A take on the ponies arriving in the 40k world and trying to convert humans and meeting the guns of the Imperium of Man
The Kaurava System 3 years after the war where so many died as 9 armies fought for control. today Governor-General Vance Stubbs and the 252nd Conservator Regiment stands as the systems protectors. for 3 years the system has been peaceful and grew to supply the Imperium with some of the finest guardsmen besides Caida. but something lurks in a distant universe that will once again pull these battle hardened men into war and they are a unknown even to the warp.
Celestia looks out over the cheering crowd of ponies after she gave her speech of helping the humans of Earth by Conversion and they will teleport Equstira with in the hour. She smiles and looks to her side to see Luna mirroring her smile. "Sister we best be preparing our selves this will take a lot power." Luna nods. "Yes sister lets get to the others then." They both leave the balcony and head into the Palace.
As the two sisters head deeper into the castle they arrive at the throne room where a circle of hooded unicorns are charging up their horns. one turns to the new comers. "Princesses it is wonderful for you to join us. We are nearly done just need you to complete the spell." Celestia gives him a nod. "yes we will begin in a moment." With that said she and her sister move into position opposite of each other around the circle.
The throne room lights up with magic as they channel their magic into runes drawn on the floor. Soon all over the country the ground starts to light up as the spell slowly takes them away. The blue sky is replaced with the black void of space and ponies all over watch in awe and fear as they speed though reality.
One of the unicorns feels a small change in the magic but can't place what it is soon he hears a small voice and he complies unable to do anything else and soon the spell changes slightly and no one notices.
Soon the sky above is once again returns singling they have arrived on the planet. The sisters walk to the window and look out to see a clean blue ocean along the coast. "Feels like we didn't leave... but... i feel the air around doesn't hold magic... you were right sister they lack any form of it." Luna looks to Celestia. "Yes we will need to send scouts to explore this new world quickly i'm sure our arrival hasn't gone unnoticed."
*Location* *Kaurava System* *Kaurava II*
On the eastern coast of the main land mass a Imperial outpost sits to keep watch for the feral orks the raid in these parts. A young guardsman sits behind a heavy bolter aimed out over the beach below their hill trying his best not to fall asleep. He gives the waves a look and sighs. "Wish i could go for a dip... its hot here..."He whines to himself. a voice is heard behind him pops up. "Shut up Johnathan and stop complaining." Johnathan glares at his partner named Matt. "Like you don't want to just lay in the water and just be lazy for a bit" he retorts.
His partner just laughs and looks out but stops when he sees something. "Is there any fly boys in the area or near by?" He points to a small formation of 5 small dots coming towards them. "I don't believe so... lets warn the sarge" Johnathan answers. He leaves his Bolter mount and goes into the bunker below. he passes a few other Men milling about the tunnels of the outpost before he reaches the command room where a Commissar and a sergeant are talking.
As in talking i mean the Commissar going on endlessly how he won battles back during the struggle for the system from heretics to the sergeant trying his best not to stab his superior.
Jonathan walks up to the pair and salutes. "Sirs if i may have a word." the two give him a look. "what is it private? can't you see we're busy?"
"My apologies lord commissar but we saw a formation of unknown aircraft coming our way and i'm making sure if their are any flights scheduled to come by."
The two men look at each other and the sergeant speaks up. "Umm... no flights pass anywhere near here... what type of aircraft are they?" Johnathan stops to think for a moment and a small fear creeps into him. "I... didn't check sir i saw them and came to report sir."
The commissar didn't look impressed. "You are wasting our time... for all we know it was a flock of animals you know many roam around these lands. i should..." He is cut off by a buzzing sound to come from the speakers as the alarm goes off. "Seems you may be lucky... but if i need someone i will shoot you first to raise moral." *he storms past him to get top side with the rest of the guardsmen.
A hand lands on Johnathan's shoulder. he looks to see the sergeant smiling at him. "Don't worry johnny i'm sure he wont shoot you and thanks for saving me... i can't stand to hear another word of bragging of him being the one to kill the farseer." Johnathan returns the smile and heads off to get back to his bolter.
*Meanwhile outside*
Winter Night the formation's leader was not having a good day. First he gets picked to go find the local Humans of this world and make contact with them, then he and his entire wing see something that sends a new wave of fear though them in the skies above as a long black object hung in place so far up some guessed it was in orbit. And to top it off the Princesses learned they had no control of the sun nor the moon and even found that a second moon and even three more planets very close to this one.
"Lieutenant how much longer do we have to fly?" One of the new recruits whines. Winter just groans. "You can see the shore ahead of us i even see a building we can land at and make contact with this worlds inhabitants."
They slowly near the coast and they see activity at the building. "Looks military sir... and... is that a two headed eagle on the wall?"
Winter looks and sees the a large eagle. "Must be their national flag or something and if its military be careful we don't fully understand their weapons." The other 4 give their 'yes sirs'.
They slowly near the Structure and notice a lot of movement at it. "Lets not go straight to it... get to the clouds and watch from above i'm sure they're getting ready for us." He leads them to the cloud cover above and brakes the line of sight with the building.
One of the recruits comes up to him. "Sir if... i may ask... why are we hiding... and not going right to them to make contact our orders..." he is cut off by Winter raising his hoof. "If you want to go say hi to something that is waiting on us and we don't understand be my guest. Cause they were jumping into trenches from what i saw."
The recruit peaks his head though the clouds and looks below to see winter was right but also sees a large box moving along the ground. "Sir... there is a box sliding along the ground down there."
Winter is confused at first and takes a look himself and sees the 'box' stop near the building and a short round object on top turn back and froth with a short barrel coming from it. "I have never seen something like that before... if we make contact we have to be smart." The others after looking for them selves all agree and start on a plan.
*Back at the outpost*
Johnathan tracked the 5 unknowns with his bolter before he lost them in the clouds. "What do you think they are? i saw them glowing gold when the sun hit them. Any ideas Matt?" He looks at his ammo carrier who just shrugs. "What ever they are if they come at us they will get a hell of the Emperor's hammer right here." He pats the heavy bolter they both man.
Something catches their eyes and they watch a lone dot exit the cloud cover and descend down to the outpost. "This can't be good... where are the other four?" Matt looks around at the clouds and spots a small object poking out of the clouds right above them. "The rest are waiting above... i don't like it."
*Winter's Prospective*
Winter glides down to the ground below and gives his team one last look before speeding up to the Building. As he nears it he can see many of the humans all focused on him with what he guessed were their weapons.
He lands a good ways from the first trench and slowly walks forward before one that stands out from the rest leaves the trench with a sword in hand a large cap on his head.
The tall man walks to him sword ready and a boxy object in his other hand. "in the name of the Emperor i will..." he is cut off when Winter speaks. "I come in the name of princess Celestia and her sister Luna of the country Equestria. the princesses sends their regards."
The man stares blankly for a moment before he aims his sword at him. "These princesses send their regards? They think they have any authority on this planet?. He glares down at Winter.
Winter was beginning to agree with the princesses of how they were war like. "i merely come to speak peace... i assume your in charge here... may i have your name?"
This has him stop before he takes a pose and if winter tries he can hear groans from the trenches. "I am lord Commissar Walter of the Imperium of Man!" he states proudly and Winter got enough information from that simple bit of boasting then many would.
Winter's ears go down a little. "The Imperium of Man..." He regrets every life choice he has made as he looks up at this Commissar and can already see in his eyes he has seen more blood shed then the princesses themselves have lived.
The Commissar looks down inspecting him. "Where is you team we spotted 5 in all... where are the other 4?"
*Johnathan's Prospective*
Johnathan and Matt were getting jumpy as they watch the commissar talk to the small horse with wings. Matt taps his partner's shoulder quickly and points up. "The rest of his wing is on the move can't tell what they are up too though..."
"I really hope these xenos don't do anything stupid... never seen these before not sure what they can do." Johnathan says slowly.
All of a sudden the commissar yells at the horse and and points his sword to causing it to jumps back. Matt's eyes widen as one of the missing horses dives down with something in its forelegs.
He calls it out to the rest in the trench and they watch as it dives on the commissar. "What are you waiting men! take down that target!" Johnathan calls out and pulls the bolters trigger letting bullets fly at the lone attacker.
Soon the rest of the firing line lets loose with lasguns and red beams of death fill the skies.
The Horse on the ground looks in awe and fear at the light show and tries to yell at both the guardsmen and its diving comrade.
Soon a few of the beams hit home and the attacker falls limp though the air but a purple glowing object falls from its grip and is aimed for a section of the trench.
The men stare for a moment before they quickly scramble from the dugout as it comes down. Soon only two are left at the end of the line when it hits.
The container it was in bursts open showering the two in purple goo and they stare at each other blankly before they both bend over and cry out in pain. and to the horror to everyone watching the two guardsman slowly deform and after a few long seconds they were the same as the horse but one had a horn on its head and the other had none.
Everyone was quiet as that stared and then one spoke. "I was blind... i can see so much under her sun... it lights the way..."
They said nothing after that as two shots from the Commissar to their heads puts them both down. and then he turns to the other who is frozen in fear.
"I have never seen anything like that and i seen the dark Eldar slave camps..." He aims his laspistol at the remaining horse.This snaps it back to the present and it took off with amazing speed into the air and speeds towards the clouds above.
The firing line one again lights up and many beams of death and bolter rounds pass by the runner and as it reaches the clouds Johnathan swears he saw one of his shots hits but the horse doesn't come down so he shrugs it off thinking it was a near miss.
