You’ll end up with this quest if you’re following the NCR or Mr. House storyline, and you can optionally choose to do it if you’re going rogue. If you’re siding with Caesar’s Legion your goal will be somewhat different, concerning Kimball… but in any event, head to the Hoover Dam Visitor’s Center to find Ranger Grant, who will talk to you when you approach. Before you confirm you are ready, make sure you actually are ready. If you leave Hoover Dam after starting this quest, you will fail it, and that’s no fun. Having Ratslayer and another long-range weapon (the YCS/186 or Gobi Campaign Scout Rifle are good choices) come recommended, and perhaps a suit of NCR gear, if you’re working for them. Having a good NCR reputation will help, too, which shouldn’t be a problem if you’ve been following this guide.

Once you’re ready, tell Ranger Grant that you’re good to go and he’ll tell you to get busy by taking a nap. On the day of the presidents arrival, talk to Ranger Grant about specifics to learn that you cannot go around with weapons drawn and some areas have restricted access. If your reputation with the NCR is good enough, you’ll be able to enter these areas and carry weapons, as well as get the itinerary of the day’s activities. In general, you’ll be more trusted the higher your reputation is (make sure you’re not wearing any faction armor yet, or at all if your base reputation with the NCR is high.)

Security Sweep¶

After talking with Ranger Grant, let’s go do some optional searching, just to make sure nothing’s amiss. Head upstairs and talk to an engineer named Allison Valentine, who will complain about her missing friend and fellow engineer. Return to the ground floor and enter the Supply Closet to find some blood on the ground, which for some reason requires a [Perception 6] check… to make sure it’s not ketchup or something? Pass this check and it’ll suggest that one of the NCR’s engineers has been killed and is now being impersonated. Finally, hack the terminal [Average] in the Visitor’s Center and select the entry “Security Duty Roster” to find out that there may be a sniper lurking about, too. Wonderful.

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Talking to an Engineer upstairs will reveal that one of her buddies went missing (left). Hacking a Terminal [Average] will also let you know that there might be a sniper on the prowl (right).

The Arrival of Bear Force One¶

When you’ve got all that evidence, head upstairs and go through the double doors south of Allison Valentine to reach the observation deck, where you can find Ranger Grant waiting for you. Talk to him and ask when the president will show up to prompt the arrival of Kimball’s state vehicle, Bear Force One. That’s just… awful. There’s an easy and painless way to end this quest right now, just turn south, south-west climb a ladder and await the Vertibird’s landing. When it lands you’ll see an engineer tinker with the Vertibird, after which you should search the machine. Pass a [Repair 50] or [Explosives 50] check and you’ll discover a bomb. Yikes! If you head into the Visitor’s Center and talk to Ranger Grant (who is standing where you last saw him) and tell him about the bomb. He’ll call off the speech and send the president home. Easy-peasy.

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After an Engineer tampers with the President’s vertibird, disarm the bomb placed on it (left) and tell Ranger Grant to cut short the President’s visit (right).

If that’s too simple for you, however, don’t tell Ranger Grant about the Bomb (but do disarm it, if you can!) and instead head past the Vertibird to the north, north-eastern edge of the tower and equip Ratslayer… or the Gobi, if the NCR allows you to carry around weapons. Keep an eye on the tower to the north and when you see another person arrive on the tower and dispatch the ranger there, kill the newcomer. If you now tattle to Ranger Grant about the assassin, you’ll have to deal with a third assassination attempt, as described below. If you weren’t allowed freedom to carry arms and aren’t dressed as an NCR member, you may have to sneak over to the northern tower and kill the assassin with Love and Hate or a similarly quiet weapon.

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The second ranger on the tower isn’t a reinforcement - it’s a Legion sniper in disguise (left). The third and final threat to the President is a knife-wielding Legionary. Take him down to secure the President’s safety (right).

After taking out the assassin and telling Ranger Grant, focus your aim on the crowd below Kimball and watch as an engineer shows up. Keep your eye on them, as this is the engineer who attempted to bomb the Vertibird earlier. If they make a move towards the president, shoot them. They’ll stop to stab a ranger in the way as the ranger goes to extract the president, and will do the same to Kimball if you let him. Once the Engineer is dead, you - and Kimball - are in the clear.

You'll Know it When it Happens

Complete You'll Know it When it Happens.

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