A/N: [Insert basic Author's note to avoid Copyright infringement]

Prologue

Date: August 12, 2277

Location: Camp McCarran, New Vegas

It was all quiet in the barracks as I rose from my bunk.

This was finally it. The day I had been anticipating for three weeks. I quickly went to the showers, realizing this would be my last time showering at McCarran for some time. I tried to not let it bother me none as I grabbed what little belongings I had and tossed them into the olive drab duffle every NCR soldier receives upon enlistment.

After dressing myself in the standard fatigues, I throw the duffle bag over my shoulder and begin to make my way out when I hear what sounds like a low moan. I turn to see my friend, Corporal Naomi Gilbert, slowly waking up. Her face looks tired and groggy from an apparent rude awakening. I drop my bag and walk over to her bed. As I sit down on the bed next to her she pulls herself upright and begins to yawn.

"Hey," I start, "why don't you head on back to sleep". "Are you deserting" she asks with a hint of worry in her voice. I take her hands into mine and kiss her palms. "No, I'm just going to experience something new," I say, wiping away a tear beginning to roll down her cheek, "but you will see me again in at least two years top, I swear". I then leaned in close and kissed her on the lips.

She began to lie back down and I draped her in the itchy wool blanket that is considered standard in the NCR army. I walk over to the door and grab my bag. I turn back to take in the scene. I usher out a quaint, little "Farewell" as I closed the door.

The rest of the walk to the front gates was barely interrupted. I had hoped that no one I knew would stop me and ask where I was off to, luckily I only ran into one person while exiting the concourse. "Where you off to" the voice asked. By the sound of it, it was exactly who I didn't want to run into. "Hey Farber" I said slowly walking away. As I tried to walk a little faster to the Terminal doors, I hear the sound of his footsteps growing louder. "SO," Farber said, completely annoyed by the fact I was walking away. "What's in the bag"?

Now he's poking at my duffle, clearly trying to annoy me long enough to get an answer. "Just some things" I say trying to navigate my way past him.

"Where are you off to in such a hurry" he asked. Letting out a huff, showing how annoyed I am. "If you must know," I start. "I'm off for my Ranger training".

As I turn to look at him I see the expression on his face…priceless! "No fucking way" he's totally jealous. I then brush my way past him and exit the concourse, as I sneak a look as the doors close I see him with that same expression frozen on his face.

The walk to the entrance to the terminal building was quicker than expected. Lt. Boyd had given me a strong salute as I walked closer to the immobile escalators. Me being the good soldier I am instantly stopped walking and saluted back to her.

"At ease soldier" she said closing the distance between us. "Heard you going to be working with the rangers for now on".

Still standing at attention, I give a short nod. She looks me up and down and stretches her arm towards me, gesturing for me to give her something. Instantly knowing what she wants I give her the small note. She looks it up and down and gives me a nod. "Anyone in particular you want this to go to," she pauses for a second.

Looking me in the eyes now she clears her throat and begins to speak again. "If you happen to bite the dust". Realizing I haven't said a word, I clear my throat and look up at her.

"If you can, could you send it to my family in Junktown, my sister at the Hub," I say with a smug look on my face. "My middle brother Jake in San Francisco or my older brother Declan in New Reno, he's a made man in the Bishop family, so it shouldn't too be hard to find him".

She nodded as she wrote on the back of the note the possible inheritors of my death note. She nodded and began to walk back to her office. I began to step down the immobile escalators to Colonel Reed's office.

As I entered his office, a young officer on his way out bumped into me. "Excuse me" he ushered. He stuck out his hand into my face, waiting for me to take it in my own. "Lt. Colonel James Hsu" he started. "I just got transferred here from Intelligence".

I looked him up and down then shook his hand, a small smile forming on my lips. "Sergeant Eli Clarke" I say, introducing myself.

"Where you off to" he asked. "Your tour is up".

"Nah" I say, shaking my head. "I was accepted by the Rangers".

He then gave me a curt nod in acceptance as he let his hand fall out of mines. "Is that right".

"Yeah, took me some time, but now I'm going to be achieving my dream". He gave me a light punch on the shoulder. "Well good luck to you then". He then walked off towards the escalators.

I then remembered what I was doing and entered the Colonel's office. "So this day has finally come" he said. He turned and handed me a folder. I knew exactly what was in it. I grabbed it and tucked it under my left arm as I saluted him. He saluted back and turned back to his desk. "It was nice working under you sir" I said before I began to walk out his office. Before I could leave I felt his hand land on my shoulder. I turned to see the Colonel holding a cigar and an old pre-war lighter.

I took the cigar and pocketed it and closely examined the lighter. On one side was the NCR bear, most commonly seen on the NCR flag. On the other was the NCR Ranger symbol.

I exited his office and made for the doors out of the terminal building and began the long trek to the front gates of Camp McCarran. As I walked pass the 1st recon tent, I saw a familiar face staring me down. The man then took a sip from his steaming mug and retrieved his sunglasses from his coat. "Where you off to Clarke" the man asked.

