To Make a Stand

To make a stand

Australia is an island nation, being the largest island nation with more than 2 cities scoring the top ten most liveable cities in the world, it all changed when a portal that open’s once in a blue moon opened in front of Parliament house. The portal itself was a swirl of colours, Colours mixed and created other colours and those created more colours, but the portal itself wasn’t the problem. It was what was on the other side, the other side of the portal contained a world enraptured in a civil war unseen by humans ever until after an advanced reconnaissance unit entered the portal.

Their tales upon their return caused panic in the government. This panic caused ripples throughout the Australian society, Conscription was introduced again but the people couldn’t understand why, factories started pumping out weapons of war and scientists were put to the test to develop a next-gen body armour. After a riot broke out after a conscription letter arrived at a well-known family’s doorstep, the government told the truth, Humanity had made contact with another race of sentient creatures. This statement alone caused much panic.

Footage from UAV’s and Head cams confirmed this and the Australian army swelled with recruits changing from a specialised army to a Next gen military. Thanks to advances In research Exo suits were created allowing troops to mount heavy weapons on shoulder hard points, Combustion based rifles gave way to Magnetic accelerator Rifles, advances in bio science allowed the use of muscle augments and intelligence enhancements. Large Piloted mech based weapon platforms replaced tank warfare and VTOL’s replaced standard fighters.

Australia’s change in military garnered attention from multiple nations including America and china. The attention wasn’t the good kind as both countries pressured Australia to release the technology gathered from their weapons research to the other nations. Australia under the stress of potential invasion by the portal and other nations declared an isolationist policy and cut ties with the rest of the world.

The other side of the portal was a different matter, time was distorted there, it flowed much slower in the other side. The country side was nothing but ash, forests were grey and dead, the clouds choked with poison and strange creatures roamed the place. The Australian recon team had been attacked by a group of the aliens, the aliens being humanoid in appearance with a layer of fur that varied in colour, equine shaped heads and equine legs that ended in hooves. What the Australian team didn’t know was that they were attacked by the xenophobic Solar empire, a nation dedicated to the eradication of non-equine life. You see the other world was called equestrian, home to anthropomorphic ponies that varied in races from pegasi to unicorns, these ponies were split between the xenophobic nation of the Solar empire and the accepting nation of the New Luna Republic. These two factions had been clashing for decades between a territory known as no-ponies land.

5 years later

James camers was an average teen of about 17, he had his dad who served in the army, his mother who was a barmaid and a younger brother of 3. He had brown hair of a short length with deep hazel eyes, a pointed chin and long eye lashes that people thought he was a girl at times if he tried. He was rather tall and lanky for his size and didn’t have much in the way of muscle, mostly just relying on his brains and small group of friends to avoid trouble with people. His life was simple, ok casual job, nice friends and a good girlfriend who was currently trying to. Cheer him up. The reason he’s sad? Because he turns 18 in a week, but I know what your asking, why would he be sad for his birthday. Well I’m tell you, the conscription that the army issued was given to those of the age 18 without a full time job or scholarship. Most people his age just volunteered for service to receive the volunteers bonus of about an extra 2 dollars an hour on top of their standard pay. Now he loved the army, he would go and watch their parades, their public weapon exhibitions and even do his work experience at the local barracks. But he didn’t want to join as an infantryman, he wanted to be a mechanic, he had studied and gotten the grades but the closest base that train mechanics is over 2 kilometres away.

1 Week Later (I know another time skip but I want to release a chapter and stuff.

James P.O.V

I stared at the green letter in my hand, the text all neat and tidy. Across the envelope I received this was a stamp saying ‘Important Notice’. I read and reread the letter but my eyes kept drifting to a single line: conscription notice. I stumbled numbly into the lounge room receiving a look of curiosity from my mum.

“What’s that?” she asked as she eyes the green paper, a hint of worry in her eye, “is it what I think it is?” my reply was a short grunt as I continued to an empty chair, I only had 2 hours before the conscription bus came to the house and picked me up.

I immediately stood up and rushed to my room so I could pack my things. Quickly grabbing a bag I shoved shirts and pants, socks and jocks and put my shoes on my feet, grabbed my red cap and walked down the hallway to the front porch where I sat for the next few hours, worrying about what the future would hold. I heard footsteps and looked down the path to see my girlfriend Jean walking up to me with tears in her eyes. I caught her eyes and nodded minutely as before she collapsed into my arms, holding me as I were a life ring at sea. I awkwardly rubbed her back as she sobbed into my shoulder. I just let cry, to be honest, I felt like crying too.