*Winter's Prospective*
He was fling for his life and was questioning the idea of coming here. and he saw what the potion does first hand... it was horrible. As he was braking the cloud cover something hit his back and his armor did nothing and his back exploded in pain and he fell onto the clouds and the rest of the ponies ran to him to help.
"Sir stay with us! sir don't close your eyes!"
"Get him in a stretcher and lets fly him out fast!'
"I got a potion to keep him stable"
He feels something pushed to his lips and he takes a sip before he blacks out. Only to dream about red beams that melt skin and the potion he was told was made to save humans from them selves made them in something worse and to think of what to report to the princess when he wakes up... if he woke up.
Johnathan and the rest of the men gathered around the two ponies who they once called comrades and a few wonder over to the horse they managed to kill who dropped the chemical. One speaks Guardsman up. "They got this stuff to turn us... into them?" And all eyes fall to some of the unknown substation pooled in the trench by the bodies.
The commissar quiets them all. "Men today a new enemy faces the our home system... no not just our home... our Imperium! We must stand fast and report our findings to the governor-general at once. And someone grab the bodies we need our researchers to look into this new threat and their mutation weapon." With that he walks off to the bunker and two guards man grabs the dead horse while others get body bags for the other two.
Johnathan was still glued to his bolter still looking at where the last enemy got away. Matt comes up and taps him. "Whats got you thinking?"
Johnathan points to the cloud the target flew too and they can see the cloud a light shade of red. "Are clouds supposed to bleed?"
Matt follows his finger and sees the red cloud. "Lord Commissar sir! We are being watched!"
After hearing his title Walter comes over and glares at Matt. "What now guardsman?!" Matt points to the cloud that appears to be bleeding. "Sir they are still up there we didn't see them leave that cloud bank and they seem to be wounded from our fire, Sir."
Walter eyes the cloud. "I want your bolter clearing that sky do you understand me?" The two gunners reply with 'yes sirs' before they let the bolter loose on the cloud and are rewarded with a small flock of the flying 'horse' fleeing from the tracers.
Johnathan Curses to himself as his shots don't hit any of them. He eyes them as they disappear into the distance getting smaller and smaller. "If they come back we'll make sure they never leave." A hand is set on his shoulder and he looks at Matt. "I think if they come back they will be more then just a small group." Johnathan nods. "Yeah... but we'll have a gift for them."
*Location* *Canterlot* *Time* *One day after first contact* *Winter's Prospective*
Winter slowly opens his eyes to see nothing but white. He blinks away the sleep in his eyes and sees he is in Canterlot hospital. He looks around slowly and sees a doctor not far from him reading a clipboard floating in his magic. He leans up a little and calls out. "Doctor..."
The unicorn looks over and walks to him. "Glad you're awake sir you had a wound i never seen before... most of your back was blown open if it weren't for you armor whatever hit you would of gone deeper. "The doctor explained.
Winter stared at him and then spins his head to look at his back covered in stitches and bandages. "I feel like we got in over our heads..." he lays his head on the pillow.
"Well get your rest Winter the princesses want to speak to you about what happened." He starts to walk away.
Winter shoots up. "They want to speak with me?! Why me?"
"Cause you seen what the humans can do first hoof and you did watch them kill that young guard with no mercy." The doctor says before leaving the room. With a sigh Winter lays back down. "this is going to suck."
After a bit the sound of hoof falls are heard and a voice that is unmistakable. "Thank you doctor me and my sister will take it from here." And Winter can see Celestia and her younger sister enter the room and they freeze when they see his back.
Winter sighs. "How may i be of help?" The princesses regain their thoughts and walk beside his bed.
"We came to get information about the humans here." Celestia looks at him with a smile.
"Well... they are part of the Imperium of Man as a officer said... i think he was a officer. Also... their weapons... are powerful that's for sure... the one that hit me was able to fire at a high rate and i was only hit once... i got lucky." He rubs his back with a hoof. "And the poor lad who got killed... i was yelled at to leave... the kid thought i was being threatened attacked... they killed him and he dropped the potion he had in his hoofs... it hit two of their soldiers and they changed... then the officer killed those two with out second thought."
The princess stare in shock about the short explanation of what transpired. "These humans seem highly violent... we must proceed with caution in future actions... and it seems peaceful conversion isn't a option." She sighs. "I hoped it wouldn't come to this... sister we must raise the shield." At that her Luna nodded slowly but sadly. "We shall contact shining armor and prepare the shield." Luna walks out of the room.
"I hope you recover Winter we need heroes like you in this time of need" she says with a smile and turns to leave.
"Hero? Princess i'm no hero... i'm sure i think i made it worse in trying to make relations..." She leaves before he can finish. He stares at the door where his leader once was. "There's something more to this then you say isn't there..."
*Location* *Coastal outpost* *Time* *Two days after first contact*
A force of Royal Guards hundred strong arrive at the location where the first death of the war happened. They quickly moved in force on the building, but the ponies were confused to find it completely empty. They explored deep into the bunker and found tech that was impossible with out magic. But due to them not understanding the tech they never understood what the red beeping lights around the building were.
Johnathan and the rest of his platoon sat in the tree line not far from their outpost waiting for all the horses to be in or near it. Not far from them the sergeant had the detonator in his hands. "just a little more... Men be ready for any of them who don't get hit by the blast."
After a few more minutes of waiting until most of the horses were around the building. All the guards are quiet only for the silence to be broken by the small 'click'. Then a explosion engulfs the bunker and anything near it. Many of the horses flying around the base were sent soaring from the force of the blast and land around the area in varying levels of how much is left of them.
Once the smoke clears the guardsman walk forward to check the ruins. Pops of lasguns firing ending the lives of any who survived the blast and the bunker is reduced to a pile of rocks and wire. Matt can't help but laugh a little. "Wondering how pissed the techpriest will be when they hear about this place getting blown up by us." Johnathan can't help but join him thinking about how they will react.
As the platoon moves though the ruins the one tank they have a chimera APC rolls up to the most intact part of the bunker, But a blue projectile flies and hits it front armor. The armor is slightly burnt and all the guardsmen stare in confusion. "Was that a plasma gun?" But soon one of the horse walks out of a pile of rubble covered in dust and a horn on its head.
The guards stare in shock as it limbs forward. The hull mounted bolter opens fire but a blue dome goes around the horse and the burst of rounds hit it and stop. And every guard is now aiming at it but unsure if they can hurt it if bolter rounds can't do anything what will las fire do?
Soon the voice of the commissar is heard. "Men! Fire don't wait for the xeno to get away!" He aims his laspistol and fires. The red beam pass though the shield with out problem and a look of shock and fear enters the horse's face as he is hit and sent to the ground.
The guardsmen stare in shock for once their 'flashlights' aren't useless. Some walk towards the horse and see its still alive. The men surround it as it looks in fear at them. "Lets see what fun we can have with it." They force it to it's hoofs and drag him to the commissar.
He looks down on the horse with disgust. "Before i kill you... what are you?" He puts his gun to its head.
The thing takes a breath. and closes his eyes. "I'm a pony... of the princess's royal army... and we will have our revenge for all you've killed here...." His life ends as a bolt hits right between his eyes.
The pony slumps over and Walter holsters his gun. "Alright men mount up we move in 5!"
After a while of gathering supplies the platoon marched away leaving the out post to nature and soon to be a beach head for the new threat in the coming days.
*Location* *Canterlot* *Three days after first contact*
Celestia stared at the report in her magic about the massacre of her ponies. "How many?"
The messenger who brought it lowers his head. "103 ma'am... none were seen leaving the ruins any who survived the blast were killed." He moves his head lower to the ground as he tells her the bad news.
"These... monsters... how can they kill so many and are unaffected by it." She stared out one of the windows towards where she knows it happened. "We must speed up the shields rate of growth we need it to stand a chance." The messenger nods. "I will go and inform Captain armor princess." He turns and walks down the long throne room leaving her by her self. "This isn't Earth... this is someplace worse." She looks out the window to see the shield around her country but past that she can see a large black shape in orbit.
More hoof steps grab her from the object and she turns to see her sister approaching her. "Hello Luna how are you." She smiles and gets one in return but Luna soon lets her fall. "Sister what is troubling you?"
Celestia frowns and looks up a the unknown object. "That is was is troubling me." Luna walks up and stares. "You told me they had space travel... but i'm sure none like that." They are interrupted by a green flame and a letter appearing in front of them and a seal of Celestia's student Twilight Sparkle. "I wonder what she has found?" She uses her magic to open it and starts to read.
Dear Princess Celestia
I'm sure you have seen the Object in orbit above the planet and i have taken the liberty to find out as much as i could about it. So far it is a little over a Km long and seems to be a type of warship. I'm unsure about the rest but it seems to have smaller ships move back and froth from it so i'm classifying it its a transport ship and also from more study of the planets around us them seem to be inhabited by cites all but a desert planet. they seem to be similar and these humans are on all of them.
Also it looks like each planet has more ships in their orbits the one closet to the sun has 4 in all but from this distance i can't make out their size but one is many times bigger then the one above us. And i seen on one of the moons of this planet a strange structure with glowing energies pulsing from it and i saw humans enter and exit from it using it as transportation. much of that movement looked military too and i spotted a large man and from his artier he looked to be the leader of this army.
That is all i managed to get from the here and once again thank you for letting me use the royal Observatory here in Canterlot.
Your student Twilight Sparkle
Celestia can't help but smile at her students eagerness to learn. "Thank you Twilight that is one less thing to worry about. But a new thing to worry about... their military leader is already on the move with a force that is still growing."
