Manny Vargas

Manny Vargas is a Californian citizen and former Khan who is a veteran NCR Army sniper living in Novac in Fallout: New Vegas. Vargas is one of the two former NCR 1st Recon snipers who are now sentries in Novac. He and Craig Boone alternate shifts in Dinky the T-Rex's mouth.

Background
Born and raised in North Vegas, Manny once ran with the Great Khans together with his cousins. Although he loved the lifestyle and the thrill of being a raider, an unspecified incident made it impossible for him to continue life as one of the Khans. He left the gang and decided to enlist with the New California Republic Army. As an excellent shot, he was assigned to 1st Recon as Craig Boone's spotter. The military life appealed to him, especially the discipline and travelling to new places in order to make people safe, not to mention Craig, who quickly became his closest friend.

The good run lasted until the Bitter Springs Massacre. Both Manny and Craig were stationed at Camp Golf at the time. Knowing he'd have to face his former comrades, Manny faked an illness and stayed back in camp. He's not clear on what happened, just that a lot of people died and many of them didn't want to be a part of the fighting at all. Although he harbors no ill will towards the Army, blaming only the chaos of the battlefield for the massacre, it made it impossible for him to continue serving. The fact that people would sometimes call him a murderer to his face when they secured a Mojave town didn't help.

Manny and Craig took their papers and left to find a new life in the wasteland. Manny convinced his friend to settle at Novac, where their rifles could do some good. Problem is, Craig met Carla in the meantime and they didn't see eye to eye, not one bit. The two constantly bickered, in no small part due to their wildly different backgrounds and the bad blood between the impoverished North Vegas and wealthy New Vegas. The hostility between the two soured relations between Craig and Manny.

It happened when Carla was abducted by the Legion. Craig came to his friend to confide in him, but Manny failed to hide his satisfaction at her disappearance. The grieving husband couldn't take this kind of reaction from his best friend and turned his back. Although Manny hoped Craig would come around, Boone didn't. Instead, he disappeared from Novac, returning grim, cold, and a shell of a man.

Manny was left without a friend in Novac. He was widely respected for his role as a sniper and leadership in security matters, but although people look up to him and depend on him, nobody really cares about his feelings. Perhaps for that reason, when McMurphy came to Novac with Benny and asked for a safe place to sleep, Manny accommodated them, showing his loyalty to the Khans and letting friends from a past life into his world once more, even if just for a brief evening.

Relationships
Manny was Craig Boone's closest friend ever since their time in 1st Recon, although their friendship was tested by Carla and her personality. When he later lost his friend's trust, Manny also lost his closest confidante and the only person who seemed to understand what he felt.

Although he's no longer a member of the Great Khans, he is still loyal to them and helps them when they're in need, proving the doubters wrong.

Quests

 * Come Fly With Me: Manny asks the player to clear the test site so that Novac's economic base can be maintained.
 * They Went That-a-Way: He will trade that service for information on Benny's whereabouts.
 * One for My Baby: Manny can be fingered as part of the quest.

Other interactions

 * The Courier can empathize with Manny if they have the Confirmed Bachelor perk.

Appearances
Manny Vargas appears only in Fallout: New Vegas.