Chrysalis's palace
Changeling Kingdom
May 20 2023
17:32 hours.
"GRRRAAAAAAAAAAAH!" *CRASH*
The sound of Chrysalis flipping a table and throwing it at a military advisor echoed throughout the chambers.
"HOW COULD YOU RETARDED INSECTS LET THAT HAPPEN?"
"W-W-We tried everything! They threw their best squadrons at us!" the advisor replied.
"Like who? What squadrons could possibly take down all five airships?" she asked.
"Three of Equestria's best and two of theirs including that Garuda one!" Chrysalis was furious.
"I'm gonna' be sick. Without the Aigaion we have no effective way to hold them back."
"We still have our final measure," he replied.
"And what good would that do us right now, other than get half of the world pissed off at us?" she snapped. The advisor just looked around. The queen had had enough.
"SOMBRA!"
The dark gray unicorn appeared from a black cloud of magic.
"Yes my queen?"
"Send in that Silver pilot you were talking about and deal with the problem."
"Consider it done," he replied. "And if that doesn't work, I've got something else to keep them at bay."
"I just got done telling him that was a bad idea," she replied.
"Not that, something else." he said as he turned to leave.
"Well if it works then use it."
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Oured AFB
08:30 hours,
The squadrons had gathered for the day's mission. Lunar and the other squadrons had already left for home.
"Think you'll see Glory again?" Nightshade asked Maverick.
"Probably not for awhile. She did mention something about a plan before she left," he replied.
"And gave you that big kiss," cracked Black Widow, which made him blush a bit. Slugger walked in and interrupted their chat.
"OK pilots. With the Changeling airship a smoldering pile of crap, we can finally take North Star pass and fortress. Our ground forces are ready to advance, and by retaking it they can move on to Cantlin. Your mission will be to suppress air and ground forces in the area.
To start: You'll need to take out these two substations for the fortress," and he pointed at them. "This will cut power to the fortress, which will then have to rely on it's backup generator, which only has enough power to keep vital systems running, which will significantly weaken it's defenses.
Second on the to do list is these two tunnels that lead under the base. The Changelings have erected walls to block them off. We need the walls gone so our troops can get into the base from underneath. With these two things taken care of we can retake the fortress, and the pass.
Diamondback, Garuda, you will handle both air and ground attacks including the substations. Tornado and Hurricane will take care of the walls and other ground attacks around the base and pass. Finally the Equestria Ocelot squadron will provide air cover."
"Oh boy," Maverick said.
"Isn't their commander the one that parked a Tom on it's tail?" asked Nightshade.
"Sure is. She's proven she's a good pilot in the past. They wanted to move her up to the Berkut, but she likes the toms."
"Good taste," replied Tornado.
"Well get to it ponies!"
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Gracemareia train station
May 21 2023
09:35 hours.
A train from the Changeling Kingdom stopped at the platform. Among those that got off was a middle aged changeling with silver tinged wings. Kreiko was there to greet them.
"Colonel Silver I presume?" Kreiko asked with a salute.
"Ah Krike, it's ben awhile," he replied. "Shall we find a better place to talk?"
"Yes I've got a spot," he replied, and they left for a small street cafe near the station. Silver put his bags next to his chair and sat down.
"I'd put them on the table if I was you. Things that get set on the pavement tend to disappear."
"There's thieves here?" Silver asked.
"Yes. By foals no less," he replied.
Silver looked around. Viewing what few ponies were out and about.
"I thought this place was suppose to be full of love and joy?"
"The Crystal Heart has disappeared. It seems to be having a negative effect on them in addition to our occupation," he replied.
After a bit more talk about the city, they got onto the subject.
"So what's the plan for the third leader of the Druids?" Kreiko asked.
"I'm here to deal with the Ace of Spades and his squadron," Silver replied.
"I trust you all about him and that other pilot?"
"Yes. I've read up on everything. It sounds like him and that Nightshade would be fun to play with alone." He took a sip of his coffee.