Luna was in thought. "They are in full control of this system and are ready to defend this planet from us... The news of the happenings at the outpost traveled quickly we may need to speed the shield up." Celestia nods. "I have already sent word to the captain to do so." At that Luna smiles. "Now we wait and keep an eye on the humans and see how they work. I will dispatch my finest night guards to watch them the land mass is covered in jungles giving them space to work."
Celestia now seeing they have a better chance then she first thought sighs in relief. "good to hear sister send them as soon as you can and if possible have them learn about the human commander its best to know your enemy. And a little bit of info of this world will go a long way."
Her sister nods and walks off leaving her sister alone to think.
A Mass of Leman Russ tanks and chimera APCs full of guardsmen roll out of the Ancient Gate. The governor stands on top of a platfrom watching his regiment prepare for another battle for this system. He looks to the mountain range in the distance where the peak renamed after himself is and thinks if his men could fight all those enemies three years back they can beat this new enemy.
A Commissar walks up and salutes to him. "Lord Commissar Walter reporting sir! You need me sir?" He stands at attention as Stubbs looks out over his army.
"I requested you here cause you have fought this new threat and i need any info you have." He looks away from the marching army to Walter.
Governor Vance Stubbs goes over the Intel he received from the Commissar and lets him off with a warning for destroying the outpost and falling back but the information was well worth it. And with the enemy able to change his guardsmen into more of them to swell their ranks is a thing to keep track of. More test are needed to see the capabilities of this 'potion' and know its weaknesses.
The sound of jets over head catch his attention as a wing of three Marauder bombers fly ahead of the army heading to the fight. This wing of bombers have orders form the governor him self to check out a report he got from the Dauntless class frigate in orbit that a large purple dome has appeared around the new land mass. They were to find out its purpose and see if it would hinder his men in any way and if need be destroy it and from what the lord commissar told him their shields are weak to lasweapons so the lascannons on the bombers should be useful. He sees them off as they disappear into the clouds in the distance and focuses on battle plans for the fighting that is near at hand. But unkonwn to him and the whole regiment are the yellow eyes in the jungles around them.
A four pony team of Luna's night sentinels were in the tree line along the road the humans were using. To say the least even with their training they have never seen an enemy like the one before them massive hulks of metal the sizes of houses moving with ease in the mud and soldiers singing a mix of many marching songs as they went and over head metal birds fly though the air at speeds to out perform the Wonderbolts.
The leader of the team was eyeing a human that stood out from the rest. It seemed to have a metal helmet but it covered his eyes and he had a staff that glowed every few seconds with his helmet and it seemed to look their way every now and then. "I don't like that one... he broke out laughing like a mad pony a while ago and none seemed to care... "
Then to the ponies surprise and horror the man's hands glowed and he pointed to them and lighting flew past them. "You can't hide from my mind!" The Human yelled at them and soon the others were trying to find what he was attacking. Following a wave of red beams flew at them and the ponies had nothing to do but fly as fast they can and lose the enemy.
"I thought they can't use magic! What in Luna's moon was that!" One of the younger guards called out as he ducked between trees. And the commander wasn't any happier. "Don't ask us but we have to report this back fast! if they have something close to our magic we maybe able to fight it the same way. Now come on we nearly lost them."
The four ponies soon come to a stop in a tall tree and watch as the humans run in random directions below them and even of the metal monsters is pushing over trees passing through. "Ok... now we wait it out and if any pony sees the crazy one again please tell us so we can fly as fast we can away." He whispered to the others.
But the humans seemed to find something else and pops of their weapons firing is heard before they march past pulling a very large green skinned creature that look human ish but was 2 times the size. "Looks like a Ork boy was spying on us. Lets get it back to the psyker he can tell if this is what he attacked." The ponies watch as the humans and the dead 'Ork' march by.
The team leader looks at the others. "Not just humans to worry about on this world." After the humans pass they speed off into the jungle to where they can send a letter to the princesses about what they found.
*Location* *few miles west of the dome* *Imperial bomber wing*
Jackson was in the roof bolter turret on the lead bomber and he was getting jumpy. He heard that these things can fly and move on clouds so he eyed every cloud group around them. "Jackson calm your self down before you die from a heart attack and i don't feel like moving to check on you." Jackson sighs and smiles. "When one of them ponies gets you don't expect me to do the same for you either."
He hears more laughter from his crew of gunners but they are cut off by the pilot. "If any of you idiots want to look ahead you can see our target." Jackson spins his gun to look and his jaw drops. They were well above 2000 feet and the dome went higher then that by so much more. "Why can't the navy boys in orbit shoot it?!" Jackson was wondering why they had to do it. "Cause Its to much paper work for them to fire one damn shot and we are here more for whats the shield is hiding then the thing itself." The pilot informs the crew.
As they close the distance Jackson can see land under it but what worries him the most is that the shield seems to be expanding at a slow but steady rate. Another thing he noticed was a small swarm of dots on the other side. "Any one else seeing the unknowns on the other side?" He gets a mix of agreements confirming they have trouble ahead.
After a bit of quiet flying the bomber wing arrives on the edge of the shield and begin to circle working out a plan "Alright lads heres the deal all three of us dive down on the shield and fire our lascannons, from reports them do good on these things so we may make a opening for us. Once we get in all gunners keep those fighters off us. Is that clear?" The pilot is answered by 'yes sirs' from his three gunners.
As they feel the bombers climb slowly and then gain speed as they dive down the whines of the nose lascannons are heard firing from all three bombers. to all their surprise the shield seems to open a little and braking glass is heard. And once the opening is big enough they pull though before they see the shield close behind them them.
One though a beautiful land of rolling plains and forest are before them. But the bomber crews were to busy trying to think of a plan as their aircraft are swarmed by the ponies. But after a while they relax as the ponies armed with spears and crossbows do nothing to the armor of the marauder bombers. "Bolter fire have trouble hurting these things what will a spear do?!" He proceeds to taunt them as they land on top of the aircraft and hit it with their hoofs. One seems to just glare at him though the gunners port.
But soon word comes from one of the other bombers that a platform being pulled by two of the flying ones is coming to them. Jackson scans the skies and sees the target and spins his gun to aim. "Lets show these things what real weapons are!" He and every gun in the formation open up and the sky is full of blood and falling bodies. But the enemy aircraft gets closer as a shield of its own comes up around it and bolter fire doesn't affect it. And two ponies were on it both had horns on their heads.
One was powering the shield while the other was eyeing the bomber but after a bit his horn glows and a blot of blue magic the size of a small missile flies at them. The projectile hits the bomber shaking it badly. "What hit us!? one of the engines is giving out!" The pilot called out in rage. After the ponies see that their ranged units can work they make a opening so it can fire on the bombers.
But the other two bombers armed with lascannons had a lot to say about the new attacker. One lucky beam hits the target killing one of the fliers pulling it forcing it to slow and lose altitude. Jackson smiles at his comrades actions and looks to see a city ahead. "Lets send these things a message they will never forget! get the incendiary bombs ready we're fire bombing them!"
The pony glaring at him soon has a look of confusion on his face but sure its not good and he yells orders to his comrades and they try to bash their way though the windows but are forced off due to the heavy fire from all the bolters on the three aircraft. After a for minuets of fire they get a opening and Jackson hears the sweet whistles of bombs falling.
The aircraft bank hard and all the crew members get a view of their handy work. A small fire storm is seen in the city below but it doesn't last long due to most buildings were stone and metal but it was a clear message that wont be forgotten. the bombers head back to the shield and ready to leave and the ponies don't bother to come after them as they were seen to go control the fire they caused.
Jackson smiles as they once again broke though the shields but soon something happens. The bomber stops in place and then is pulled back and looks around and sees the same has happened to the other two but they were glowing a weird golden aura and he sees a large white one flanked by many of the gold armored ponies. The big were had armor but also a crown. "This must be that princess we were informed about she must be a powerful psyker!" She pulls the bombers to her and nothing but rage could be seen in her face. "I think we pissed her off." He swings the gun around at her and fires but once again the shield stops them. They are dragged to where they are just in front of her.
"YOU DARE ATTACK MY PONIES!" She bellows at them louder then any commissar or even chaos space marine. The crew were any thing but scared for they them selves have been in the Dark Eldar camps until they were liberated. And to say the least they weren't impressed any gunner who could were emptying their bolters at her and even saw her shield crack in places.
But soon the whine of metal is heard as their bombers start to deform as she crushes them. One bomber explodes as its fuel tank is crushed while another is ripped into and to Jackson's horror watches the crew pulled out of it before she lets the wrecks fall and right then and their get the 'potion' he heard from rumors in action. Men he grew up and trained with were mutated into ponies and they were carried off.
He feels his bomber being torn apart and he is ripped from his gunner position and finds him self right in front of the demon of a princess. "You ordered the fire bombing of my ponies..." Her voice was cold and dark. "Yes i ordered it and i'm proud of it you come to our system and dare think you stand a chance!?" Jackson knew he was dead or... one of them but he wasn't going down easy. With practiced speed he brought up his laspistol and fired killing some of her guards and before one hit him with a potion bomb he put the gun to his head with a few last worlds. "For the Emperor!" And with a tap of his finger his body went limb in her magic.
Celestia stared at the body her rage replaced by confusion and even fear of how Resilient these humans were. And this one choose death over conversion. What will the full army on its way be able to do... and they have weapons to bypass the dome and their magic. She let the body fall but grabbed the weapon he held and took it in to examine it. She gave it to one guard and gave him a stern look. "I want this to be taken to Canterlot to be studied by our best minds." The guard saluted and flew off.She stared after him she felt something in the weapon even something like a soul to it but was unsure.
