[b]Oupost 5, Northland 21:07[/b] "What are yer doing ya lazy cunt?" The moon was high in the sky, shining bright. The almost silent camp was empty, except for a tent full of soldiers, drinking their problems away. Being a member of Mana Squadron was certainly a ton of hard work. The first week was the most brutal week of the program, you would be lucky if you even have an hour of sleep every night. They were essentially dropped from a plane into the wild together while they are tied up. If you don't get your parachute open by a certain moment, your dead. You are sent in the worst place in New Zealand, forest so thick and is basically a huge, tight maze. 90% of candidates will drop out from the program from injuries or death. They were the best of the best. Disciplined. And drunk out of their asses. "Fuck you mate" Private Tane slurred, drunk off his ass. The Maori native slicked his black hair back and took another swig of his beer and burped as loud as he could. Mana Squadron was on a night out, drinking and having fun in the fortress bar. The air was filled with smoke and a jazz band was playing in the background. The offending Lieutenant looked back at Tane with a glare. "Doing more than you bitch" the officer slurred, pointing his finger at Tane's chest. The 6 foot Maori pushed the finger off and slapped the officer in the head, knocking him face first into the table. He didn't recover. The Private looked at his best friend, Benny. "Mate, you think I'll get in trouble for that?" Benny looked at him with a blank look and said back "Nah mate, it's algoods. He was a dick anyways." Tane shrugged and took another swig of his beer. He looked at the pitiful amount of beer in his cup. He shoved a hand into his pocket and felt for any money. None. He looked at Benny and stopped to take a look at him. His pakeha friend was drooling on the counter, knocked the hell out. Letting a little yawn himself, he grabbed his Ak-47 and walked out of the bar, getting his cigarette case out as he did so. Tane let his rifle hang on his shoulder as he lit his cigar on fire. Doing a long drag, he lets it all out in a perfect fashion. He let the cigar rest on his lip and walked out the gate into the nearby forest. The moonlight beamed through the canopy, shining the ground around him. He engulfed himself in the sounds of the local wildlife. A bird chirping over there, a kiwi hiding in his burrow over at yonder, the local insects letting out there opera of sounds. The canopy was full of life and Tane smiled as he picked up a little flower on the groun- [b]BOOM[/b] He spun, shouldering his rifle as headed down towards the base, where the explosion came from. A sense of dread filled him as he walked between the tree trunks and saw the ruined outpost. Fire spread throughout the outpost, the scream of the burning filled his ears. The smell of burning flesh assaulted his nostrils making him puke on the dirt. Tane recovered and saw a man, his face half burnt, crawl out of a burning wreckage, moaning and groaning out. His eyeball was hanging on a thread, frying with that sickly noise. His nose was bent sideways, unnatural in pose. He let out a hoarse scream and coughed loudly, blood coming out of his busted lips. His arms burnt to a crisp, blackened husks, scratches and burns etched on the skin. His torso was covered in gashes and what seemed to be beer bottle sticking out of his gut. His left leg was gone, cut off by wreckage and his right...... It was a mess like the rest of the man. It was hanging by a little piece of bone, burnt and scratched. The ground beneath the man quickly filled with blood and guts, slowly oozing out of the man, seeping into the cracks in the ground. He let out another cry of pain and slowly stopped shivering, lying still on the cold hard ground. Tane let out another volley of puke, the scene to much for his eyes. He stood there, eyes watering for a minute. He steeled himself and moved forwards, obviously ignoring the man when he passed. Fear licked Tane's mind, wondering if Benny and the rest of his team shared his fate. He gripped his rifle tighter, turning his knuckles white. The fire around him did not help his growing worry, only fuelling it further. He heard gunfire up ahead and a cry of pain. Tane began sprinting towards the noise, vision blurring and bones aching. He came into the outpost's rugby field and saw the firefight up ahead. Dozens of men in red and black uniform surrounded Mana Squadron firing, surprisingly, very out of date BAR's at the SAS men. They still outnumbered Mana Squadron 3 to 1 and was picking them off one by one. The Maori steeled himself and pointed his Ak-47 at the nearest unknown and fired a three round burst at the head. He was satisfied with hearing a loud piercing sound and the man's head being a foot away from it's body. Half of the men in uniform stopped what they were doing and aimed at him, firing away with no care for accuracy. He saw the insignia. The old New Zealand flag. Tane snarled and dived into cover. "Fuck you ya slimy pieces of diehard fuck!" The remains of the old government was here at full force, wanting to wipe out Mana Squadron. The now boiling man grabbed his grenade and pulled the pin. He waited for three seconds before tossing it into the mass of red and black, killing three and injuring a dozen. He secured the red beret on his head before popping back up to fire at the governmental diehards, still shocked at their sustained injuries. He shot in three round bursts, taking down another nine men with shots to the head. He calmly reloaded his rifle and set out to kill more before ducking down into cover when the so called "shitheads" started firing back. Kamana calmly coached against the debris, waiting for the firing to stop. It stopped. Synchronised perfectly, the gunfire stopped. He peeped an eye out over the cover. What he saw disgusted him. The governmental diehards stopped to eat. Eating his now dead friends. Hunger was in their eyes as they pulled at the soldiers of Mana Squadron, getting their limbs off and munching on the flesh. Blood trickled from their mouths as the screaming started. Some of his men were still alive. They were eating his friends alive. Friends. Tane never thought about it, but he did consider them as friends. Friends of the highest degree he supposed. So when he laid his eyes on the site, he did what most people would do in the situation when armed. He