Everyone has return to the room and get adjusted to their seats, the newcomers that wasn't here were Ch'en, Hoshiguma, and Swire. The LGD came back to R.I. after dealing with troublemakers in Lungmen, so they were immediately shown bits and pieces about the logs.
"I see, I'll admit I am curious to learn more about these logs." Ch'en cups her chin as she eyed the logs on the table.
"The logs contained information about the other world, similar to ours but a bit different, from what I've gather it seems they called their planet Earth instead of Terra." Closure added as she gives the data catalogs to the LGD members.
Swire whistles loudly, "That's a lot of information there, chief." She said to Ch'en.
"We can discuss this another time, we should focus on learning the next part of the logs." Doctor comes in from the door, as he quickly went over to the database's computer and play the logs.
At night the wasteland is dotted with towns that light up up in the darkness. Each one is settler's attempt at rebuilding civilization. The wasteland holds endless wonders and mysteries and you'll never see them from within the walls of one village. Life on the road doesn't leave time for growing crops or herding brahmin, so some people survive by taking what they need. Such predatory behavior is hardly commendable, but it does take strength to live the life of a raider, and who doesn't respect strength.
Rope nodded the fact that some people survive by taking what they want, it made her into a criminal but she did it to survive, living in the slums toss away like trash do many things to you.
"What kind of rifle is that?" Swire points at the one of the criminal scum holding a strange looking rifle.
Closure checks the logs about the weapon, "Apparently, it's called the Chinese Assault Rifle, The Type 93 Chinese assault rifle was designed and manufactured by a Chinese industrial conglomerate for the People's Liberation Army during the Resource Wars."
"Do you think we can manufacture a weapon like that?" Dobermann asked Closure.
"I think we can, I just going to need the schematics for this type of weapon and we're golden." Closure smirked and gives a thumbs up at Dobermann.
While Rhodes Island is purely a pharmaceutical company that provides care and treatment, they are more of a paramilitary organization, due to the wide variety of Operators in its employ with combat skills. They fight for the betterment of the Infected.
However, they are interesting in finding weapons that could help aid their search on finding the cure for the Infected. So with the information and weapon schematic from the Chinese Assault Rifle is a boon to them.
Every few miles there's some new group of raiders on the prowl, always certain that their strength gives them the right to prey one the weak. And every damned one of them has a theatrical name and flamboyant heraldry. The Fiends, the Jackals, Yakuza. Every pack of chem-addicts that stumbles across a history book just decides to play dress-up and terrorize the nearest village.
"Why isn't the NCR handling the rest of these degenerates, I know laws and order aren't exactly a thing in this world anymore, but shouldn't the NCR do something?" Amiya asks as she wonders if these raiders are a threat, why hasn't the NCR take them down yet.
"With the uprising of the second battle of Hoover Dam, the NCR's currently busy with Caesar's Legion, the raiders are a loose gangs hooked up in drugs, and I doubt some of them can even read a book if given to them." Kal'tsit was the one responded to her student.
"Don't overestimate them, Kal'tsit, I'm pretty sure there are few smart raiders in that world, just because almost half of them are on drugs, doesn't mean every raider gangs are." Doctor said with caution, he had a feeling at least one of the raiders isn't just a hooked up addict...
"If these raiders were in our world, I would've arrested them in Lungmen prison, immediately." Ch'en was disgusted at the sight of these raiders walking around freely.
"Don't be a pansy, Ch'en, If you were given the chance I won't stop you." Hoshiguma felt drop of sweat down on her neck while saying that.
Fortunately, most raider gangs don't last long. Entire groups can be exterminated in one fight gone wrong, or the whole lot can overdose on a batch of Med-X that's been cut too pure. But a few of the raider gangs have managed to stick around for generation after generation, and the most resilient by far is the Khans.
A long time ago, many years before even the Great War, there was a place called Mongolia. Home of the Khans, some of the toughest warriors the world had ever seen. They were led by a man called Genghis, and under his rule they came closer to conquering the world than anyone else. Even a thousand of years later people still know the name.