"So how long before the squadron get's here?" Kreiko asked after he finished his coffee.
"They should be here pretty quick," Silver replied. Just a few minutes later as they were walking from the cafe, there was the sound of jets approaching. It materialized into a squadron of ten Flankers. They flew over the city in preparation to land at the Gracemareia base.
"No more 33's?" Kreiko asked.
"Nope. The better 35BM," Silver replied.
"This changeling is going to step into the world I was once in. My days of fighting the enemy above the earth are over. The bitter taste of loneliness is all I have left."
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Outside Gracemareia
12:15 hours.
"Just a little further," Moondancer said.
"I want to make a cafe our first stop," Chrissy replied.
They got to the top of the final hill before Gracemareia and froze.
"W-What have they done?" Moondancer stuttered out.
The perimeter of the city was now surrounded with fortifications and artillery. It's walls were lined with razor wire, gun towers and anti aircraft weapons. More anti aircraft artillery was perched on the top of some buildings. It was clear they weren't getting in without being stopped by the Changeling forces. Moondancer dropped to the ground.
"We were so close," she said to Chrissy.
"There has to be a way in they didn't block. Let's walk the perimeter a bit," she replied. She helped her up, and they headed into the woods to try and find another spot.
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North Star pass
13:37 hours.
"All planes begin operation. Ocelots: Ten bandits approaching from the East at angels nine."
"Roger, we're on them," replied Ocelot One.
"OK Diamond back Two to Five: Take out any SAMs and radars. Diamondback Six to Eight: Hit the Eastern substation. Garuda take the Western one."
"roger Sky Eye, we're gone," replied Maverick. And they headed for it.
Once again the four Diamondback planes began searching for SAM sites and radars. When they found one they would launch a HARM and destroy the radars, followed by strafing the SAMs themselves. It didn't take them long to finish them.
"Diamondback Two to Sky Eye, SAMs are cleared."
"Roger. Ground attack squadrons get in there!"
Garuda was approaching the substation when they got locked onto.
"You missed a couple Diamondback," Tornado said.
"I think they're guns," replied Maverick. Sure enough they could just make them out on the Maverick's TV screen. Kiwi and Heart Throb fired theirs, and took both out.
"Let's go Venom," Maverick said. They climbed up and dropped their four paveways, guiding them to the key points of the substation. The two thousand pound bombs made quick work of them.
"Nice one you two," Surprise said.
"We've lost the Eastern substation!" A Changeling yelled in the fortress's control room.
"Bring those damn ponies down!" yelled the commander.
Meanwhile the other half of the Diamondbacks had reached the Western one. They too dropped their paveways and destroyed it.
"Diamondback Two to Sky Eye: The Western one is down."
"Roger! OK everyone focus on the pass and fortress now."
Then there was a call from the ground forces commander.
"Ground force command to aircraft: We need some pillboxes taken out on the North approach."
"This is Garuda. We're on the way," replied Maverick. They headed towards the the area, and could see the tracer fire even before they got there. There was four of them.
"Tempestra you've got the small paveways. Take em' out."
"They're dead Spade," she replied.She climbed up and trained the designator on the first one, then dropped the bomb, destroying it. She orbited around the site, destroying the others the same way. Before she even leveled out from her turn to head back towards the fortress, a shoulder fired SAM locked onto her.
"Oops," she said. She dropped flares and did a diving turn to the right, losing it.
"All aircraft be advised they have shoulder fireds down there," she announced.
While that was going on, the Ocelots were down to the last two bandits when Sky Eye came on.
"Sky Eye to Ocelots. We've got 18 more approaching from the East!"
"Roger. We'll need some help," replied Ocelot One.
"This is Garuda we're on the way," Mav' replied.
"Wow we're doing a little of everything," Surprise said.
"Fine by me," replied Nightshade. And they gunned it towards the Ocelot's location.
"How do we grease em' Mav?" Stormy asked.