After a bit of getting reports from guards about the damage done she starts her long flight back to canterlot with her head hanging low. She was unable to stop them from killing her ponies and it made her feel weak. This would be very hard and they need to prepare and finding out how these weapons work will help greatly so they can counter them.
Governor Stubbs has ordered that Cerulea would be where they would set up the FOB and it has grown quickly and every guardsmen are either help build, digging trenches or getting yelled at by anyone higher rank them they are to do something. Johnathan and Matt were digging a new dugout for their heavy bolter to be deployed in. "I wonder if we will actually get to fight from here or will we roll out on the attack?" Matt joked as he shoveled another pile of dirt. "I hope so i don't feel like marching and listening to officers yell." He got in a dramatic pose and pointed into the distance. "That way lays victory men! As he stands behind us using us as a shield."
The guardsmen around them join in the laugh but quiet down after a sergeant walks past and gives them a simple glare. After that the guardsmen spend another hour and the trenches are complete and they start to relax and some find a new pass time... watching a purple dome slowly grow and crawl to them. "Didn't the governor send a wing of bombers? shouldn't they've returned by now?" Matt eyes the distant lights. Johnathan shrugs it was only three bombers they may of bitten off more then they could take."
Unknown to them all in the shadows many bat ponies of Luna's night guard sneak about learning as much as they can about the 'Imperial Kaurava 252nd Conservator Regiment' and if possible sabotage of their forces. But the night guards were still in shock of how in the choas of the base they were in anything worked but they managed to find out who ran the place his name was Governor general Vance Stubbs and if they ever got the moment kill or covert him.
And one such moment has presented it self two of the elite guardsponies. The governor was out inspecting some of the metal war machines and he only had a single officer or commissar at his side. And the ponies had a plan to take out this leader. They slowly neared him but when they fully saw him he was wearing what looked like short claws in a gauntlet and a boxy weapon on his belt and what looked like metal pieces in his head and even one of his eyes were gone. As one readied to throw a potion the governor spun and stared at him causing him to freeze and stare at the odd device on his other eye as it glowed at him.
"So this princesses sends assassins? Pathetic." He has his claws extend and he looks to his subordinate who nods with a drawn sword. The guard throws the potion and it hits at the close distance but to his horror it slides off the armored uniform his opponent wore. Stubbs slashes out with his claws and the night guard just barely dodges it but his armor now has a few cuts. he draws his short short and stabs out and lands a hit but his small sword is unable to get past the armor once again and the claws coming down on it brakes it before his eyes.
Before he could do anything else a red beam from the side hits him in the neck sending him to the ground. The other one turns and begins to run but he runs into another horror of the humans. A man in a robe looked down on him but under the robe with the guards eyes able to see in the dark saw that most of his body was machine and little else was left. still in his shock he didn't dodge the ax that came done on him ending him.
"Thank techpriest for stopping this assassin from getting away." He nods his head to the agent of Mars. "It was my pleasure Governor now if you excuse me i must tend to the machine spirits." He then takes his leave. Stubbs looks at his close friend Daron Farrier. "We need to get word out they have spies in the base and check for anything they may of damaged and make sure they didn't mutate any of our men." Daron salutes and runs off to give the orders.
Stubbs looks off into the distance at the shield. "Seems you still have some tricks to play."
Winter Night was laying in his tent dreaming about his last encounter with the humans. Less dreams and more nightmares and even Princess Luna couldn't help much due to her not understanding his problem. He rolls in bed and rubs a hoof over his back which thanks to magic he managed to keep and get back into the field quickly. But he was thinking a bed in Canterlot with some young nurses was better then here.
He nearly jumped out of bed with a horn sounded signaling for every pony to get up and ready for the coming day. Lazily he gets up and prepares him self he looks into a mirror and starts to clean him self up. Winter was a Dark blue Pegasus with a dark gray mane and his age wasn't helping much but he was in shape compared to most at his age. He proceeded to do the morning routine and put his armor on and his coat changed color to the uniform white. With a sigh he leaves his tent heading for the nearby mess hall.
He walks down the row of tents and guards all give him looks as he passes. Being the one to make first contact and live gets around fast and the princesses playing him as a hero doesn't help. And what really hits the hardest... he looks over at the ruins of where it all started. The princesses saw this place fit to set up a staging ground and show the others where many brave have died and they need to be avenged. Or that's what they told them.
The mess hall door slowly opens as he walks in and he steps into line to get a tray. After a few short minutes he has a tray of a apple and some vegetables that he gladly takes and takes a seat at a empty table and starts to eat. All around him ponies were giving him looks and finally two young colts who shouldn't be in the army come up and sit at his table. "So what are they like? Are they scary? Is what they can do really true?" The colts look at him hoping to get something.
Winter sighs and looks at them both. "You really want to know?" They both nod. "Well... from my very short conversation with one... they seem mad at us for coming to do the conversion." The two stare at him oddly. "Why don't they want to change? The princesses told us it was OK... right?" Winter shakes his head. "If you saw what the potion did first hoof... and how they reacted you would think different too. Also from a few key words it seems not long ago they had a large battle happen here... so they are battle tested... unlike us."
They stare at him in shock. "Are you questioning the sister's rule?" At that any pony in ear shot stared at him in a mix of emotions ranging from shock, anger, confusion and even fear. "Kid don't say that out loud it unsettles everyone." He says before starting on his apple. A voice from behind makes him roll his eyes. "Lieutenant i'm sure what i heard wasn't true..." Winter turns to look at Captain armor. "No captain just a kid jumping to conclusions to quickly." He gives the colt a glare who lowers his head.
Winter gets up from his seat and turns to the captain. "Nothing to worry about sir just telling them a story about my first meet with the humans." Shining Armor looked him over before giving the kids a eye. "You kids get back to where you're supposed to be and leave Winter here alone he has seen somethings." They quickly nod and trot off. Winter smiles at the captain. "You always going to be the tough pony? Did training really kill your fun side?"
Shining slowly smiled. "You did chase me around that training ground with a wooden sword." Winter laughs at remembering it. "You needed motivation to get batter at your sword skills. I did it the only way that seemed to work. So hows every thing coming?" The captain rubs his neck with a hoof. "Could be a lot better we have so much ahead of us to get done and now our intel is that the humans have dug themselves in about 10 miles east of here and they got weapons that destroy our shields... the dome didn't even stop them."
Winter nods and was about to say something when a odd sound is heard. Every pony in the area look around confused as what sounds like whistling, but after a bit explosions are heard all over. Winter looks to Shining and they nod and rush out of the mess hall only to see tents on fire and explosions sending everything into the air. "Shining get that damn shield up now!"
Shining as soon he snaps out of the shock charges his horn and a thin shield appears around the camp and they watch the shells hit the barrier but they can see its barely holding. "We need any able unicorn now! other wise that thing falls and we're dead!" He runs off gathering unicorns and bring them to shining and they begin to boost the shield slowly.
That was until something comes bigger then the others. In the distance a loud crack is heard and soon a dot bigger then the others is seen and it slams into the shield with a epic blast and it crumbles making any unicorn helping hold it knocked out to the back lash and once again ponies are at the mercy of the human weapons. But after a few minutes of death from above it stops randomly causing all to look up. Above them The princesses have expanded the shield to cover them and they watch as the shields harmlessly hit the shield powered by the princesses them selves.
Winter sighs in relieve and checks on the unconscious unicorns. He nudges Shining Armor a few times and he stirs. "Come on shiny get up the army really needs it leader." Captain Armor rolls to his hoofs and looks around. "What happened?" He looks up to see The dome has been expanded over them and smiles.
Winter wasn't as happy though. He just watched many ponies he trained to be what they were die to the enemy who did it with such ease. He walks about the camp trying to find out how many died and gets the worse news he could get, over 200 and still counting. He goes to the edge of the camp and sits alone quietly thinking all of young lives lost in the single attack.
*Location* *Eastern Cerulea* *252nd FOB*
Johnathan watched the 10 Basilisk finally end their barrage after the shield covered the target now they are conserving ammo. "I wonder how much damage they caused on those ponies...?" Matt shrugs beside him "Hope they took a good chunk from their force. I rather not have to deal with a whole army of them we don't fully understand." He eyes the shield as it seems to speed to them and their trench lines and wire. "Well lets see them fight the gifts from Mars. If they can even scratch the paint i'll be impressed." Johnathan laughs.
"Well... If what i see is really true... company is on the way." He points out a ;large formation of objects take off in the distance and come this way. They quickly let the others know about the incoming attack and every one mans their positions and prepare for the first wave. Engines are heard starting up and a Hydra AA tank rolls directly behind Johnathan and Matt and aims into the air.
The hatch opens and a Tank crewmen smiles down on the two. "Looks like its my job to keep your sorry asses safe." Johnathan looks up and sees a face he thought was shipped off to another planet. "Glad you didn't get sent to emperor knows where in the galaxy Kepler!" He waves to him. "do us a favor and don't let them though as a joke." Matt jokes back. Kepler shows a single finger before ducking down into the turret of the Hydra.
After a wait the enemy air units are nearly over them and the 4 Hydras on the front lines were lining up shots. A single Commissar on top of a Leman russ tank raises his sword and with a slash the simple order is clear. Every gun on the line able to fire at a high arc opens up. A wave of death fly from bolters, auto cannons, heavy stubbers and Lasweapons light up the morning sky and soon the dead start to come back down to the planet but not only dead were falling.
One foxhole of three guardsmen were hit by some purple goo and in seconds they transformed into the enemy and they sat confused before they were bathed in flames by a Hellhound that acted quickly. The men seeing such a weapon be used redoubled their efforts to kill these invaders. Soon the attackers dived down and entered the Imperial guardsmen worst nightmare melee combat. The ponies land in the trenches with swords, spears, and their own hoofs to fight the guardsmen where their guns can't be used as effective but the bayonets for once useful.
