//------------------------------// // Chapter 1: The First Confrontation // Story: The Equestrian X-Com Project // by Sir_Puma //------------------------------// The Equestrian X-Com Project Chapter 1: The First Confrontation ----- The cry of sirens echoed throughout the town of Ponyville. Ponies quickly galloped to their houses, carrying their children, locking the doors and sealing the windows. Families huddled together in panic rooms while others hid in cupboards and closets, praying that the aliens will leave the town alone. About 5 minutes after the first ring of the siren the streets of Ponyville were empty and devoid of life, apart from three armed pegasi who stormed their way towards Sweet Apple Acres and the unfinished X-Com base. The pegasi were armed with rifles slung across their backs tagged by the FLD armory insignia, they also wore a brand on their front right leg with the 'Ponyville Militia' slogan written for all to see. "Hey Thunderlane; whats the battle plan? Are we just charging in and messing up the joint or do you have an idea?" The white pegasus stallion asked the black pegasus leading the trio. The black stallion with a light blue mohawk turned his head to the white pegasus without breaking his gallop, "okay heres the plan Milky Way, Midnight you listen up too. We rally at X-Com HQ and meet up with our backup pony. From there I think it would be best if we draw the gunfight away from the HQ and Ponyville so I think we better fight the aliens in the Apple orchards surrounding the base; if we can draw them in there" "What about Ponyville? The aliens could easily attack it if we are preparing our ambush in the apple orchards" Midnight Strike added, her wing was still wrapped in bandages and splinted to her body. The group traveled over a bridge leading out of Ponyville and towards Sweet Apple Acres. "According to X-Com; the radar they installed traced the trajectory of the inbound UFO. The estimated landing site is on the far side of the X-Com base, so the aliens will have to go through us if they want to get to Ponyville. Although we should also keep watch of the road outside the orchards to prevent the aliens from using it to slip by our ambush." There was a moment of silence as the trio galloped down the road by the Apple family farmstead, it was sad to see the barricades on the windows and the door. It was once a friendly place were you could send your foals to see the farm life, but this war had proven that nowhere was safe, everypony had to be prepared for the worst at all times. "It was a real shame about the academy; so many killed. Why would the aliens target a training facility?" Milky Way asked already knowing the answer. "I guess we should thank Celestia that we all were disbanded from the academy before the aliens hit it" Midnight Strike added. ----- The militia approached the unfinished doors of the X-Com base. One of the great steel doors was in place while the other was off its hinges revealing the dim lit underground tunnel which lead further underneath the apple orchards. "Doesn't look like much from here, just a small entrance in the side of the hill" Milky Way pointed out. "I'd imagine the main base is further underground. It's supposed to look like just an ordinary bunker to the aliens so they won't attack it like the FLD operations center" Thunderlane answered. "So who is our backup pony?" Milky Way asked Thunderlane while adjusting his fancy black mane which had become messy due to all the galloping. "I don't know all the details, all I know is that she is a pegasus and she is a real hotshot according to the training files" Thunderlane answered as he looked over the surrounding area. "That is strange; I monitored all the sharpshooters while I trained with them at the Wonderbolt academy. I don't think any of them applied for the X-Com Project" Midnight strike pondered "I don't think this pegasus is from the academy, I don't think this pony has any prior combat experience" Thunderlane responded trying to remember the name, "a real natural apparently." The three comrades turned to face the X-Com entrance as two ponies approached through the darkness, one was identified as princess Twilight due to her wings and horn, also the majestic crown of magic was a dead giveaway. The other was identified by a wonkey walking style, a mane styled like she hadn't brushed it in a week, and eyes... that just seemed off. "What!? You!?" Milky Way's jaw nearly hit the ground at the sight of the hotshot, Thunderlane and Midnight Strike were better at showing their surprise. "Thank Celestia you came on such short notice" Princess Twilight Sparkle said giving Thunderlane a firm hoof bump. "This is you're backup pony, the best shooter we had apply" Twilight looked over at the grey pegasus standing next to her. "Name's Derpy Hooves, nice to meet ya" Derpy gave a large friendly smile hugging each pony one after the other, including Twilight. Milky Way still had an expression of utter shock in his face as Derpy hugged him. "I have full faith in Derpy to be just what you need to fend of the aliens. She also will be using our prototype X-Com assault rifle which may prove more effective than your FLD rifles" Twilight explained taking pride in her first research achievement. "Glad to be working with you Derpy, if you're a better shot than Midnight you must be a real pro" Thunderlane laughed, Midnight shaked her head with a smile. Derpy gave another smile hugging both Thunderlane and Midnight Strike one more time. ----- "Alright, you see that tree house over there? I want you and Derpy to dig in over there, Milky Way and I will take the main road and stop the aliens using it to sneak past. Once we draw the aliens to us we'll regroup