"Interesting... These Khans almost conquered the whole world." 12F documenting his notes of the intriguing discovery of the Mongol Khans.
"These Khans look quite similar to some the histories of Higashi." Ch'en remembers one of her history classes and her homeroom teacher mentioning about an empire that almost took over the world.
"Just how much Earth and Terra's histories resembles with each other." Rangers humming as it seems Earth and Terra shares lots of common with one another.
The Khans of the modern wasteland aren't actually descendants of the originals from Mongolia. They came out of Vault 15 in 2121, along with few other raider gangs, and the people of who founded village of Shady Sands. The folks that settled down in Shady Sands couldn't wait to start rebuilding civilization, but the rest - they took a liking to the wasteland just as it was.
Some of those survivors of Vault 15 formed a gang called the Vipers, a band of kooks that worship snakes. They'll be remembered in the holotapes because one of them managed to kill the High Elder of the Brotherhood of Steel a century ago. But the Vipers are nothing compared to the most infamous raider gang that came out of Vault 15. The Khans.
"WHAT!?" Nearly every operators shouted and couldn't expressed their thoughts on what they just heard.
"These guys managed to kill the High Elder of the Brotherhood?" Noir was shook to say the least, he thought the Brotherhood were tough badasses in power armor, but it seems he was wrong in the category.
"This is highly impossible. I refuse to accept this." Nearl grips her hands tightly upon hearing this, she refused to accept a High Elder of the Brotherhood was murdered in the hands of these... Vipers.
"Margaret..." Zofia puts her hand at her older niece, she didn't know what to say or think what her niece is going through.
Maria stayed silent but went over to her sister's side and hugs her tightly, it seems to help cheer up Nearl a little.
Doctor took notes as these Vipers are added in his threat list, it might a lucky shot that one of the member killed a High Elder of the Brotherhood. It looks like he needs to visit to the training room, to avoid getting killed by an "accident".
The Khans value strength above all other qualities. When that vault opened they knew that the world had become a place where the strong would thrive while the weak became prey. For years they ranged through the remains of Arizona and California, stealing what they could carry, razing anything left behind. Under the leadership of a man called Death Hand they thrived in an age where other bands barely managed to survive at all.
In time Death Hand grew old, his body covered in scars from a lifetime of battle. Even then there was only one person who had the might to best him in a fair fight, his own son Garl. The Khans would only accept leadership from the greatest warrior among them, and there is no truer test of a person's strength than a fight to the death. Garl killed his own father for the right to lead the Khans and took the title of Death Hand as his own.
"The father passing the mantle to the son, a test of strength one that will lead the Khans to the new age." Siege stares at the young person punching an elderly man, the young one must be Garl, she doesn't know if she should be impressed or angry that he killed his own father to lead the gang.
"The Khans seems to value strength a bit much, is it necessary to kill one's own even if they are related to you?" Melantha stares in shock seeing Garl killing his father to death.
"It's part of their culture, Melantha-chan, I don't think anyone can change their code unless it's someone in charge of the Khans." Adnachiel said to his teammate.
"With Garl in charge, I highly doubt he's going to change that code anytime soon." Ansel's ears frown to the side, seeing that much blood always makes him nausea a bit.
He led the Khans in their raids against Shady Sands and other towns in New California for years afterwards. Many settlers considered him nothing more than a bullying low-life brute, but others suspected that Garl Death Hand was merely seeking a worthy foe.
If Garl had played his cards right, he might have lived long enough to have a son of his own and one day pass on the title of Death Hand but, before he could produce an heir, he met his end. In 2162, Garl and his gang had kidnapped a girl from Shady Sands, and she turned out to be the mayor's daughter, Tandi. That was a step too far for the people of Shady Sands, and it wasn't long before the some do-gooder in Vault 13 jumpsuit showed up at the primary Khans camp demanding that Garl release her.
