Free Domain of the Dead by David Moody, Iain McKinnon, Travis Adkins

around Sarah’s arm. “It’s not that bad. Most of the western powers have kept their military in check. There are a few warlords who’ve carved out their own island territories, but they’re kept in line by the nuclear powers.”
    “You mean they’ve actually threatened to use the bomb?” Sarah was appalled that after all that had happened, people were still willing to kill each other.
    “It’s no threat,” Dr. Robertson said.
    “What do you mean?” Nathan asked, though he had already guessed the answer.
    “When the shit hit the fan, nuclear power plants started blowing like popcorn,” Dr. Robertson said, taking note of Sarah’s high blood pressure but deciding to ignore it given the events of her rescue. She unhitched the black fabric cuff. “Add to that the bombs China dropped on her own cities, no one’s concerned about the environmental damage a couple more Nagasaki’s or Hiroshima’s will make.”
    “The government would actually do that?” Sarah asked.
    Dr. Robertson lowered her voice, almost as if she were afraid of being overheard. “Look, there was this strike in Russia a year or so after the Rising. There was this copper mine middle of nowhere in the Arctic circle. The miners wanted better conditions.” She scoffed and huffed under her breath, “ Better conditions . As if there were better conditions.” Then she continued, “There was a riot when the local military tried to force them back to work. Things got out of hand real quick.”
    “They were massacred!” Sarah gasped.
    “Worse,” Dr. Robertson said. “They won. They took over the whole town.”
    “Did they get nuked?”
    “No, the copper mine was too valuable. No, the military council assembled a multinational force. Unlike the UN where they’d get a few countries to participate, they got soldiers from every military left on the planet. Remember how they used to say on MTV how the revolution would be televised?”
    Sarah and Nathan nodded.
    “We found out the suppression would be too. Every man, woman and child were made an example of. Seven thousand people and it felt like you saw every one of them die.”
    “That’s horrific,” Sarah whispered.
    “All for the survival of humanity,” Dr. Robertson said, “The government sent a message. Everyone plays their part.”
    “Or else,” Sarah added.
    “The supply ship gets here next week, so you’ll need to have had some thoughts as to what you want to do, or what you can do by the time it arrives,” Dr. Robertson said.
    Sarah and Nathan looked shocked.
    “It’s not that bad really. It’s no worse than working for a faceless corporation nine to five. If you’ve got some practical skill they need you’ll get your pick of posting.”
    “And what if we don’t?” Nathan asked.
    “Then you’ll be assessed for a suitable manufacturing, agricultural or military role.” Dr. Robertson saw how worried the pair looked. “You know, like working in a factory or a farm or something like that. Look, I’m sorry if I’ve panicked you. It’s really not that bad. All the work people do now is geared toward preserving mankind. Whatever you end up doing, it’s all in aid of our survival.”
    Neither Sarah or Nathan looked convinced.
    “All of that’s a way off.” Doctor Robertson turned her attention back to Sarah’s physical.
    “So what do people do?” Nathan asked.
    “For the war effort? They produce the raw materials to keep us going. Food, steel, oil, concrete. Things like that. The military acts like police and enforce quarantine to protect the general population from infection. They’re also used to secure infected territory, like foraging for supplies on the mainland or clearing islands of the walking dead.”
    “That all I got?” Nathan said bitterly. “Serving fries, pumping gas or joining the army?”
    “Well, there are specialist roles like the research onboard the Ishtar,” Dr. Robertson said.
    “Hell, end of the world happens and my career