[Untitled post-apocalypse fic]

[weemadando]

The hide was in a depression halfway down the hill, a fallen tree just infront of the hole provided further cover, as did the thorny evergreen bush which grew over half the hole. Carefully layered camoflage netting and fallen leaves provided the rest. The two men in the hide watched a road with ran East to West in front of them, an old two-lane tarmac which was part of the network that ran all over Germany. The roadsides were overgrown with long grass and in places the grass had also taken root in the road. The road contoured around the hill, some sixty or so metres from where they lay. They were able to watch it for more than a kilometre in each direction.

"I hear vehicles," one of the men mutters, "from the East. More than four I'd say." They both flatten themselves into the ground, subconsciously shrinking their perceived silhouette, even within the hide. The vehicles came into view, one by one as they crested a rise to the men's right.

"I make a UAZ, two techicals, two five-tonners and - is that a Beamer?"

"Sure is, late model sedan - these guys are in the money. See any flag or flashes?"

"Looks like some Albanian flashes on the five-tonners. Got and an Albanian flag on the UAZ too."

"More of 'em? That's the second group that's come through this week."

The convoy rolls past the hide without slowing and disappears around a bend into the West.

"You see that? Those trucks were empty. You know what that means."

"Yeah, slavers. Write it up and call it in - I counted 3 in the UAZ, four plus the gunner in each techical and two in each of the trucks. BMW was too tinted to get a look. Time was 1109 and they were West-bound at about 70 klicks."


-=-=-=-=-


It started in late March in Dubai, twenty travellers taken from the airport to hospital with SARS-like symptoms. By the end of the day cases had appeared in most Asian and European cities. America woke to see it on their morning news and by the time that the evening bulletins arrived, it was clear that the pandemic had arrived there too. Everyone from Islamic Jihad to FARC claimed responsibility.

Then there was the bomb. A nuclear warhead of Russian origin detonated at the port of Los Angeles. The damage wasn't that severe, but it was enough to drive the final nail into the coffin.

Simply put, the world went apeshit crazy.

India and Pakistan lit each other up like radium watch dials. North Korea did the same to Seoul before being devastated by a barrage of ICBMs. The balloon had gone up. Russia and China, certain the US strike on North Korea was aimed at them launched their own missiles and militaries already poised and ready to go were unleashed.

The hotline did it's job though - most of the missiles were aborted in flight, but a few had already hit their targets, or worse, failed to respond to abort commands. It was too much for people to bear. The President was forced to remain in the undisclosed location while riots raged across the remaining cities of the US. In others, refugees from disease and destruction began the work of re-settling. All around the world, economies collapsed as workforces disappeared along with supply and demand. Cities ravaged by the virus were now facing a scourge of looting, pillaging and violence not seen since the darkest days of the Middle Ages.

All across the globe a hundred brushfire conflicts burst into raging firestorms as open warfare swept the lands again. It didn't last too long however - with most governments in hiding or forced from power by the vicious backlash of the mob the militaries closed their bases. Some were overrun by people seeking shelter, vengeance or loot. A few were wiped out as the virus raged in the closed confines of the sealed base. Some mutinied at the orders to shoot civilians at the wire. Others remained sealed, forgotten, ignored or hidden.

At last count, close to a third of the world's population had been wiped out by plague, famine and war. Those that remained clinged desperately to the trappings of the twenty first century, while trying to re-learn the skills of the last twenty. The age of anarchy had arrived.


-=-=-=-=-


"Everyone, come to order!" The Mayor wore civilian clothes, but was clearly ex-military, he was in his fifties with gray stubble where his hair still grew. "This is the meeting for 25 May 2017. We have reports due from Farming, Trade, Intel and Infrastructure at this meeting. Who wants to speak first?" The meeting was open to all citizens of their enclave. There were about two hundred now - a mix of nationalities and backgrounds. The enclave had once been a minor military base between Frankfurt and Mannheim, now it more closely resembled a medieval town, self contained with every member having a special role in its continued functioning. In the early days it's commander had been quick to realise that no relief was going to come. And so it had begun offering refuge to those who could help sustain the enclave.