I turned and shouted, "Heyya Boone, long time no see".

"You still haven't answered my question" he said with an angered look on his face. "Do I have to go all the way to New Reno just to have Declan force some answers out of you".

His face began to shatter as the angry look turned into a smile. I then ran up and embraced him in a hug. He pushed me off, holding me by the shoulders. "So where you off to kid". I pushed both his rough hands off my shoulders and adjusted my duffle more comfortably on my shoulder.

"I finally got accepted into the Rangers" I said with a smirk on my face.

"Well good for you kid" he said in reply.

Before I could say anything I realized a man was standing behind us. He lightly tapped my shoulder. As I turned around he forced a clipboard unto my face. "I need you to sign for this" he said.

He then forced his pencil into my hand. As I signed for the package I realized above all the paperwork was the infamous symbol of the Mojave Express, the only mail service in all of the Mojave, until you reach the old borderline where Nevada connected to California.

I then realized the huge package connected to his back by a thin rope. As I finished the paperwork he tossed the package on the ground in front of me. He then turned around and just like that left. I turned to Boone and gave him a slight shrug and then went to opening the package. As I opened it I saw there was a note. I picked it up and then began to read it.

From: Declan Clarke, New Reno

To: Elijah "Eli" Clarke, Camp McCarran, New Vegas

Dear Brother,

It's been some time since either of us has sent each other a letter. I got the word that you will be transferred to the Rangers. Good job little brother. Jake and Patty send their regards. Momma, Nells, and the little ones hope you don't get into any trouble. Me on the other hand know that you won't get hurt, as long as you've got this kick ass weaponry I got from Eldridge over at New Reno Arms and a couple from that old spook in San Fran. What was his name? Mai Da Chiang or Mai Da Cheang. Anyways, enclosed are an old pre-war Ruger AC556F, you don't know how long it took Mai to find this; one of my Tommy Guns; an old Colt Model 1878 Double-barreled Shotgun, heard these are better than the old Widowmakers; dad's old rifle and a pre, pre-war revolver. I had them both refurbished by Elridge. He said dad's old weapon was a Winchester Model 1876 and the pre, pre-war one was a Colt 1851 Navy or something. Jake found the old revolver out prospecting the old Boneyards of Los Angeles. He said he found it in what looked like a pre-war museum about cowboys. The revolver has been converted to fire cartridge rounds specifically .38 ACP, Long Colt, and Special. The rifle, being a bigger bore, actually fires 45-70 Gov't. Also I left you some .38 special, .45, 5.56, and 45-70 Gov't and a sum of caps. This is two months work of caps from me. Momma wanted to leave you some, but I told her to keep it for her rent. It's around 10,000 caps bro, so keep your equipment maintained. Clean and tight, as dad would always say. Well, I hope this package reaches you before you leave brother. I've gotta go, the boss needs me to go give his mom, Ole Angela Bishop, some soup. Cya bro, hope to hear from you soon.

Love, your brother

Declan Clarke

I folded the note and placed it into one of the outside pockets on my denim jacket. I then moved the packing peanuts to be greeted by the site of three long barreled weapons and a revolver packed tight in it's cross draw holster. After moving the weapons I noticed the potato sack. Upon closer inspection I realized this was the bag of caps Declan mentioned. I tossed the caps into my duffle then buckled the holster around my waist.

"Boone, I'm going to be gone for some time" I started, lifting the crate of weapons. "So try not to get yourself killed and make sure Manny is always there to be your spotter" I said as I walked towards the front gates.

"He is the best spotter we know". With a sly smile on his face, Boone merely replied with a quick little "Okay". Privates Greene and Faraday, the front gates guards, then opened the aforementioned gates for me.

Sure enough, waiting in front of the gate for me was two NCR Rangers with their pack Brahmins, three Crimson Caravan guards, and eight other ranger recruits. I then walked over to the Brahmin and tied my crate down on the makeshift wagon, made from the trunk of an old Highwayman, the brahmin pulled. I then tossed my duffle onto the other duffels, which I guessed belonged to the other recruits. "Is that all" one of the rangers asked. I answered him with a short nod. The ranger then walked over to one of the caravan guards and told them to start the brahmin.

Our small pack walked for some 419 miles until we reached the outskirts of some pre-war city called Susanville. It seemed untouched by the clutches of the pre-war faction's war. No radiation, no indications of looters hitting the town, not even a group of raiders holed up in an intact building.

But there was one thing I noticed upon entering the city. All over the ground in the town were orange ripped sleeves and ripped torsos from orange jumpsuits. On the back of the torsos were the words HDSP. It wasn't until we reached the city's police department did we realize what it stood for.

Upon reaching the department the rangers told three of us recruits to go search the building for weapons and ammunition. When we entered the building us recruits decided to split up. I decided to take the first floor.