at the tree house" Thunderlane laid out his battle plan in the dirt, before kicking it clean. "Got it, Derpy follow me" Midnight Strike said taking Derpy to the tree house. Milky Way and Thunderlane hid in a few bushes by the dirt road connecting all of Sweet Apple Acres. "Just like old times eh Thunderlane?" Milky Way smiled taking his FLD rifle off his back and into his hooves, Thunderlane smiled and laughed softly. "Just like the time we caught the aliens in that railway ambush, they didn't know what hit them" Milky Way added, again Thunderlane chuckled keeping an eye on the road and readying his FLD rifle. Midnight Strike and Derpy trotted into the tree house, a large banner hung on the wall with 'Cutie Mark Crusaders' written on it. The banner was a cold reminder to Midnight Strike that this was the real deal, they had already lost so much and now only the X-Com project had a chance to save what was left of pony life. "It just makes you wish that the war would end tomorrow, this was a filly's clubhouse once" Midnight Strike sighed as she looked over the papers on the desk seeing what this clubhouse was used for. "This was their life a few months ago, trying to find their cutie marks by trying as much of everything as they could. Now they are hiding inside afraid to play outside; or worse." "Hey that is snooping; you shouldn't do that, their children for Luna's sake" Derpy nudged Midnight Strike disapprovingly. Midnight Strike stopped looking at the papers and sat her rifle on the clubhouse window. "I'll go hide in the trees, the aliens will be easier to hit if they are closer" Derpy smiled leaving the tree house. "But you will be easier to be shot at by the aliens" Midnight Strike argued. "No I'll be in the trees" Derpy replied in her usual dopey tone. "So will they." "Huh?" Derpy somehow ended the conversation and left the tree house. Midnight strike shook her head and began scoping out the scenery for any aliens. ----- "There" Thunderlane whispered to Milky Way as he pointed a hoof towards a small alien stepping out onto the road. The creature stood on two legs but only as high as a regular pony. It's legs had feet attached instead of hooves and it's body lacked the fur of a pony, it's bare skin was very dull and grey. The alien's body looked fragile and bony and all together looked quite weak, if it wasn't for two items. The first was a small gun it held in it's hand, it glowed in green and looked quite sleek and advanced than the chunky FLD rifles and pistols. And the second was its eyes, black lifeless orbs with the slightest flame of yellow creeping in around the edges, attached to an outlandish emotionless face devoid of expression. It made one wonder how many deaths had that face seen? It seemed straight from a horror story used to scare little colts and fillies. Truly there was nothing like it in all of Equestria. Milky Way raised his rifle to his eye, "take him down quick, aim for the head" Thunderlane whispered to Milky Way who was in deep concentration. The alien had no idea that it was being hunted. If it was a pony or another Equestrian inhabitant Milky Way might have hesitated but both him and Thunderlane had seen what these monsters had done. Hatred built up inside Milky Way over all the dead ponies he had seen, he mercilessly pulled the trigger and unleashed a single shot through the alien's forehead. The alien swayed for a second until it crumpled to the ground. "Hostile down" Milky Way smiled after a perfect take-down. As the alien passed away the weapon it was holding burst into pieces scattering in the dirt. "Did you see that?" Milky Way said stunned. Thunderlane smiled as he caught on to the alien's tactic. "Sneaky pricks, their weapons destroy themselves after the owner dies. Apparently they don't want us getting our hooves on their technology." "CONTACT!" A voice echoed throughout the trees along with gunfire. "That came from the tree house, hold the road for a sec, I'll go help Midnight and Derpy" Thunderlane ordered as he charged off through the forest. Milky Way nodded keeping his sights on the road, "Go get 'em Thunderlane" he grinned. ----- Midnight Strike covered her head as green bolts tore through the side of the clubhouse, she had hoped the tree house would provide better protection but the green bolts passed through wood effortlessly. The scorch marks on the wooden walls made Midnight notice the green bolts were extremely hot, the bullets seemed more liquid than a solid which made Midnight wonder how they passed through objects with ease. Midnight swung her rifle up and aimed it out the window, taking a long shot against an alien by a tree. Midnight's aiming was good enough to hit the alien in the leg critically wounding it, she counted 2 more. 'Come on Derpy, I need help' Midnight thought as she hit the floor as more shots tore through the wall [Hunker Down]. The X-Com assault rifle was configured differently to the FLD rifle. The FLD rifle was a single shot rifle which was good for ponies like Milky Way and Midnight Strike who preferred long ranges, where as the X-Com assault rifle was a triple shot rifle which was great for closer ranges. Derpy was briefed on the differences which is why she moved closer to the aliens through the cover of the trees. She stood up on her hind legs and took the X-Com assault rifle off her back holster and into her front hooves, stepping out of cover briefly to shoot three bullets into the closest alien killing it. Derpy planted her back to a tree as one of the remaining aliens began firing blindly into the trees. During this time Thunderlane had arrived at the skirmish, he moved quickly through the trees into a perfect flanking position, and shot dead the alien which