"Garuda One to Ocelot One: How many long rangers does your squadron have left?"
"Only have AMRAAMs this time. About two dozen," she replied.
"OK go ahead and do a long range attack, then close in," Maverick replied. When the bandits got in range they did, and dropped six of them.
"18 to 12. That's better," Kiwi said.
Both squadrons engage the J-10's. Stormy took the first kill. Black Widow rolled in behind one, and after a short chase,knocked it out of the sky with a Sidewinder.
Surprise dived in behind one that was on Ocelot Five's tail. Not paying attention she got a lock and fired, only then realizing she fired a Maverick instead of a Sidewinder. Amazingly the missile found it's target anyway.
"How the hell...." Tornado said.
"Beats me," she replied.
"You definitely have some Pinkie in you," cracked Maverick.
"On your six Muffin Hunter!" yelled Heart Throb. She pulled an air brake move and got behind the bandit, and shot him down.
"Sky Eye to Garuda: We've got some attack choppers approaching the fortress from the South."
"We're still tied up here," replied Maverick. "Tornado squadron are you armed with Sidewinders?"
"Tornado One to Spade,: Yes we have them."
"OK get on them if you can."
"No problem. Hurricane has destroyed the walls and we've just been mopping up," he replied.
Maverick then got a gun kill on a J-10, and Surprise and Nightshade got the next two, dropping the aircraft remaining to five. At the same time the Warthogs of Tornado squadron began downing the Hinds with missiles and cannon fire.
"Ground force command to Sky Eye, we're going in. Cover us."
"Roger. You heard him pilots," he replied.
Black Widow and Muffin Hunter took out two more bandits, at which point the rest ran for it.
"OK. Ocelots keep patrolling. Garuda let's support the troops," Maverick announced.
"The enemy has made it into the tunnel! We're trapped!" A Changeling yelled.
"Where's all of our air support?" the commander asked.
"Gone! They shot all of them down!" The commander just sighed.
For the next 27 minutes the air forces continued to support the ground forces, taking out any armor or emplacements that remained. Then came the message.
"Ground forces command to Sky Eye: The enemy has surrendered, the fortress is ours."
"Oh yeah!" Yelled Nightshade.
"Sky Eye to all planes: Great job. Relief patrol squadrons are on the way. Once they get there you can return to base."
"Next is Cantlin," Heart Throb said.
"Then Gracemareia," replied Black Widow.
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Gracemareia AFB
13:45 hours
A changeling with a sack flew over to a chair underneath a Flanker and sat down. He pulled an apple out of the sack and started eating it.
"Well here I am, at my new home. Quite a change from the base I was stationed at back in my kingdom.
And this is my new bird. My previous squadron had the older Flanker B. This one promises more power and maneuverability. It's like a sibling to me."
"Hey Nertz! Toss me one of those!" another Changeling yelled. He pulled one out and threw it to him.
"And there's my new leader. Colonel Silver. Some say he has a heart of stone, but I think it's just for his opponents. I've actually known him for longer. He has a soft spot for the poor and downtrodden, even the ponies here. Possibly because that was his life before he joined the air armada. "
He tuned on the radio to the local station, which had yet again been taken over by DJ Mystery.
"Vinyl Scratch. I'm probably one of the few Changelings who recognized the voice. She says stuff to try and get the morale of the citizens up,, but looking around here it doesn't seem to be working. The ponies are saddened by the loss of the Crystal Heart.
That's why we're here. By putting a stop to the aggression of the Crystal Empire and it's allies, we can put all of those troops towards finding the heart.
You have to wonder where it disappeared to."
"Hey have you tried to find a girl yet?" Silver said to him, interrupting his thoughts.
"Have you?" he replied. And Silver laughed.
"Look for a girlfriend? How when all of the girls here are ponies? Besides: My heart already lies with one. If she's still around, I wonder if she still feels the same way about me? Last I knew she was going to school somewhere in the Empire. I never found out where though."