Johnathan and Matt were forced to leave the bolter. Johnathan grabbed a shovel while Matt has his bayonet in hand off his rifle and they stare down three ponies approaching them. Johnathan takes a stance with his short shovel while Matt stays where he was with his small blade. The first one charges Matt with a sword. Matt lets him slash and it misses and stabs at the pony but the gold armor deflects it. Matt curses but the pony gets a gift from the side of his head as a shovel impacts.
Matt nods his thanks to his partner. They step over the now broken skull'd pony and ready to take on the next one. As they neared a spear was threshed at them and if it weren't for the flak armor Matt would of been missing a heart and he grabs the spear and tries to disarm the pony. But the spear was connected to the armor and all he did was pull the confused thing into him and he puts his bayonet into its neck.
The last one was backing away slowly seeing that his comrades fallen with easy and his wings couldn't be used in the thin trench. He turns to jump out of the trench but Matt grabs his wing and pulls him to the ground and they pin it. "We got something special for you... the tech priest need a life specimen to study." The look of fear on its face was priceless.
After a while of fighting the attack was repelled and the men begun the long and bloody job of clearing the trenches of dead and wounded. Matt and Johnathan drag the winged pony through the FOB and to the men's surprise when they pulled the armor off him his color changed from white to a red and it turns out it was a she. Don't ask how they found that out.
They reach where the field command building was but before they enter the pony spoke up. "Please... show mercy... please... i beg of you.." They both look back at the pony they are hauling. "You get no mercy when you used a mutation weapon on our comrades taking them from us!" Johnathan yells at her causing her to whimper. They pull her to the command bunker and nearly run into someone.
When they look they drop her and salute. Governor Vance Stubbs looked at them and then to their captive. "What do we have here guardsmen?" Matt looked down at he cowering pony. "We captured her alive and brought her back for the tech priest to have a new one to study... the last ones didn't last long sir." Her eyes widen when hearing that. "Please... show mercy..." The governor stares at her with a mix of disgust and curiosity. "Mercy is only for the weak and we are not weak." He looks to the Johnathan and Matt. "Take her to the pykers to be interrogated." They give another salute and he walks away.
'I feel honored for meeting the governor in person how about you Matt?" Johnathan looks at his partner as they grab hold of the pony again. "Same here not every day you meet the system's hero and even get orders from him personally." They drag her into the bunker and leave her. Later that day they thought they heard screams of pain and mercy and it sounded like a girl.
*Location* *Eastern Cerulea* *Royal army FOB*
Twilight and friends arrived a little before the first attack wave left and they watch first hand what the humans could do even from many miles away. They walked around carters and bodies and they barely kept it together and Fluttershy was crying endlessly. After a while it got better and they watched the brave Pegasus royal guards and soldiers fly to face the enemy.
But now they see a new horror as the ponies who left returned and many had wounds medics and doctors never seen before and many never made it back. Many may not have been wounded in the body they were scared in the mind babbling about black clouds of death killing full squads and tracers of spears able to cut though steel. The Mane six were there to see a returning victorious army as the princesses told them, what they saw was complete death and warfare never seen before.
"H-how could this happen... it wasn't supposed to happen like this." Twilight was in shock as she watched the field hospital over run with wounded, many unable to be helped. All her friends were the same even Pinkie pie was in complete shock and her hair was flat. Only one who wasn't sad was Rainbow Dash who was full of anger and was being held back by Applejack other wise she would fly to her death. "Applejack let go! I have to do something! We can't just sit here and wait!" She tried her best but even Twilight was using her magic to hold her back.
But one voice stopped the rainbow maned mare. "Rainbow! You see what those monsters did to these soldiers! You're not a soldier and i don't wont to lose you!" Fluttershy out of all of them grabbed Rainbow dash and looked into her eyes and soon they both hugged each other and RD landed with the rest of the group.
"we must do something. and we will." They all look to Twilight who was looking into the distance. "But it will be different but if it works we can help". She gathers them around and starts to share her plan. And the ponies at first think it is insane but slowly start to agree seeing they need to do something drastic. Now if they can get the right gear.
*Location* *No mans/pony land between FOBs* *IG patrol*
Six figures sit in the shadows as they hid from a twelve foot tall humans with a large weapon with a longer blade on its front. The group of these brutes was led by a short old man but had a type of sword as big as himself and he kept talking about some religious subject keeping the bigger ones on track. And they didn't seem to smart. "Duu... boss... where we goin'?" The one right behind the man asked looking down.
With a sigh the man looked back. "We are here to make sure none of these invaders reach our base and hurts his blessed hammer like those cowardly Eldar." He proudly states and the four brutes take it as a good answer. As they march one sees something and wonders over to investigate. "Boss... I found somefing!" He proud calls out as he reaches his hand into the brush.
The priest looks back only to see him jump back in confusion as his hand is covered in purple. Following he stares in awe as the ogryn slowly deform in a very large horse bigger then the horse back rider's mounts. The remaining three giants stare at their once brother and then to their leader.
A voice is heard from where the bush that he reached into. "It worked! I can't believe it!" It soon is cut off by the priest pointing to the bush and the remaining ogryn open fire with their rippers tearing the bush apart slowly to show a group of six ponies in a small pink shield. "Nice going Twilight you gave him away our location this is why i didn't agree at first!" The rainbow maned pony yells at what he is guessing the leader who has both a horn and pair of wings. He raises his hand and the rippers stop firing.
The once orgyn stands confused as he looks from the priest and the ponies. "Help the princess you idiot!" The rainbow maned one yells and he looks at the others before charging and hitting the priest knocking him off his feet and pins him. He glares down at the his former leader and stands on his rear hoofs to slam his hoofs down on him. But before he does so a long ripper blade stabs into it causing him to fall onto his back and bleed heavily. "I feel... sleepy..." His eyes roll back into his head and the ripper is pulled from his gut.
The priest stands up and looks at him. "You have fallen to the evil of the enemy and we freed you." He turns his eyes to where the ponies in the shield were to find they were gone. "Men we must find them! They couldn't of gotten far..." He is cut off by something hitting his chest sending him flying but he also heard glass braking and feels something on his chest.
He looks to find the rainbow'd pony on his chest once he lands and he can feel the potion starting to work. "I will not... fall so... easily!" He seems to glow and so does the large book on his belt. He throws her off him and swings his large sword at her and it whines a horrible sounds and it moves as teeth near. She jumps with amazing speed out of the way and as his faith keeps him sane but he feels it slowly slipping.
He falls to his knees as the potion starts to over take him and he starts the short but painful trip of transformation. Before he completely is lost he manages a few words. "You... will fall to his will... you will not win." With that he is lost to the magic of the enemy and becomes a old pony with a horn on his head. He looks to the book that is now in his torn robe and takes it and holds it.
The last three ogryn are attacked by the same pony and then more join in and soon three large ponies stand around confused wearing whats left of their uniforms and armor. After it has settled down the six ponies gather together. "That wasn't so hard. i expected them to be tougher." The one with a hat on her head says. "Not sure apple jack that one was tough even when the potion was taken affect he nearly killed RD." The one called Twilight says pointing to the former priest.
They all look to the priest to see him reading the book not paying them much mind. "Uh... didn't that book light up somehow when i hit him and he kept fighting?" RD said as she walked to the pony. "What are you reading..?" The old pony looked up at her and smiles. "A bible a imperial priest wears into battle." He looks back down to it and continues to read.
Rainbow dash walks where she can look over his shoulder and can't read it. "What language is that? I seen a lot thanks to Twilight but none of that." Twilight's curiosity is hit and she walks over. "This my dear is High Gothic spoken and used by the Imperium of Man. Our current enemy." He informs them and Twilight proceeds to get into a conversation about the Imperium with the old priest. The others sigh and mill about knowing this will take a while.
But they all but the priest who seems more annoyed freeze when they hear rumbling in the distance marking the arrival of what they heard from the royal guards were the deadliest of the humans weapons. Tanks.
*No man/pony land* *IG armored push*
Johnathan was in the back of a cramped Chimera with Matt as they roll across no man's land to the pony lines. He wasn't having a good time it was full of kids younger then him and some were PDF with their autoguns on their backs and they were talking big or asking them questions about the ponies and the up coming battle. Matt was busy scanning back and forth with one of the side guns trying to find something to shoot.
"Hey Johnny do they have any weaknesses?" One of the PDF speaks up. Johnathan looks over at the young girl that can't be more then 18. "To put it simply... Eldar are more durable then the ponies so your autoguns should be fine just their shields will be a problem but our lasguns can handle those."
The PDF stare for a moment and then chat how this can be a easy victory and already talk about heading back home. Johnathan and Matt knew better no such thing as a easy victory in the universe. Matt speaks up and Johnathan looks over. "We're nearly to the shield and are about to meet up with the rest of the armor and we push past the shield and hit them hard."
They traveled in quiet for a bit until they heard the distinctive sound of massed tanks and a lot of boot steps. One of the PDF opens the top of the Chimera and look around in awe as they pass many war machines and two gets the most stares. A Baneblade and one of its close family members a Firesword were getting last checks by a small herd of techpriest engineseers and the crews were off to the side waiting for the green light. The two gifts from Mars were sitting in almost off the forge world fresh condition but the crews were veterans who have taken many tanks into battle on Kaurava III fighting the super turrets of the Eldar and the masses of floating metal of the Necrons.