"Vault Dweller!" Durin's eyes sparkled a bit on seeing the familiar figure blue jumpsuit with the number "13" on his back.
"So it seems the Khans were the ones who kidnapped Tandi." Dobermann eyeing at the Khans watching the Vault Dweller.
"In a strange way... I think if the Khans hadn't kidnapped Tandi, then there wouldn't be NCR in that world." Vigna said as without the NCR's presence in the Mojave, Caesar's Legion would have take over the place with ease.
"Caesar's Legion would have been the dominate empire that would conquer and destroy California if the NCR hadn't been formed." Kal'tsit spoke with a irritated tone, Caesar can't be allow to do that in the future.
The legend of the Vault Dweller has just begun, and the Khans couldn't have known just what they were up against, but Garl had finally found a true equal to face in combat.
The Khans were hardly the greatest threat that The Vault Dweller had to deal with, and they weren't even mentioned in the dweller's memoir. Once a damsel in distress, Tandi went on to become president of the New California Republic, where she turned the NCR into a powerhouse the Khans could never hope to match.
"Take that Khans!" Blaze cheers seeing the defeat the Khans at the hands of the Vault Dweller.
Dobermann cups her chin while staring at the Vault Dweller, "I'm still trying to understand how did this young man managed to save the future president of the NCR, as far I understand, he seems to be inexperience when he fought those large scorpions in the last viewing."
"I guess he might have adapt in certain situations, Instructor Dobermann, The Vault Dweller clearly shows signs of improvements in such short amount of time, perhaps must have trained by some of the residents in that world?" Fang replied to her instructor.
"I don't know if Vault-Tec has security department in their vaults, but I can only assume that seems to be the case with our mysterious blue jumpsuit friend." Swire can see talent when she sees it.
"Wait, Who is that hiding behind the rocks?" Lappland out of all people points at the young boy hiding behind the rocks.
Only one Khan managed to survive the camp massacre, a boy named Darion who hid during the ruckus. Darion spent the rest of his life trying to atone for his act of cowardice. He created a gang called the New Khans and spent eighty years harassing Tandi and the people of her New California Republic.
"It's a shame that Darion considered his act as cowardice, he hid in the shadows while seeing his family members being killed by the Vault Dweller, in his eyes the New California Republic are the monsters." Doctor shook his head but couldn't fault Darion for this act.
"I mean... The Khans kidnapped Tandi, what are the people of Shady Sands going to do ignore it?" GreyThroat replied to Doctor, not seeing the problem at all.
"It's an endless cycle that is going to continue for generation to generations, Darion should've known that going after the NCR for revenge for his cowardice, is just plain stupid and should move on." Folinic eyed the screen at the young Darion limping away from his home.
Kal'tsit agreed with her apprentice, "Darion was born in the Khans and it isn't surprising he grew up with their philosophes and code of his tribe."
What Darion lacked in courage, he made up for in leadership. His New Khans were a bunch of of real bruisers, maybe even tougher than the gang from the old from the old Death Hand days. These New Khans were such terrors that they even took control of Vault 15, right under the nose NCR's nose. Tandi couldn't let that stand, so she sent an operative to deal with New Khans.
That operative just happened to be a direct descendent of the Vault Dweller who had slaughtered the original Khans... The old bird probably got a laugh at that.
"The Chosen One?" Liskarm was surprised to hear that the Chosen One is the direct descendent of the Vault Dweller.
"Well~ Who would've guess the Chosen One fought against the New Khans, it seems destiny works in many ways in life." Franka tease but was glad to see the mighty Chosen One who defeated the Enclave appeared on screen again.
"Wait, hold up, who is this Chosen One?" Blaze wasn't there when the BSW operatives seeing the Chosen One in action.
After a quick reviews from the logs, the operatives in the room was mildly impressed with the Chosen One, although the logs couldn't decipher his origins, his accomplishments against the Enclave was greatly praise by Rhodes Island.