"I guess I'll report first," a woman stands to address the group in the mess hall, "Infrastructure can report that recent scavenging has netted us lubricant reserves sufficient for two years at the current rate of use. We're also working on refitting the number four and five barracks with solar panels, that would bring us up to a net positive generating capacity. Which may allow us to investigate the potential for some additional usage to be authorised. Also, overhauls of the four tractors have been completed and we do need more spares for them - which might mean retooling of some of our production or focused scavenging and trade. Finally - diesel and petrol reserves are confirmed at two years for current rate of use. Farming has additional info on our follow-up options, but we are working on it still."

The Mayor stands again, "Any questions for Infrastructure? No? OK then - Farming, you want to follow on?" The Farming spokesman is relatively young, probably only in his twenties, but weathered and strong from the work.

"We're on track for a 150% production this year in wheat and corn. There's a 200% surplus in production for cabbage, onions, lettuce and potatoes. We've had a good survival rate for calves, lambs, kids and piglets - so we're going to be able to increase herd sizes for all of those too. We're also in line to get a stud male and seven female draught horses. That deal has been in the works for a few years and our turn is finally coming up and we'll be taking delivery in six weeks. This should give us a reliable, if less efficient engine in the field into the future. Our surplus of production in all areas will allow us to increase stockpiles as well as have greater trade options. Also, we're working on getting seed-stocks for some more fruits and vegetables which we may be able to grow in the green-houses."

"Questions for Farming? No - onto Trade then."

"Trade has a few developments to report," the speaker for Trade was a tall, olive skinned man with jet black hair, his Italian heritage evident. "The monthly market netted us a tidy profit, mainly in petroleum products and electronic components. We also got a few ducks and chickens and two dairy calves. All of them are currently in the quarantine pens. There was also a big rumour flying which we're trying to confirm. Apparently some people picked up a broadcast on shortwave announcing that a oil tanker is going to be coming into the Med to make deliveries to those who can afford it. Rumour was that it's a Saudi tanker running from one of their remaining refineries with a mercenary escort." Murmurs ripple around the room at the prospect of that, "Intel has more on that though. We're also working with Intel to get details on a possible new market being started to the East. Again, the speaker for Intel will have more on that."

"I'll take the floor immediately if I can, to head off the questions. The tanker story is being checked out as thoroughly as we can. But, for the moment we are cautiously optimistic. It's been about four years since we had the last oil merchants come through in this kind of scale and the reports from the Middle East on shortwave have all been promising in terms of production being maintaned. That said - there is every chance that it is a come-on, an ambush opportunity being spruiked by bandits or pirates." The speaker moves to a map on the wall showing the country surrounding the base. "We're receiving reports that there's some serious issues in Berlin at the moment - skinhead militias are exterminating or driving out anyone who they don't see as 'pure'. This isn't likely to affect us at the moment, but we know that once word gets around that the Berlin mob are having a field day, the local crazies will start to ramp up again. Secondly, we've been getting feelers from a group of mercs currently in Switzerland who are wanting to get a more permanent base and were hopign to co-locate with us. My understanding is that they used to be Dutch Army, but that's all we know at the moment. Informants at market also reported increased bandit activity along the Frankfurt-Cologne routes as well as a roaming group working the Mannheim area. We're currently working on finding out more about that roaming group as that presents a direct threat, but anyone who is going to be travelling in that area should be -" The Intel officer pauses as a soldier in combat gear rushes in the door, carrying a message. The officer reads it an passes it to the Mayor. "They're heading West - they've got to be trying to hit Frankfurt tonight."

-=-=-=-=-

[weemadando]

OK, so this is basically a sketching out of some ideas for an RPG campaign that I had (but couldn't follow through on thanks to lack of players). It's an update of sorts based very roughly on the story of Soldiers of Anarchy, but with a more populated world, with a bit of Twilight 2000, Jeremiah and lots of other "end of the world" scenarios.

I've got a few action scenes that I'm interested in writing, but I can't see this having a plot. If people want me to just expand on the world/setting I'll be happy to.

[Battlehymn Republic]

Keep writing. I'm interested.