Matt couldn't help but smile seeing the sleeping beasts. "I bet they don't got anything to hurt those things." Johnathan laughs. "All they will do is piss off the machine spirit." After they settle their laughter they can see a Kronus pattern assault Chimera at the head of the formation and on top of the back was the Governor General ready to lead his army to battle and hopefully victory. The Governor's tank was mere feet from the shield that was still expanding but doesn't seem to care much about it getting to him.
Beside him were a squad of Karskin of his personal bodyguard standing at attention facing the shield waiting for the order to act. At their head was a psyker who seemed to be in deep thought about something and was holding his staff tightly looking at the dome ahead of him as it creeps forward. Then every VOX and speaker lights up as the General readies him self.
"Men today marks the final few days these invaders breath on this planet! Today we rid our home of these xenos scum! Men today the Emperor's gaze is watching you! Do not fail him! Glory to the Imperium!" When he ended it the guardsmen and PDF cheer and we made sure it was loud enough for the enemy to hear both his speech and our cheers. With that the psyker charges something and after a bit of holding it lets it fly towards the shield and it crackles and then the sound of braking glass is heard.
A large chuck of the dome falls leaving a gaping hole and it is soon filled with the 252nd pushing forward. Matt and Johnathan watched the dome behind them close after a while but the army was in and the purpose of the shield was destroyed and the tanks rolled freely but not unnoticed and ready to be received.
The Chimera the Governor was riding just dips down and disappears from view and the convoy stops to stare in confusion. They see him climb out of the ground and look down at it. Matt and Johnathan were the closest and ran from the APC to help. "Its an illusion like the Eldar use its a hidden tank ditch have a scout go around and find a way around and get a tank to tow mine out." The general casually states and looks to the two men. "You have your orders get to it men!" They quickly salute and run off to do as they were told.
The general wasn't happy these ponies cover full tank ditches with out trouble and there was enough room for a Baneblade to get stuck down there. "Get the psykers to the front quickly! I don't need to lose my tanks to hidden traps!" In a matter of seconds several psykers come forward and they get to work on the hidden traps and the large tank ditch that the general fell victim to was shown and the crew of the tank who looked very unhappy.
The general looks ahead knowing the ponies have something planned and needs to proceed with caution and quickly if he can keep any surprise he can. He runs his eyes over the tree line and sees movement and frowns they expected this. "Men firing line now! The enemy is in the tree line half a click head ahead! Cut them down!" Every tank at the front of the convoy roll forward making a long firing line of Leman russes and Chimeras and with out a word being said a rain of death let loose on the tree line and many see figures fall or run from the fire.
But something new happens and none were expecting it. A bright flash right in the middle of the formation is seen blinding many but once they could see two tall ponies stood there with many smaller ones but better armored then the normal ones. The tall ones wore their own armor and it was clear these were the leaders and they appeared right in front of the Firesword. The blue one quickly moves while the white one stood its ground before being engulfed in flames and the few ponies by it were forced away and got caught in melee fighting with the guardsmen and PDF and these fought better then the ones the night before.
When the Firesword stopped its stream of flame every one froze and stared even the one's in combat. The white one stood unharmed by the flames if not sun burned and it looked at the massive tank with curiosity before its long horn glowed. That's when the bolters and lascannons fired forcing it to move and stay on the move. Any guardsmen were forced to keep a good distance from the fight knowing friendly fire was common with those brutes. The white one fired bolts of energy at the tank and nothing more then scratching the paint happened causing it to stop and think and stopping was a bad thing.
A Lucky bolter round hits one of its rear legs causing it to stumble but it then jumped into the air and its horn charged and looked over the tank closely before sending a beam of light that hits the tanks on the back of the turret and the war machine's spirit and crew were lost in a mass fire ball that even sent her flying and many unlucky men were set alight.
After it regained its balance it could see what it has caused. "I hope Twilight and her friends are having better luck then we are." A lucky guardsman hears it say
*Location* *252nd FOB* *Main six*
This was a terrible idea Twilight thought as she walked forward to the human base passing the barbed wire before the trenches that were only occupied by a few humans who weren't paying her much mind. The only reason she made it this far was a idea Pinkie pie has. "Hey Twilight! You been to the human world! You know how to walk and act like one why not sneak in and then help us in!" She recalls her happily explain to her and her friends and at the time it sounded good but now she was regretting it. They managed to get a armor set of what the humans called flak armor and helmet and even a weapon they called lasguns.
As she neared keeping her cool like she did in the high school that feels so long ago a voice is heard. "Hey you." Her heart stops and she slowly turns around to look at one of the humans stand up and jester her over. When she gets to him she looks at him a little shyly. "You wanted me...?" He nods slowly.
"Yeah... you from one of the portals out there? Cause if you left early the commissar will shoot you and this time have a good reason." he crosses his arms staring at her. "I... wasn't part of any portal..." She thinks quickly and looks around at the surrounding area and she gets a idea. "When no one was looking i went for a walk i grew up here... and i can't help my self" She lies to the human hoping it works.
He eyes her a moment longer before sighing. "I Know old habits die hard but next time it will be a sergeant who stops you and you wont get off then. Under stood.?" She walks past with a nod before leaving his sight completely to let out a heavy sigh. "Can't believe that worked... now to find a way to get them in here."
She walks about before reaching a place in the line where only two humans were and walks where they couldn't see her good. She makes a flash with her magic and she then sees her 5 friends run to her using a illusion spell to make them less noticeable. Once they reach she moves the wire with her magic and lets them in.
"That was fun! All this stealthy spy stuff! right in the middle of th-" She is cut off by both Applejack and Rainbow dash covering her mouth and the nearby men look over to see Twilight face-hoofing... palming and go back to talking after a moment of eyeing her.
"Ok now we go and try to find any info, cause trouble and convert any who is easy but don't do any thing crazy." Twilight infroms the others who all nod and then move out. She knew this was a risky mission but with most of this 252nd out on the attack there was a lot less guards and the ones who can disrupt their magic were gone too leaving a large opening for them.
She moves about the base passing many other humans or guardsmen as they are called and they only give her greetings and sometimes a wink and she would blush but kept going. After a bit she found what she guessed was the command building by how big it was and how guarded it was. She slowly walks to the door and looks at a better armored guardsman then the others leaning on the wall by the way in.
She stares at him somewhat scared as she can see him sizing her up. "You one of those brave PDF or young girls who find us vets in your interest?" He asks out of boredom and gets his entertainment as she blushes brightly and covers her face. "No... i... umm..." She clears her throat. "I came to grab a report and bring it to a sergeant at the... fire positions..."
He looks at her and then off into the distance before shrugging. "Get what ever and get going... usually i would have to do paper work but i hate it and... your kind of cute." He opens the door for her and she thanks him and heads down into the armored building. She looks around and sees a few other humans but they aren't as armored as the others and were busy with running the many machines around the large room. "I wish i could study this stuff..." She walks to a table and looks over it slowly before grabbing a odd object with a glowing screen.
Yes Governor your request for naval support has been comfrimed and fire support will be ready when you call for it in battle we await firing coordinates for our lances and bombers. Do be mindful we still need to crack the shield before we can hit the target so don't expect our fire to arrive right after requesting it.
Twilight froze at this info. She seen the ship in orbit and its weapons but not in action and now it was going to fire down on the ERA FOB and the princesses. "That's not good at all... how powerful are these 'lances'."
*Location* *Few miles east of ERA FOB* *252nd IG main force*
To give the status of the 252nd attack group is to simply say they were having a hard time. The large white one turns out to be the Princess Celestia and she was in a slugging match with a Baneblade trying to avenge the Firesword she destroyed but her speed made it where none of its guns could hit her and the guardsmen's small arms that hit didn't seem to hurt her. And to make matters worse many hidden dug outs were all around and ponies with potions and other weapons jumped out right in the middle of the IG ranks. many guardsmen were forced to get into combat with ponies who were once their comrades and the PDF were nearly overwhelmed. If it weren't for the scattered commissars and the tanks them selves they would be done for.
The Governor General was also busy as he faced down what appeared to be a smaller blue version of the princess and she had strong connections to the warp. His battle claws clashed with her sword of unknown energies. "Give up human thy is surrounded!" She says as they stare at each other mere inches. "Never witch i rather die then become one of your daemon minions!" He kicks her back and takes a battle stance and she recovers and they watch each other before they both charge each other once again. The general catches her sword in one of his claws and brings the other at her chest. The clash of metal is heard and she pulls back to see three gashes in her armor and sees a slight cut under it. "We are impressed General thy must be a veteran of many battles." She complements him and readies another attack.
He barely dodges it but fails to see a new sword she has formed and it slashes his side under his arm. He gets some space and looks to see his armor didn't hold and a light cut is under it. "You have some strong power. But can you stand this?" He calls out and a guardsman runs up with a large box on his back. "Sir!" He shouts and the governor grabs something off his back and puts it to his face.
"Fire code 32-12-5 permission to fire granted! Fire for effect!" He yells into the small device and then gives it back to the guardsmen who runs off afterwards. He smiles at the Blue pony. "Can this shield stop a Lance?" Soon a light above catches the eyes of all in the area as a pillar of blue light speeds down from the heavens and impacts the dome. A massive crack appears in its place and the braking of glass is heard as another pillar pushes past it and impacts a area not far in front of the IG force. A massive explosion is heard and the Blue one's face was full of fear and awe and she looks to the governor eyeing her. "Winter was right..."
