then, in that case. Here we come to the rescue. Boone? Any idea where this sniper might be?" Boone slid into cover, looking around. "If I were in his position, I'd be at that hill." He points. "Well, my flamer doesn't have that good of a reach. Looks like its up to you Boone." The Courier shrugs, then begins to flip through a magazine as Boone draws his rifle and opens fire. Meanwhile, on the hill, the round slams right next to the Sniper's head. "Blimey!" He cries, then jams more ammo into his own rifle. "Well, bout bloody time you wankers started fighting back." He grins. Looks like he was gonna be here a while.
Day Two
The Sniper put aside another jar, this full, just like the last. He stared through the scope at the Rangers hiding point, well covered as always. "Come on wanker. Poke your bloody head out. Do something." He hated it when the prey knew they were done for, but wouldn't admit it. He sighed, before aiming just above the car and firing, the round pinging off its hood. A Ranger clearly panics, and begins to reach for his rifle. Boom, headshot. "Dropping like flies now, are ya." The Sniper chuckles right before a round tears through his shoulder. "AH! Bloody goddamn hell!" The Sniper shouts, scooting backwards, holding his shoulder.
"I got him." Boone says coldly, lowering his rifle. The Courier and the Ranger's look up, surprised. "Really?" The Courier asks. "He ain't dead. But I think I did something." Boone kept his eyes on the hill. "Wait. Get down." Boone whispered, pushing the Courier back into cover. "Ow. Jesus." Courier mumbles, rubbing his injured forehead. He never really did recover from Benny's attack. The other Ranger's all take cover. After a second, nothing happened. A few seconds later, nothing continued to happen. "Great, good to know pushing me down was neccesar-" The round tore the car door and into the Courier's leg. "AGH! GODDAMN MOTHERFU-" The Courier held his leg and fell onto his back. "I NEED A STIMPAK!" Courier shouts. "Shhh! Be quiet!" Boone hisses. "Knew I should have brought Cass or Gannon. Then I wouldn't be in this goddamm mess." Courier growls through gritted teeth.
The Sniper chuckled, his shoulder freshly bandaged and on its way to healing thanks to some of that weird liquid stuff the Medic had kept in his gun. Good ol Medic. Sniper sighed, sometimes he missed his team. But he couldn't get distracted now. He grinned,"Looks like I got someone." as he saw one of their members continue to roll around, holding his leg. "Walk it off. Teach you to stand around in my scope like a bloody idiot." Sniper mumbled as he crouched back down again. As the sun began to set, Sniper tipped his hat to his unseen sniper foe. "Not too bad. I'd like to see your face before I finish ya off."
Day Three
Boone looked down at the Courier. They had passed out from blood loss hours ago, he needed to get them a Stimpak soon, or they'd bleed out. "I got a plan. Take them and get out of here, keep your radio here and set it to as loud as it could go. I'll keep you covered for as long as possible, try to take the safest route to the nearest base." Boone says to the Rangers. They nod, hoisting the Courier over their shoulder. "We don't know who you are, but thank you." The lead Ranger says, before Boone opens fire on the Sniper's position. "Come on you son of a bitch. You want a fight, let's fight."
Sniper ducked with each shot that slammed closer to his head. "Easy now!" He said, rolling out of the way. When he looked up, he saw what this guy was trying to do. The last three Ranger's were running as fast as they could, with someone on their leader's back. "Nice try. But you ain't gettin' away that easy." He focused the scope on the back of the one in front, holding his breath, waiting for the right moment. "Got ya." Sniper said just as music blared right out of nowhere, the sound of it echoing across the Mojave. "What in the bloody.." The Sniper mumbled under his breath as he focused on the source of the music. The cluster of cars. "Where are ya? Where are ya?" The Sniper growled. "A round hit the hat off his head. "Right here!" Boone cried as he dashed up the hill, quickly switching his rifle for his machete. "So you're the tough wanker I've been facing. Damn good job!" The Sniper shouted as he drew his kukri. The radio continues to play.
Threw the town there came a stranger with a big iron on his hip...
Boone thrusts forward, with Sniper barely sidestepping. He drives his boot into Boone's gut, sending him staggering back. He swipes downward, with Boone locking blades with Sniper, pushing with all his might. "I've fought just about every damn thing in this desert. What makes you think you're gonna come out of this alive, you son of a bitch!" Boone shouts as he overpowers the Sniper and knocks him to the ground. "I'm ending this. Now!" Boone says as he raises the machete over his head to finish off Sniper. Desperately fumbling for something, Sniper grabs a jar and hurls it into Boone's face. "Gah! What the hell?" Boone cries, holding his face. Sniper leaps up and drives the kukri into Boone's stomach. Boone falls to his knees, fumbling for something in his pocket. He pulls out a crumpled piece of paper, looking down at it. "Ca...Carla. I'm sorry." He chokes out before tumbling to the ground, dead. "Sorry I had to do it mate. Just business." Sniper tipped his hat to his fallen foe. He almost felt bad. Almost. Seeing his targets are gone, Sniper walked off into the hills.
Three days later...
The Courier really didn't know how they ended up in those situations. Last thing they remembered, they had a hole in their leg and Boone was fighting a sniper. Now, they were in the desert, surrounded by Legionaries. "For Ceaser! Our fallen leader!" One cried. Inculta. Knew they should have killed him in New Vegas. "For all your crimes against the Legion, you shall be crucified." Inculta said calmly, then reached for the Courier's bound together hands. Suddenly, a round tore through his skull and he fell to the ground. All heads whipped to where a figure in red stood in the horizon. "Not so bloody fast." The Sniper said. As an apology for what he's done, he was gonna keep this guy safe.
WINNER: THE SNIPER
Expert's Opinion[]
While Boone had greater training and experience, he was greatly hindered by his low mental health; he was literally suicidal. The Sniper, on the other hand, was perfectly healthy, enjoying what he does, and wanting to live. He was far less likely to make a mistake during battle, unlike Boone, who could more easily let his frustrations cloud his judgement.