ME: November; the months of elections and the Gunpowder Treason. A/N: Interlude.

TIME: Flashback

November 5th, Year 75 ADD (After Dark Days)

It's been a couple of months since the Second Rebellion began. District 12 was destroyed by hovercraft from 13 disguised as Peacekeeper ones. Virtually every single District in Panem has been overrun with the exception of my home. Even now we fight to keep it that way.

My battalion was decimated in battle along with the remnants of the garrisons of Districts 11 and 12. We were the spearhead of the counterattack against the rebel hordes, but we were mauled by a bombing raid and a mechanized assault.

When it comes to command, we were fucked more or less. The Lieutenant Colonel in charge of our battalion was killed by an air strike (not the one that decimated us as a whole) along with most of his staff. The XO, an older Major, took a shot to the heart courtesy of a rebel sniper. The Sergeant Major was critically wounded by an artillery shell and had to be MEDEVACED to the hospital; my company's First Sergeant is now the highest ranking NCO in what remains of our battalion.

Currently Major Themistocles Flavius is in command; all of his peers are KIA, MIA or WIA (the last of whom were all too badly injured/wounded to serve). None of the Captains survived or aren't in a hospital, so I'm his XO. My second-in-command is the only other officer in the battalion that's still in action.

Strength-wise, we're a pitiful excuse of a Peacekeeping battalion. I think there's around 200 men and women left; we used to have 1,200 Boys and Girls in White.

But thankfully the powers that be have given us a break; Head Peacekeeper Remus Thread himself ordered that we pull back to the central town. For what, I do not know and frankly don't care. All that matters is that my troops are no longer going through a fucking meat grinder.

Enobaria put away her journal and glanced around the APC. Unlike before, there was no banter or ribbing; the Peacekeepers were all dead silent. You could hear a pin drop.

Some, like the Sergeant and two Corporals as well as a female Private with a District One accent, she recognized. Others were survivors from the rest of the battalion.

"Join the Peacekeepers, they said," commented the Private. "It'll be fun, they said. You'll be paid handsomely for your service, they said. You'll see all Panem has to offer, they said."

Enobaria snarled from behind her visor. "Shut your mouth, Private, or you're gonna be scrubbing toilets for a year back at One. Assuming I don't have you dishonorably discharged and sent back a disgrace; enjoy trying to get a decent job with that resume."

"How did those cave-dwelling bastards from Thirteen survive a fucking nuke?!" Said the male Corporal. "Did we not irradiate the shithole or are they just damn cockroaches?"

"They're a collection of cowards, too," the Sergeant added. "Fuck, I saw just how much they valued their continental brethren when they used them for cannon-fodder-convenient, don't ya think, that the Grays always charged in after sending a few waves at us? And what were they doing for seventy-five years?"

"Nothing but waiting for that slut from Twelve to stir up the rabble," replied the female Corporal. "Coin thinks she can claim Panem as her personal piggy bank? Fine, over our dead bodies."

"Ninja Three-Three, this is Shogun," the APC's radio barked. "Come in, over."

The APC commander answered. "Copy, Shogun, go ahead."

"Ninja Three-Three, what's your ETA? Over."

The APC commander paused before answering. "Five-to-seven, maybe ten Mikes top, sir."

"Acknowledged, Three-Three. Shogun out."

Finally they disembarked. Standing in the town square (and near the train station) was Remus Thread.

"Peacekeepers of Panem!" He bellowed. "You have done a fine job exterminating the unruly rebels that plague our great nation!"

He paused, glancing at Major Flavius. "But this war is more than fighting! Right now we are evacuating Loyalists from Districts One and Four as well as this very District itself to our fortress once inhabited by the chivalrous Knights of NORAD, a pre-Panem order that defended the North American civilizations of the United States and Canada!"

"Peacekeepers, you are the only troops we could spare! Your mission is to defend this train station until evacuations are complete, for if you fail the rebels shall rape and pillage until there is nothing left!"

Major Flavius nodded. "Understood, sir!" He turned to the remnants of the battalion. "Listen up, soldiers! We'll divide into four platoons; Alpha, Bravo, Charlie and Delta. Alpha and Bravo will be lead by myself and Lieutenant Domitius, respectively, and will defend the approach to the square. First Sergeant Carney and Lieutenant Fisher will be in command of Charlie and Delta and are to defend the left and right flanks. Echo-that is, what's left of our weapons company-will provide fire support alongside the battery of artillery attached to us. Am I clear?"

"SIR, YES, SIR!" They all barked.

"Bullshit, I can't hear you! Sound off like you got a pair!"

"SIR, YES, SIR!"

"That's more like it, death to the Rebellion and the Mockingjay!"

ME: "Mikes" mean minutes. And First Sergeant Carney's named after a MOH recipient from the 54th Massachusetts. Additionally, the title of this chapter is a reference to the motto of the US Army.