With that said she jumps into the air and flies away and a mass retreat of ponies is seen and princess Celestia gives the Baneblade one last blast that just gives a small dent in the turret and speeds off. Once all ponies in sight are dead or running the guards catch their breath and look to where the lance landed to see a large force of ponies that was coming to reinforce the enemy attackers. The men check their losses and wait for further orders.
"How many did we lose Daren?" He looks to his close friend. "We lost about twenty-four men sir over half were mutated and dealt with. We lost two tanks the Firesword and a Leman russ had a potion bomb tosses into the hatch and got the crew. The techpriest are dealing with the tank." He informs Stubbs. With a sigh he looks where the ponies retreated. "Have the cruiser orbiting Karuava I come here we need the extra firepower.
Daren nods. "I'll dispatch all the orders soon sir." With a salute he walks off leaving the general to look over his army licking its wounds and to think about the fight with the blue pony. "We can't walk into another trap unprepared... and these damned things from the warp are stronger then we thought." He muses to him self as he thinks up a plan hoping if the trick he used on the Dark Eldar would work twice.
*Location* *ERA FOB* *Princesses's personal quarters*
Celestia was behind her desk in deep thought while her sister was laying her on bed recalling the light from above the general called a 'Lance' and its power. In one shot it wiped out a formation of over a hundred guard ponies marching to the fight and the moral of everypony broke and ran even the newfoals saw staying was nothing but pointless death.
A Head is seen at the door to their tent. "Princesses the new foal officer is here as requested." The guard says and waits for their response. "Send him in please and you are dismissed." Celestia asks snapping out of her train of thought. With a nod he disappears and a new pony enters.
The pony was a light green and short red hair'd unicorn. "You requested me Princesses." he bows to them. "Yes from what we know... you were part of the crew of their war machines correct?" She ask him. He nods."Yes ma'am i was a crew member of a Leman Russ Exterminator main battle tank. My roll was the loader of its main guns." He states proudly. The princesses regard him for a while before speaking. "Can you help get our soldiers ready to fight such weapons of war?" He thinks a moment. "Only unicorns will stand the best chance in the tank hunter roll but i will try to teach them."
Celestia smiles at him. "You will be promoted and put in charge of training ponies in the roll of tank hunters." She walks to the the tent flap and jester for him to follow and they walk out leaving Luna by her self. She looks at the flap for a moment before her horn glows and a stallion appears not far from her. Winter looks around a moment before locking eyes with her. "You seen what they can do first hoof didn't you?" He asks even though he knows the answer.
She sighs and nods her head slowly. "We were in one on one combat with their leader and he called a weapon called a lance from above and killed over hundred ponies in a single attack and we were forced to retreat." She rests her head on her bed once again stuck in thought about the power she saw. "it came from the object in the sky."
She looks up at Winter's sudden out burst. "How does thy know?" She asks wondering how he would know. "I was on the beach not far from here and saw it turn where its front was aimed at the the ground and then its front lite up and a line of blue light came from it." he explains to her. "These humans can communicate with each other at extreme distances. We will guess they have already sent word they are under attack and will receive reinforcements soon its only a matter of time if they did... Thy think we can sue for peace?" Winter goes into thought and then looks at her dead in the eye. "Ma'am... they see us as monsters who mutate their kind into ours... i doubt they will. Sorry Princess."
She stares a moment before nodding slowly. "Yes they do see us as invaders with hostile intent. And when i faced the General i could feel the hate and fear his men had but he was just clam controlled hate for us and was using it to fight me extremely well." Winter raised an eyebrow. "You admiring him princess?" He jokes and she blushes slightly. "Winter we will personal throw you across this planet." He still laughs a little but clams himself after a moment. "Sorry princess couldn't help my self." He still smiles but it disappears when he sees something.
Luna sees his face go from happiness to fear and she quickly turns her head to look behind her to see a long blade coming down on her. She reacts swiftly and she forms a sword with her magic and blocks it and the clash of swords are heard. When they met Luna see a human in a weird suit on its body and its shape shows its female. She watches it draw a new sword and take a battle stance and Luna does the same.
The human eyes Luna slowly before she drops her stance and backs into the shadows and disappears and a unseen cut in the tent opens and the human is gone. Winter was frozen in place before Luna taps him with her wing getting him back to the here and now. "How did it get in here!?" He yells. Luna shrugs. "And to say it was female guessing by its body shape. But we may have assassins in the camp we must find and deal with." Winter nods and heads out to get word out about the threat.
*Location* *Kaurava II*
When word got out about a new xeno attacking the Kaurava system the Sisters of Battle of the Sacred Rose who were disgraced during the first war returned to bring honor back to their name and repent for their sins. They have arrived and are here to fight along side the Imperial Guard who they were once defeated by and bring their flames to the new enemy.
Now they arrive at the 252nd's FOB and at first the guardsmen were in arms but calmed down after the sisters showed no hostile actions and some welcomed the new comers knowing some of these ladies were battled hardened and feared from fighting them first hand. And the sisters were informed about the on going assault and the latest message of the Governor would return soon for a new attack plan.
And these the Sisters of Battle were becoming a problem for the 6 hidden ponies inside the FOB.
"Guardsman! Explain why you are in this area of the camp! This area is off limits to become our temporary quarters!" A tall woman stood over Twilight yelling at her and she was frozen in fear looking up at her. "I was... i wasn't here to get that news... sorry ma'am... wont happen again ma'am." She does her best at a salute and runs off back to where she knows a lot of guardsmen were to blend in with.
As she walks she passes many other of these 'Sisters of battle' walk about and they seem better armed and armored then the guardsmen but not that many. They also had their own transportation in the from of new flying machines and different model of tanks. She was wondering to her self how much military force they will bring to bare she already seen the pillar from the ship in orbit with every other guard here.
As she walks a Voice to her side gets her to look and she sees her friends is a alley and she quickly ducks into it. "Well have any of you girls found anything so far?" She asks hopefully. "Well besides me getting ideas for dresses not much darling..." Rarity speaks up. "I managed to get this odd box that one of those guys by the big guns had." Rainbow dash says holding what Twilight has learned is a VOX castor "Good job Rainbow that's one of their communications tools they use for long range messages." Rainbow Dash smiles proudly happy she got something important.
"I'm sorry... but i didn't find anything that looked important." Fluttershy says slowly. Applejack walks forward. "I' got one of em' fancy leaser guns that's bigger then the otha are." She points to a backpack with a tube running from it to the gun attached to it. They all look at it seeing how its better crafted then the others and even cleaner and something about it just says its stronger.
Twilight looks over the gear they got and not including Pinkie pie's find of a grey object the size of her hoof and a handle on the end. After a bit she looks to her friends. "Ok girls lets get out of here." Her magic lights up and she leaves her human from and is once again on four hoofs. She charges her horn and readies to teleport them all out side the FOB. And in a flash they are gone.
Only to appear in the ERA FOB to find a lot more dead and wounded but many newfoals. "they been busy i can see..." Twilight says to her self."
Winter was laying on the warm sand trying to relax and forget about what has happened so far. The assassins were never caught and even nearly killed Celestia and then when they failed they just disappeared no matter how many unicorns used magic to find them they were gone. Also Luna was realizing they got the short end of the stick and we haven't even run into this new threat that the element bearers found these 'Sisters of battle' and the ship above could shell them and they had nothing to stop it.
But at least the girls got what they said was a communication device and Luna confirmed it when she talked about the General using one to call the ship. With that we can listen to their orders and maybe even throw in fake orders to cause chaos just need to find out what the heck is a clearance code and how to get one. He sighs and looks at the sun slowly cooking him. "Why couldn't we of stayed home?" He says to him self.
"Cause we were careless and thought we could help these humans." He jumped and looked behind him to see Princess Luna and clam's down. "What brings you here Luna?" He asks. She smiles at him and looks around the beach. "I came to enjoy the sun and the view. And truthfully i came to talk to you." Her smile fades and gets a serious face.
"Something must be really troubling you. How can i help?" He looks her unsure of what to expect. "Thy already questions some actions of our sister, tis this true?" He stares at her before sighing. "Yes from the moment that recruit was killed... he was our first pony to die and many more followed. These humans have seen war we have never thought could exist and we come to challenge them." He explains out loud.
She regards his words before nodding. "Our sister did take on a feat she thought would be simple. But a plan has been thought up and i wish for your assistance." He stares for a moment. "What do you need me to do?" He asks, his mind doing over time trying to think about what could be wanted.
"I need you to go out with a small team and find out about another spices that live on this planet some of my night guards has run into. They already seem to be in conflict with the humans. The humans call them Orks and from the reports they a massive creatures and if maybe able to use the potion on them to made massive soldiers for us to use in our battle."
Winter stared a minute. "You want me... and a team to go hunt down animals that could be deadlier then humans and try to not die?" He deadpans. Luna rolls her eyes at his words. "Not the way we would put it but... simply put yes. We need soldiers who have fought these humans before and if we can get any we have a great advantage." She calmly states.
Winter looked at her and was about to say no but then thought about the humans baring down on them with their large force and the dome can't stop them and their magic is limited. With a sigh he nods. "I will do it princess i need a team and we'll head out when we can." She smiles at him. "We are already rounded up our best guards to join you in a five pony team. They are waiting in the camp for you." He nods and stands up and stretches and gets a few pops as his joints pop.
"Well wish me luck then princess i'm going to need it." With that he walks off and Luna watches him go. "Your going to need a lot of it."
*Location* *252nd FOB*
"What do you mean we had a shape shifter in this holy camp of his fine men?!" A priest was arguing with a sister who has claimed to have seen a guardsman turn into a pony and then teleport away with other ponies and they had a VOX set and a Hellgun. "It is true i saw it with my on faithful eyes. And your men need to keep them from putting spies into this base!" She pokes the priest in the chest only angering him.
