Thousands of soldiers marched in unison, towards the Command Center to receive orders on where and how to proceed next. After a few minutes, they all gathered in perfect order in the spacious field that served as the Army Command Center.
They all wore matching brown and black uniforms with hats of the same color. A basic military uniform to be stark. They all wore confident expressions on their faces, as they watched five esteemed figures address them.
The figures stood tall atop a large stage, and there were a bunch of microphones set up in front of them.
They wore the same military uniforms as the countless soldiers on the ground, the only differences were the dozens of badges and pins these soldiers wore.
They wore confident expressions as well, with their body languages speaking volumes about their positions and authority. The man in the middle had sunglasses on, and was probably the most esteemed of them all. He had a strong build, broad shoulders and lean muscles that were outlined on his tight uniform.
He had long, blonde hair, his eyes hidden from view. On his left, two tall men of similar build stood, one with dark skin and the other with comparatively paler skin. On his right was another tall man and a woman. They all emanated an aura of terror and dread, as an elite soldiers should. The man in the middle stood forward and greeted the soldiers, they all returned the gesture. He stood directly in front of the soldiers and said in the same confident tone.
"Soldiers! Some of you may know us, and some may not. To those who do not, I am Commander Jackson of the Eastern Quadrant Combat Unit, and on my right are Captain Argeis and Colonel Jenna. These are Leutenant Dorn and Major Black on my left here. We are the Command Center of the Project Australia Main Evacuation Army."
***
A month before, a devastating earthquake struck the world, taking away countless lives. Amongst the seven continents, Australia was the most affected. The earthquake, which in turn caused a tsunami, destroyed infrastructure and land, countless buildings and homes were left in ruins, millions of people rendered homeless and on the verge of death.
No one knew what caused the earthquake, but some non-government organizations knew that the earthquake was not a natural occurrence. All the devices that were designed to detect earthquakes picked up and recorded absolutely nothing—before the disaster stroke of course.
Even though the government continued to spread propaganda, a lot of people already knew the truth... well, some of it at least. Even though the real reason was still unknown, thousands of people seeked solace in blaming their respective governments.
But when the news of the fall of Australia spread across the globe, no one was ready.
Hundreds of devastating pictures and videos were leaked and circulated online, revealing the conditions Australia was in. It seemed like the earthquake was more centered around Australia, exposing the continent to an unspeakable calamity.
Under the constant pressure from civilians, some of the remaining governments united and decided to aid the fallen continent.
Even though billions of people were still in shock, they found a somewhat degree of solace in the fact that the their respective governments decided to aid Australia. The evacuation process was supposed to be easy, but also long and complex at the same time. Each government would first deploy thousands of their best soldiers as the Main Evacuation Army of Project Australia, which wss not an easy thing.
The deployment would take months, years even, and people feared that by the time they arrived, it would already be too late.
These armies would be responsible for safely evacuating women, children and the severly wounded and provide them with supplies and basic necessities. These respective armies would be also be accompanied by dozens of naval convoys that would be responsible for carrying supplies, and also transporting millions of civilians that are in need of urgent assistance.
On this day, thousands of these elite soldiers gather at the Command Center, awaiting instructions and information from their superiors, who currently stood before them. They were supposed to receive a brief overview of what is to be expected once they reach Australia, but it seems their superiors were hiding things from them as well. Their Commander introduced himself, and began the briefing.
"A month ago, a terrible unexpected earthquake struck the world, reaping millions of lives, and even leaving a whole continent in ruins. Millions of civilians in Australia are desperately in need of assistance, and it is our duty to offer our lives serving the people. You are Project Australia's Main Evacuation Army, that means you are the best of the best. You are here because you are an elite, so do not disappoint us soldiers!"
The soldiers responded to him with an exaggerated salute.
"YES, SIR!"
Commander Jackson nodded proudly, and stepped back. The woman, Colonel Jenna, took his place.
"We know what all of you are thinking, but we can assure you, we also don't know what to expect once we reach Australia. We might come across the reason for the earthquake, and we might not. But at this exact point, we know about as much as you do so we expect you to be very careful, and also do your best."
They repeated the same gesture to the gorgeous lady.
"YES, MA'AM!"
Captain Argeis spoke next, his tone hiding a hint of sadness and resolve at the same time.
"Your mission is simple. Evacuate as many civilians as you can without exposing yourself and or them to hazardous conditions. You will be divided into five special cohorts, led by the five of us. Each cohort will have a specific duty during the evacuation and will have different areas to cover before the Secondary Evacuation Armies arrive. This is done to ensure that maximum ground is covered before we mount to more casualties. Am I clear soldiers?!"
