Captain Ronald Curtis is an officer of the New California Republic Army, heading Bravo Company at Camp McCarran. The captain's real identity is that of a frumentarius (codename Picus) planted several years ago by Caesar's Legion to spy on and sabotage the NCR Army.
Background
Officially an upstanding officer of the NCR Army, Ronald Curtis rose through the ranks quickly, reaching the rank of captain and position of Bravo Company commander in three and a half years.[1] Curtis is actually a frumentarius sent into the NCR by Caesar years before the Legion arrived on the banks of the Colorado River to challenge the NCR.[1] Frumentarius Picus is one of the most prized operatives the Legion has at its disposal, a deep-cover agent whose false identity is years in the making.[1]
While normally he would be commanding Bravo Company in the field, General Lee Oliver placed his company at Camp McCarran to shore up its defenses. While his men man the walls, Curtis helps Colonel James Hsu with logistics.[2] This is more than advantageous for Picus who uses his position to discretely provide information on NCR plans to Caesar's Legion, sabotage NCR assets and keep one step ahead of any efforts to apprehend him. Although he provides intel on patrols and other NCR plans back to the Legion each day,[3][4] his main goal has been to build up trust with Colonel Hsu to pull off a major sabotage plan without losing his cover.[5][6] Picus currently has Martina Groesbeck as an informant on the Strip, feeding him information on New Vegas, particularly the casinos; although she would never wittingly help slavers, Picus has concealed his true allegiance from her and is aided by her intelligence gathering.[7]
The Legion's frumentarii have been planning this operation for years as a part of the greater plan, Racket, first requiring Picus to infiltrate the NCR. The NCR bolsters its presence on the New Vegas Strip from Camp McCarran; using the connecting monorail lets them occupy two positions for the price of one. In his years at McCarran, Picus has learned all he can about this monorail and intends to sabotage it. However, Picus believes that Colonel James Hsu is beginning to suspect him; therefore, he is looking for the right scapegoat on which to pin the sabotage. He left some bomb-making supplies alongside a bomb, which are to be placed in Private Davey Crenshaw's personal footlocker to incriminate the practical joker. Although, for this plan to work, Private Crenshaw cannot be allowed to blab and deny his involvement, meaning he must be dead before the sabotage is reported to Colonel Hsu.[8][9] Picus currently is only steps away from pulling off his major plan, but bides his time for the right pieces to fall into place and to find the extra conspirator to ensure his alibi is established.
Silus, the captured Legion centurion, recognized Curtis upon being brought into McCarran, having seen him years earlier during the latter's frumentarii training. He did not know his alias, however.[10] Curtis is also well known to Vulpes Inculta, the frumentarii leader, for his resounding work at infiltrating the NCR and has been keeping close tabs on his progress.[11]
Interactions with the player character
Interactions overview
| Interactions | ||
|---|---|---|
  |
This character is involved in quests. | |
Quests
- I Put a Spell on You: It is revealed that Curtis is a Legion spy and is planning to sabotage the New California Republic monorail to the Strip from Camp McCarran.
Effects of player's actions
- If the player character sides with Caesar's Legion, Vulpes Inculta sends the Courier to Camp McCarran incognito, where they assist Curtis in destroying the McCarran-Vegas monorail and help him avoid detection by killing Private Davey Crenshaw and planting incriminating evidence in his footlocker. Instead of disappearing from the NCR Army after the bombing like he had originally planned, Curtis decides to stay and develop his role into "something grander," enabling him to greatly benefit the Legion for a long time to come.
- Alternately, if the Courier has killed Private Davey Crenshaw prior to working with Curtis to bomb the monorail, Curtis is unable to find a proper scapegoat once the bombing happens. Curtis recognizes that without someone else to blame, the NCR will sooner or later figure out it was him. He makes plans to disappear from Camp McCarran and tells the Courier that they cannot be seen together again, and will thereafter not engage in dialogue.
- If the player character sides with the NCR, Curtis is found out as a spy and when confronted forces the Courier to kill him rather than be taken alive. If the Courier does not kill him, he will commit suicide. Colonel James Hsu and through him the NCR are fully alerted to the extent and details of Curtis' treachery. His death is a disaster for Caesar's Legion, ruining Caesar's years-long effort to plant a spy at Camp McCarran.
- If the player character kills Colonel James Hsu while working for Caesar's Legion, a dismayed and furious Curtis says that the Courier has set him back years in his work as a spy. Curtis spent years earning Hsu's trust, and when the NCR replaces him "within a week" Curtis will have to start all over again. He angrily banishes the player character from his sight and will not speak to them again.
Inventory
| Apparel | Weapon | Other items | On death |
|---|---|---|---|
| Random NCR armor Beret |
9mm pistol Combat knife |
Activation code Control tower access code |
Notes
- His office is located on the first floor of the terminal building. It is to the right and behind the right stairs leading up to the second floor.
- If one kills Curtis and returns to The Fort, Caesar will be furious and says that he knows the Courier disarmed the bomb on the monorail. This counts as a crime against the Legion and Caesar will forgive them once if this is their first crime, or have them killed if a crime was previously committed.
- Even though Curtis is a Legion spy, he will be hostile towards the Courier if they are Vilified with the NCR and see through any NCR disguise like a normal NCR ranger.
- Killing him counts towards both the challenge Armed For Bear and Against All Tyrants; however, since the challenges use mutually exclusive lists of weapons, it is not possible to earn credit toward both challenges with a single kill.
Appearances
Captain Ronald Curtis appears only in Fallout: New Vegas.
Behind the scenes
"You're getting too close, Shamus" is a reference to the video game Where in the U.S.A. Is Carmen Sandiego?[12]- During his radio transmission to Caesar's Legion, he calls somebody with the callsign "Lupa," identifying himself as "Picus." This refers to the wolf, Lupa, who nursed the infants Romulus and Remus, and Picus, the woodpecker who fed them.
Bugs
- He may be the only hostile person in Camp McCarran if there is an abrupt drop in reputation with the Legion, or perhaps an abrupt increase in reputation with the NCR. - Happened after a disguise glitch. [verified]
- If Colonel Hsu is killed and one talks to Curtis, he will express his anger with the Courier for setting him back years in his mission even if the player has never spoken to Caesar about Curtis being a spy. [verified]
Gallery
References
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