Penguins of Anarchy IV: Endgame

Seventeen

The stage was set.  Four factions stood at odds with each other: Dreemo and the Penguins of Anarchy, Brazen and the Antarctican loyalists, Chimera ZE and the Alliance soldiers who wanted vengeance for getting caught up in the Purge, and Omniscion and the Alliance troops stationed in North America.

When all of these soldiers had become entangled in this war, they had expected it to be two opposing sides; for a long time it had been.  But now agendas had split, and the situation was more complicated than simply the Martial Alliance against the resistance movement.  This lethal combination of opposing sides would soon set its mark on history, and it would be on North American soil.  Every soldier knew that complete chaos would ensue as soon as the forces collided, and they all knew that their chances of survival would likely be one in thirty, to be generous.

Still, that didn't deter anyone.  Everyone had been affected by the Purge and by the war in general in some way or another.  No one was shying away from a fight anymore; it was simply a matter of choosing sides.  Each side believed they were doing the right thing, because they were all just trying to protect what little family they had left, be it their biological relatives or brothers-in-arms.  There were no cowards left; all were now going to war.

Drake and the others waited anxiously on the rocky beach, wondering where Dreemo was.  Thousands had gathered from across the world in support of the Penguins of Anarchy, and now they were preparing to broadcast Dreemo making the official proclamation of war.  Everyone was gathered on the African coast with the camera already set up, but Dreemo still hadn't arrived from the ship.  "How much longer is he going to take?" Terasane asked.  "It's going to be dark before long."

"Look, he's coming right now," Ursynz replied, pointing to the lifeboat rowing toward the beach.

The Penguins of Anarchy walked into the surf to meet their comrade, who leapt out of the boat with the help of his new cybernetic leg—which had been generously offered to him by one of his amputee followers—and greeted them.  "We ready to do this?" he asked.

The others were staring at him.  He had cut his hair to the length it was before the war had started—short and spiky.  "You look like the old Dreemo again," Felly remarked warmly.

"I am," he replied with a grin.

"I don't know, you've still got some scars and wrinkles that weren't there before," Riker stated.  "Not that you still don't look sharp," he added with a wink.  The others laughed.

"Enough wasting time," Camo ordered, though he was smiling.  "We've got some propaganda to shoot!"

Dreemo found his place in front of the camera, the romantic view of battleships and sunset behind him adding to the emotional feeling creeping over everyone.  The camera started rolling.  Dreemo faced the camera fearlessly and said, "My brothers and sisters, you have gathered to our cause because you want vengeance for what you've lost to the Americans; more importantly, you joined because you want to keep safe what little you have left.  The wait is over; the battle is just around the corner; the war to end all wars is coming to an end.  For a year and a half, we've suffered under the oppression of the violent Martial Alliance during their conquest of the world.  However, they stupidly chose to give it all up, to let all their work be for nothing by blowing everything apart.  They have weakened themselves, and now they're sitting at home, watching this broadcast, bracing themselves for the inevitable counterattack.  It is at long last our turn."

Dreemo shifted to a new target audience.  "So, Omniscion, batten down the hatches.  I told you we were coming, and now the wait is up.  I hereby declare war on you and your vicious, destructive kind.  Can you feel the anticipation growing?  Is sweat running down your neck?  Good, because we are about to penetrate your defenses and bring you to your knees so we can finally punish you for all the atrocities you committed against our homes.  Tomorrow is judgment day, Omniscion.  You'd better get your affairs in order.  It all ends tomorrow."