aimed at the closest man, chewing the arm of First Lieutenant James Raven, recognising his buff arm anywhere. Tears formed in his eyes as he fired at the men. "No remorse" he shot the man between the eyes, surprise etched on his face. He walked towards the soldiers, still eating without a care in the world. "No mercy" Tane turned his rifle on full automatic, spewing lead into the soldiers. Some were ripped apart while others were silence with bullet holes in their back and through their hearts. They looked back now, hunger in their eyes and blood on their faces. "For the innocent" they charged at Tane, only to be cut down by rounds to the chest and head. "For Aotearoa" he looked at the remaining few, crying behind bodies or still eating their feasts. He finished them off. "To kill the greedy, burn unjustly and purge the corrupt. God defend this free land." He looked at the field of bodies. Tane fell on his trembling knees, adrenaline sapped from him. He let his tears flow. [i]E to matou Matua i te rangi Kia tapu tou Ingoa Kia tae mai tou rangatira-tanga. Kia meatia tau e pai ai ki runga ki te whenua, kia rite ano ki to te rangi. Homai ki a matou aianei he taro ma matou mo tenei ra. Murua o matou hara Me matou hoki e muru nei i o te hunga e hara ana ki a matou. Aua hoki matou e kawea kia whaka-waia; Engari whaka-orangia matou, i te kino: Nou hoki te rangatira-tanga, te kaha, me te kororia, Ake, ake, ake. Amine.[/i] [b]MAV [i]Tamaki Makaura[/i], Atlantic Ocean 21:33[/b] I looked across the calm blue sea, almost sparkling in the light. Being aboard a battleship in Aotearoa's navy was an honour, especially because only seamen and honoured guests can truly come aboard a battleship. It's mighty guns swivelled and turned, ready to bare it's fang to any who dare. I walked towards the edge of the ship, water splashing against the Mighty Aotearoan Vessel's hull. I looked back at what my mother said, a certain spark appearing in my eyes. [i]"You are boarding a Waka? What a warrior son I have!"[/i]. My mother was a very traditional sort of folk. Believing in the tales of old and a fierce believer of God. A smile tugged at my face before setting back to it's usual cold demeanour. I didn't like being a politician, but it gave the most money. Especially with another baby on the way, I had to get money somehow. This diplomatic trip to England seemed to be the best idea at the time. I feel a bulge in my pocket and reached for it, letting out a tired sigh as I do so. I pull it out and saw what could only be called perfect. The picture was of a lithe lady, 24 with flowing brown hair and a smile that could win hearts over. Her light brown eyes complimented her face, bright and cheerful. She was posing for the camera, taking a comical, typical model pose. Her tank top and a bit too short shorts, not that he was complaining at all, was her attire and it proved how beautiful and carefree his wife is. It brought a smile to his face. He was going to be reunited with his family soon enough. "Diplomat Engelbart Kappa." I quickly shove the picture in my pocket, careful not to scrunch it up. I turn with my business mode on. Reminiscing could come later. "What is it Captain? I do hope we get this over with. Going to the British Isles.... discomforts me to say the least." It was true. I have heard the stories of the atrocities the diehards back home made. Cannibalism , torture, crucifying people. The list went on and on. And going to the country who they supported makes me a little queasy in the stomach. The Captain chuckled a bit. I don't understand this at all. I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion. He looks back at me and straightens up. "Don't worry sir, your in good care. The British have changed, ever since their collapse they have wanted to set up the commonwealth. This is where you come in. You need to convince them that we are independent now and we are going to be in the commonwealth together. We are not to be ruled over again. You remember what happened." I grimace and thought back to the war. It was around 30 years from now and it still scarred the country. Prime Minister Randen has been working tirelessly to get the country back in shape. It was still in the hearts of all. He clasps my shoulder, recognising my face in thought. "Don't worry mate. These British bastards will have a run for their money if they want to invade. Us army folk will make sure of that." He leans into my ear. "And I saw your missus over there. Wouldn't want a British man just to ravage her and fuck-" I cut the Captain off with a punch in the gut. That probably wasn't the smartest idea but the guy is being a dick. I mean what the fuck was up with that commentary. Absolutely no fitting of a captain of Aotearoa. But you know. It felt good. "Fuck!" The captain bent over more, holding his churning stomach. I slap him on the back of the head, earning a groan from him. Luckily, we didn't raise any commotion. "Listen here and listen well" I lean into the Captain's ear "if I catch you talk about my wife in any context, I will make sure that you will be deported to the South Pole outpost." The blood drained from his face. He scrambles up and salutes me. He turns and runs back into the ship. I smile. The South Pole outpost was actual hell. You only get deported there if you piss one of the higher-ups off or if you are a governmental diehard. Blood is spilt there and the current war between the outcasts and the diehards are one of the bloodiest. It wasn't even a base. It was just 40 square kilometres of fence, just to keep em in. You fend for yourself out there. A loud alarm blew, signalling that we have almost arrived at our destination. I set my beret in place and straighten my tie. It's about time. I walk up to the front of the ship and saw the British Isles in all its glory. I hear a horn sound and the march of men walking down. A haka. The true spiritual power of the kiwi. Our mana. [i]"Whatiwhati to hope! Ringa pakia e! Waewae takahia! Ka huri o kanohi e! Kīkiki kākaka kau ana! Kei waniwania taku aro, Kei tarawahia kei te rua i te kerokero! He pounga rahui te uira ka rarapa; Ketekete kau ana, to peru kairiri: Mau au e koro e. Ka wehi au ka matakana. Ko wai te tangata kia rere ure Tirohanga nga rua rerarera, Nga rua kuri kakanui i raro? Ka mate! Ka mate! Ka ora! Ka ora! Tenei te tangata puhuruhuru Nana nei i tiki mai whakawhiti te ra! Upane, ka upane! Whiti te ra!"[/i]