was still firing into the tree house. With Midnight Strike no longer under fire she aimed out the window again taking the final shot into the last alien. "Good shot Midnight" Thunderlane said reloading his rifle. More gunshots were heard from the forest, "They didn't sneak past us did they?" Thunderlane asked Midnight as he looked towards the X-Com base. "I think it's coming from the road" Midnight answered "You two go and check on Milky Way, I'll hold this area." [Overwatch] Thunderlane and Derpy approached the road but remained hidden in the tree line. They could see at one end of the road Milky Way had abandoned his hiding spot and moved to better cover as he was cowering behind a cobblestone fence. At the other end of the road three aliens hid behind an overturned apple wagon, pinning Milky Way with green bullets from their otherworldly pistols. "Luna damn it!" Milky Way cursed as he ducked his head as a shot whizzed over his head. "You've pissed me off now!" Milky Way yelled setting his rifle on the fence ridge firing a single shot killing one of the aliens. [Hunker Down] Milky Way ducked back under the wall as the aliens returned fire with greater rage due to their lost comrade. Thunderlane and Derpy began making their way across the tree line to find a flanking position against the aliens. A few more shots rocked the fence until one burst right through the wall. Milky way checked his rifle to see how much ammo he had left when he saw blood dripping onto his rifle and on the ground around him. He ran a hoof along his chest until he found a searing hot hollow wound. It was quite traumatic to feel a wound with his hooves before his nerves but that was the strange effect of the searing green ammunition of the aliens. The bullet had passed through his chest and burst out his back destroying all of his internal organs in the way, the aliens were very absolute when it came to killing. "C-crafty bastards" Milky Way coughed as he lost his footing and fell to the ground in a pool of his own crimson blood. Thunderlane and Derpy did not see Milky Way collapse and continued their attack, they stood behind two trees and opened fire on the exposed aliens. Derpy's shots hit true killing one of the invaders, while Thunderlane's aiming was poor over long distances causing a bullet to glance off the wagon's wheels. The small alien looked up seeing the two pegasi and moved around the wagon to better cover and sprayed three shots back up into the trees. "Derpy cover me; I have an idea" Thunderlane ordered putting the rifle onto his back gun holster. [Overwatch] Derpy swung out from behind the tree and kept her sights locked on the wagon waiting for the alien to pop back out as Thunderlane galloped closer to the wagon. Thunderlane pulled a small metallic orb off his belt with his mouth before knocking off the pin with his tongue. [Frag Grenade] He tossed it with all his might over the wagon landing it on the far side. The explosion tore apart the wagon sending wood shards and bits of alien flying in all directions. As the dust cleared Thunderlane scanned the wreck and surrounding area, "Clear!" He yelled waving a hoof towards Derpy and Milky Way. Derpy put her X-Com assault rifle on her back holster as she trotted towards Thunderlane. Derpy gave him an angry butt, "what?" Thunderlane shrugged. Derpy pointed a hoof at the wrecked wagon "you owe Applejack a new wagon!" "Hey I think Applejack would be grateful we just saved her entire farmstead!" "But you broke her wagon!" Thunderlane put a hoof in his face sighing "there is no arguing with you... Wheres Milky Way?" Thunderlane looked around realizing he hadn't come out of cover yet. The two of them trotted over to the cobblestone fence nervously and peered their heads around it. Derpy screamed and covered her eyes while Thunderlane winced at the sight of their fallen teammate. He was dead; just like that, everything he was; everything he did; everything he could have been, gone. The aliens had murdered Milky Way without remorse of or even so much as a second look. Thunderlane pulled himself together and took a closer look at Milky Way, he put a hoof on the dead stallion's neck and failed to find a pulse. Thunderlane then uncovered the gaping wound in Milky Way's chest. Derpy went into silence as this was the first dead body she had seen unlike Thunderlane, she lent on the wall for support as she watched Thunderlane give a sad sigh. Milky Way was gone. Midnight Strike approached from the trees "I just saw the UFO leave, I think they're giving up-" Midnight stopped suddenly when she saw the body. The three pegasi stood over Milky Way's corpse in silence for a few minutes in the calm ambiance of the countryside. After a long pause Thunderlane lent down and laid Milky Way on his back and placed his hoof over his chest wound and left his body at peace, "Equestria will remember you Milky Way. Celestia be with you" Thunderlane announced stepping back with his other teammates. The three ponies looked up to the sun which beamed down it's rays of light and warmth like a gift from the goddess herself. 'He is in a better place now, he won't have to deal with the horrors we have yet to face' Thunderlane thought to himself watching the birds return to their nests in the orchards now that the fighting had stopped and peace had returned. Equestria had demanded it's first sacrifice. [Mission Complete: Base defense, Sweet Apple Acres] [Aliens Killed: 7] [X-Com Operatives Lost: 1] [Rookie Thunderlane has been promoted to Assault Squadie, Run and gun perk added] [Rookie Midnight Strike has been promoted to Sniper Squadie, Headshot perk added] [Rookie Derpy Hooves has been promoted to Support Squadie, Smoke grenade perk added]