"So what we do know is that the Chosen One is looking for a G.E.C.K to save his village from dry season in the Northern California area." Kal'tsit took notes and documenting the Chosen One into their info database.
"Hard to imagine a village tribal who was sent out to find this missing relic, but somehow save the world from the Enclave in the process." Noir said.
Gavial stares at the Chosen One and couldn't help but picture herself in his place, would she be sent out to find a missing relic to save her tribe as well? So many things in her head she couldn't keep track off.
By that time Darion was a half-crazed old man, but he went down with a hell of a good fight. The Vault 15 security system recorded his final battle, and he would have made Garl Death Hand proud.
Even though Darion is dead, the Khans lived on. A handful of raiders away from Garl's camp survived and carried the legacy of the Khans with them. The largest group lived away on the fringes of the NCR under Papa Khan, called the Great Khans to honor their illustrious heritage.
"So are these raiders formed under Darion's New Khans or the remnants of the original Khans?" Zima asked in confusion, The Khans, New Khans, Great Khans, just picked whichever name already!?
"We don't know that for sure, Zima, but I can guess that this Papa Khan wants what's best for his people." Rosa replied to her friend.
"Papa Khan seems to be a reasonable fellow, maybe if we ever come to their world, we could seek an alliance with the Great Khans?" Doctor suggested to Kal'tsit.
Kal'tsit seems to consider this, seeking an alliance with the Khans seems to a wise move, but given to their histories with the NCR...
"I'll consider it. For now we should continue to listen to the logs to find out more of these Great Khans." She said.
In 2267, Papa lead them East where they discovered the ruins of Vegas; that was years before Robert House had unleashed his army of robots. The Great Khans found a home among the hardened tribals that inhabited Vegas back then. There the Khans could test their mettle against the other warriors, and wouldn't have to worry about the Vault Dweller's great grand kids showing up to kill them all.
The Great Khans had a few good years there, until Mister House decided to send out his Securitron army and "Civilize" the inhabitants of his town. About the same time the NCR had begun to spread East into Nevada too.
The Great Khans know more than anyone that annihilation is an ever-present threat in the wasteland, and they suddenly faced a war against two armies, so they chose to abandon Vegas rather than tempt fate. Outside of Vegas they were of little interest to House, but they still fought NCR troops at every opportunity.
"Smart. If Papa Khan and his tribe had stayed in Vegas, they would've died fighting against House and the combine might of the three tribes that joined House and his vision of The Strip." Kal'tsit nod at the smart thinking that Papa Khan did for his people.
"The only problem is the bad blood between NCR and the Khans, the histories between the two still runs deep within both parties." Amiya was worried not just the NCR, but the Khans as well.
"The Khans still attacking NCR troops at any given opportunity, so they chose to attack them." Saria sighs and couldn't understand Papa Khan not telling his people not to engage the NCR in the Mojave.
"Papa Khan no doubt still holds hatred at the NCR at the destruction towards his people in the past." Silence replied to Saria's question. Given the two researcher's history with each other, but the two of them finally bury the hatched thanks to the Doctor, and thus taking care of Ifrit.
The New California Republic had grown increasingly ruthless in its efforts to acquire new territory, and there are those in the Mojave who save the Great Khans as victims of NCR hegemony. The two groups had been enemies for generations, and their battles were fought with little mercy from either side. The NCR eventually won a decisive victory though, at the Battle of Bitter Springs. Although most people around the Mojave call it The Bitter Springs Massacre.
"I can't say I blame the people of the Mojave for this, to them the NCR just came from the West and rolls over to their side and declared they now ruled this region." Doctor sighs at the NCR for their expansionism, How could they take so much territory and not be spread too thin?
"The NCR should have stayed in their side in the West Coast, the NCR lacks the manpower and equipment to move any further, as long as there is opposition, meaning Caesar's Legion." Kal'tsit agrees with Doctor.
