» Fri Aug 05, 2011 7:21 am On the same day that the U.S., China, and the USSR were attempting to extinguish each other, a company of U.S. Army Engineers were in the southwestern deserts building transportation bridges over dry riverbeds. They worked deep in the inhospitable desert valleys, surrounded by a number of survivalist communities. Located directly south of their position on that day was a newly-constructed federal prison. In addition to housing the nation's criminals condemned to death, the prison contained light industrial manufacturing facilities.
Shortly after the nuclear attack began, the Engineers, seeking shelter, took over the federal prison and expelled the prisoners into the desolate desert to complete their sentences. As the weeks passed, they invited the nearby survivalist communities to join them and to help them build a new society. Because of each communities' suspicions towards one another, times were difficult at first. But as time nurtured trust, this settlement -- which came to be known as Ranger Center -- grew to be one of the strongest outposts. Ranger Center even proved powerful enough to repel the hands of rancorous criminals who repeatedly attached in attempts to reclaim what was once rightfully theirs.
The citizens of Ranger Center, after first believing that they were the only ones who survived the nuclear maelstrom, soon realized that communities beyond the desert's grip had also survived, Because they had such success in constructing a new community, they felt compelled to help other survivors rebuild and live in peace.
Toward this end, the Desert Rangers, in the great tradition of the Texas and Arizona Rangers three centuries before, were born.
The year is now 2265 and trouble stirs on the horizon with settlements going dark and ranger patrols being lost to the desert. Tensions in Ranger Center have grown in the last few months with some citizens abandoning the sanctuary for life in the wastes. Rangers who have been fortunate enough to return from a tour in the wastes recount horrible tales of mutants, radiation, strife, disease, and other unknown horrors.
Under an increasing amount of stress, Harrison Vogel, the chief of Ranger Center has recently issued a lock-down to prevent any new entrants and to ensure the remaining population is kept inside. Anyone who attempted to flee was sniped from one of the watchtowers. Citizens of Ranger Center have become increasingly distrustful of the current regime and shy away from the rangers whenever possible.
Troubled times lie ahead for the two groups in the coming days...