"SIR, YES SIR!"
Major Black took a step foward and regarded the soldiers with an indifferent expression. His tone was even and emotionless, which made a few soldiers shudder. But of course, they did not show it.
"Soldiers, this is Major Black of the Project Australia Main Evacuation Army Command Center. I will be in charge of the technicalities and ensuring that all of you are up to speed. A few hours before boarding, you will receive special communication devices where all new and updated information will be uploaded. The information regarding your cohort placements will be uploaded there as well. Do your best and survive soldiers, we will be watching over you."
"THANK YOU, SIR!"
After Major Black was done speaking, he took a step back and looked down with the same indifferent expression. Even if they did not show it, but every soldiers slightly turned and looked at Leutenant Dorn, silently waiting for him to say something.
He just remained quiet and regarded the soldiers with a heavy, thoughtful gaze. After a few moments, he just simply turned around and left. The others followed as well.
It seems the briefing was over.
***
A frail looking young man sat on an isolated bench, on one of the outer regions of the Command Center. The Military Base, where the Command Center was located, was incredibly huge, spanning over dozens of kilometers into distance. Tall armored buildings could be seen even from a great distance, as well as gigantic armored trucks and tanks.
Warships could also be seen resting quietly, one could could even forget the damage they are capable of. After the briefing, every soldier was up and about, preparing for the depart to Australia, but Benji decided to use this time to enjoy some fresh air.
And enjoy the scenery.
The Military Base was located in an isolated area so that no civilian would 'accidentally' stumble upon it. It was surrounded by tall beautiful trees and enormous protruding mountains.
The sight was breathtaking.
Benji sat in silence and enjoyed his last moments of peace, cradling a hot cup of coffee in his hands. He took a sip and sighed. All around him, soldiers were throwing curious glances at the frail young man.
Benji had unusually pale skin, disheveled messy black hair, dark brown eyes, and even wore eye contact glasses. He had a short body with a slender figure that almost made it seem like he was... malnourished. Even though Benji was 26 years old, people seemed to always mistake him for a 14 year old instead.
That was probably why the soldiers passing by threw pitiful glances at him. Clearly a kid like that did not belong in the battlefield. But Benji did not care, that was the least of his worries right now. Even though he was a soldier—and among the elites at that— his role in the military had nothing to do holding a gun and shedding blood.
It was rather simple actually.
Benji was a Technologist, Data Analyst and Software Engineer. His role was to invest gus time and effort in technological development and advancement, as well as overseeing the whole technology department. He also analyzed data from the battlefield, in order to find different ways to effectively deal with the enemy.
He was also a part of the Software Engineering Team, a small team of elites in charge of software development and advancement. He was among the best of all these departments, second only to his superior, Major Black.
Benji's relationship with his superior was more professional than casual one, despite all his expertise, accomplishments and hard work. They have only spoken a few times in the past, only when it was truly necessary.
It was split between congratulating Benji for his accomplishments, or passing down orders he would personally liked taken care of. Benji never really cared that much about his superior, but he could not help but feel a sense of awe when he thought about Major Black's accomplishments.
Major Black was among the best of his department in the entire world. He obtained his PhD at the age of 25, and was promoted to Leutenant the following year. Three years after that, he was promoted again to Captain Black, after a huge technological advancement that assisted North America win many wars during World War 6.
His name is carved in the history books as one of the youngest soldiers to be named Captain ever! Five years after, at 31, he was further promoted to Major after improving the very concept of software engineering by leaps and bounds. Two years later, today, he is an inspiration to many young people around the world, including Benji himself.
Which was the second reason he joined the military, and the main reason he specifically chose this profession.
As he was reminiscing about the past, his special communicator vibrated. He picked it up and looked at the screen. His vision suddenly became blurry, his face even paler than usual.
He read the report on the screen again and again and again, trying to find the part where it was all a joke and his colleagues were pranking him. Nothing! The message was personalized to him and his cohort only, written by none other than Major Black himself. It read:
[This is Major Black to the Technology and Software Development Unit. From the following day on, .... are selected to be part of the Project Australia's Main Evacuation Army under the Technology and Software Development Unit. I have personally selected five candidates to be in charge of the cohorts: SSA Madison Sparc, SSA James H. Powell, SSA Oliver Dunne, SSA Agnes Rose-Anne and SSA Benjamin Walker...]