"The Brotherhood also lacks the manpower, but does have the equipment needed for long expeditions needed to travel long distance, the Capital Wasteland is proof of that." Amiya went through the logs and the Brotherhood travel across the country in poor conditions, gathering supplies whatever they could and continue their objectives.
"I wonder how did the Eastern Brotherhood manages to avoid Caesar's Legion, they have to travel East, so I have to wonder if this was before the Legion was formed or Caesar was busy doing something else." Yato randomly asked.
"Still the NCR needs to slow down, I can tell that some of these soldiers are fresh out of the field, they have gotten too big for its own good." Dobermann speaks out her thoughts on how the NCR soldiers and how some of them were too young for combat.
"I agree, the NCR should focus improving their own soldiers first, expanding into unknown territory, being criticize by the people of Nevada for taking their land, slapping taxes on them, and just told them what to do isn't going win them favors." Zofia agrees with Dobermann on this one.
Bitter Springs was identified by NCR intel as the Khans' base of operations. The NCR cornered the Great Khans and invaded the camp. That's when the Khans started evacuating the camp down a nearby canyon. 1st Recon troops stationed there opened fire and killed most of the gang. They thought their were shooting raiders flanking their troops, but they ended up killing women and children, old folks too. Almost anyone who was at Bitter Springs has a different account of what happened. It might have been a mistake, some miscommunication between the NCR commanders, or bad reconnaissance at the site. Or it could have been a deliberate act of genocide.
Every operators in the room sat in silence on seeing what the NCR has committed against the Great Khans, the younger ones shed tears, the veterans sneers at the miscommunication, both Doctor and Kal'tsit eyed one another and knew they have to be better.
More than a few NCR troops walked away from the army after that. Even if the massacre can be blamed on bad intel, the soldiers who pulled the trigger still had to hold themselves together accountable for their own actions. Some of them have taken jobs as mercenaries protecting towns in the Mojave. Get them drunk enough and they might talk about what they did in Bitter Springs. Though most of them are drinking just so they can forget.
The Khans of course can never forget Bitter Springs. The massacre left the Great Khans a broken people. The ones that survived limped away to the West, way out to the Red Rock Canyon. There the Great Khans are out of the way of the NCR and New Vegas. They lack the brute force and numbers to survive as raiders in the old days, and now they make a living by manufacturing chems, and selling them to other raider gangs.
"It's hard seeing the Great Khans are now shells of their former selves." Gavial said and can't imagine what she would do her tribe's spirit is broken.
"NCR has a lot to held accountable for their actions, whether it was miscommunication or bad intel is highly irresponsible. I'll see to it that the NCR will finally accept their actions." Kal'tsit isn't just saying it, it was promise, a promise that the NCR will face justice not towards the Khans, but to all the evil deeds they have done in the past.
"On the side note, I'm surprise the Khans knows how to manufactured, granted they are making chems but a setup like that could also be used to create medicine." Folinic points towards the small setup on the green bench.
"Given the limitation and lack of technology, it's really is impressive they can do this sort of thing." Nearl has to give the Khans credit, even if she disapprove towards their current actions.
Papa Khans is aware of just how far his people has fallen, and the NCR bears the full weight of his wrath. He has even accepted envoys from Caesar in the hope that joining the Legion will allow him some final act of revenge against the NCR in the coming war. A fool's hope, but that might be all that the once great Khans have left.
They have little choice but to live in their little canyon, lamenting their lost power. Still, even a group of broken-down chem-dealers have it pretty good when compared to some people in the wasteland. If you can call them people. There are wretches out there who'd be happy just to have skin that isn't rotting off their faces.
But that- is a story for another day...
"So where going to be learning about the Ghouls next." Doctor hums and was clearly looking forward learning more about them.
"What is that place? A museum or something?" Ifrit said as she points at the weird looking museum where the Ghouls are crowding in.
"Yes, Ifrit, that is indeed a museum." Saria replied to her daughter.
"Closure, quickly go to the next log." Kal'tsit said to the Sarkaz.
Closure nods before hitting the next log.