Around the two on the edge of fighting are a mix of guardsmen commissars and sisters of battle questioning to get involved, brake it up or just watch. Johnathan and Matt were already placing bets with most of the men and even one young sister who Matt winked at and nearly got punched. "Wonder how this will go... my money is on the old guy i seen them fight Nobz and win so he stands a good chance." Matt shakes his head. "She hits him once those old bones brake... i can see that happening." Johnathan stares at him. "You're only thinking about something else then them really fighting."
Matt rolls his eyes and watches the two argue more before a loud voice is heard calling out. "I will not have a pointless fight between us while the enemy prepares it self!" Governor Stubbs walks into the middle of the mass and pushes the two apart. "Both of you will go your on ways before a harsh action needs to be taken place." The two think about his words before they go their own ways.
But before the sister leaves she stops and runs to him. "Governor general i have news you may need to hear. I saw a shape shifter spy turn from a guardsman into what looked like a pony." The General stared a moment. "explain to me fully in my quarters we will get this settled." She nods and he leads her off.
Johnathan and Matt start to walk away from the ring and Matt is counting the money he gained and 'forgot' to give back. "We got few 100 and extra charge packs." He hands Johnathan a few of the lasgun packs who gladly takes them. "You're a rat you know that?" Matt laughs and splits the money with his partner. Once they both got their share of bets and their stored away they continue to walk around the FOB killing time when they hear something out of place.
"Don't say anything stupid and nothing bad will happen." A female voice can be heard around the corner of a bunker. When they both have their Laspistols up they round the corner to see two young guards-women who nearly jump when they see them. They stare at each other a moment before Matt and Johnathan lower their guns. "What are you two doing back here? You know any sergeant who finds you will turn you over to the commissars."
The two look at each other. "Yeah sorry sir... we're new and trying to get used to everything still so we're... exploring a little" One speaks up and they can tell its a young teenage girl. Matt smiles knowing he can try his luck. "Well miss... i can maybe help you out a bit." He walks to her side causing her to blush slightly and Johnathan and the other guard face palm.
"Matt... now is not the time." Johnathan looks over the two but notices something off and pulls Matt close and talks quietly into his ear. "Why is their armor mixed? One has some kasrkin armor while the other is a sergeant." Matt looks at him oddly and then at the two and sees that these 'recruits' were armed with gear only elites get and this gear looked a little beat up and damaged.
"Uh... may i ask you two a question? If your both new recruits why do you have a high rank and commando armor only used by our most elite men?" The blank looks from the two were enough to say a lot. They both aim at them and they aim their guns in return. They have a short stand off before the someone finally speaks up. "So guessing the rumors of pony shape sifters aren't just rumors." Johnathan says.
"You two know to much already... we have to kill you." The girl says and aims the stolen hellgun at them. Matt and Johnathan aren't moved at all. "You taken that machine spirit from its master who took care of it and you have let it get damaged and not have fixed it... it wont work for you." She looks at him confused then down at the gun in her hand. She pulls the trigger nothing happens and she swallows loudly. "Oh Celestia..." They drop their weapons and stare at them eyes full of fear.
Johnathan and Matt were trying to think what to do. "I want you both to show your true forms now." He puts his gun to one of their heads causing her to shiver in fear. "w-we... can't... we're earth ponies the unicorn who turned us into humans is back at our base..." She barely manages to say. Johnathan wants to pull the trigger and if need be say they were cowards running if anyone asked. "Give us one reason we shouldn't shoot you right now?"
They look at each other before one steps forward. "Cause... we're traitors to the others, me and my sister tricked a unicorn who learned this spell to change us to come spy.... we see how we may lose and we want to be on the winning side." She has pleading eyes as she stares down his gun's barrel.
Johnathan stands there and just stares and Matt was busy trying to understand what just happened. "You mean... you just betrayed your own kind to save yourself and your sister? And you do understand that if you are going to act as recruits get the armor and gear they use." He deadpans and they take a look at their armor and gear and think out their story a bit.
"Can you please not turn us in... we already lost our dad to your weapons... we didn't even want to come here." One gets right up to Johnathan and he looks at her in confusion. Matt cuts in and pulls her away from Johnathan and brings her to his face. "We'll make a deal... we wont kill you or turn you in but... you stay in our sight and if your going to try to be a guardsmen you must shoot the enemy. If i see you not fighting i will shoot you my self. Am i understood?" He lets her go and she goes to her sister and they talk.
"We accept... but can you make us fit in where we don't stick out... if you saw past our disguise a officer wont take more then a second." She says while her sister stays quiet and still full of fear. Matt looks between them. "Well how about we start with names... ok? Mine is Matt and this is my partner Johnathan, how about you girls?"
The older one walks forward. "I'm dove and my sister's name is Skyler." Skyler walks forward and waves slowly. "Hi... thanks for not killing us.."
Johnathan looks at Matt. "I hate you, you know that?" Matt only smiles at him. "just go with it we may get something out of this." He winks. Johnathan sighs and just decides to go with it. Now they have to somehow get some PDF uniforms from the armory with out getting into trouble.
*Location* *Stubb's peak* *Winter's team*
The mission has gone smoothly so far and winter didn't like it and he even hated the quiet night guards more. But they were right on track they even seen the beasts that were their target. The one they saw was well over a human maybe 10 or so feet tall and it had a large axe like weapon covered in blood from its most recent fight and its green skin was covered with wounds and scars.
Winter and his team have been shadowing it hoping it will lead them to the camp it has and hopefully find more to use the potion on and test if they can be changed. After a bit they start to see more of them and what look like huts made from random pieces of material. Winter guides them into a tall tree that's over grown to watch the orks.
After a while of watching a large ork bigger then the rest walks out of a hut and many make way for him. "That must be the leader... let try and catch him by him self and toss the potion on him." The others looked at winter like he was crazy. "Why do we do it to the leader?" Winter smiles. "Cause if it works they will be leaderless and we can use the potion on more of them... if it fails and they get mad and chase us they will attack the human's rear."
They stare a moment. "That's smart sir, lead the way." Winter nods and flaps his wings a few times and he is gliding in the shadows of the trees following the ork leader. After a bit they catch it in a more or less quiet area or as quiet it can be in any area of a ork camp. Winter takes a bottle of the potion and goes right above the brute and drops it on its thick head.
At first the ork stares at the stuff on him confused and then up at winter with a mix of anger and confusion. It opens it massive jaw to yell but before so the transformation kicks in. It slowly turns in a massive earth pony that could beat the princesses in size but it kept most of its sharp teeth and many of its scars still can be seen. "I didn't expect that to work... now lets see if we can talk to this thing."
He and the rest of the guards land around the large pony. "Are you loyal to her rule?" One night guard says and the stallion nods to him. "Her will is the only will i will follow." Satisfied with the answer the ponies scatter about to collect more heavy infantry.
The Imperial Guard and Sisters of battle will have to fight more then just ponies now.
During the war when the 252nd was attacking the Dark Eldar base on the moon of Lacunae the general led a massive force of his personal elite to their rear and launched a attack that led to a great victory for the Imperial Guard and liberated so many captured from many factions ranging from humans of the planets to even Eldar. And today the General was going to repeat this daring move with the invading ponies with a fleet of Valkyrie transports, Vulture gunships, Marauder bombers, Thunder hawk gunships and Lighting fighters from the Sisters of battle who agreed to take part in this attack.
Johnathan and Matt were in one of the transports with their new squad mates Dove and Skyler who are keeping very quiet as they fly though the air and near the shield. They were also unlucky enough to be put into a thunder hawk with a few other guardsmen but the back was full of sisters and they were giving hate full looks at them every so often. The only sound was the few guards chatting about the plan of attack. Matt and Johnathan were cleaning their bolter making sure it was ready for the fight ahead
"Uh.. Johnathan?" He looks over to Skyler who spoke up. "We're about to go into the heart of the... enemy right?" He sighs and nods. "Yup going right to the ponies rear and land this massive strike force and over run their FOB." He explains to her she only gets a worried face. Matt speaks up. "Don't worry just stay with us and we'll have your back." She slowly nods and Dove puts a arm around her sister.
The whine of lascannons are heard and they both jump a bit. "Sounds like we just entered the dome. Wont be long till we're stuck in it." A nearby guardsman says and the others agree. Then they all turn when the sound of heavy boot steps are heard and they see a Battle sister walk to them. "Guardsmen may you show us that you are worthy servants of the Emperor in this battle and you just may gain his respect." She looks between all the guards.
"We wont fail to gain his blessings ma'am you can count on us to die for him or die trying." The sergeant says walking forward. She looks at him a moment and smiles. "If you fight well we will make sure to assist any way we can." He nods. "Glad to hear and some advice thy got two powerful psykers in their ranks one somehow took out a Firesword so be careful." He informs them and many sisters look at him is confusion. "If they have any mutants of such power we will purge them with our holy flame." The sister states.
With that said she returns to her sisters leaving the guards to get ready for the fight ahead. After a bit the voice of the pilot is heard. "We're nearing the target the bombers are already softening them up. We will make land fall in ETA five mikes." The sound of boots moving quickly about is heard as the cargo get ready for the rough fight ahead.
The guardsmen were at the door being the first out and when the Thunder-hawk landed and the ramp opened they rushed out. Matt and friends were the first out and once a few feet from the ramp drops the heavy bolter's tripod and Johnathan sets the bolter on it and once its ready let loose with a stream of fire. at the ponies and any tent that was close to them and wasn't already burning. Skyler and Dove were tasked with watching their back with their newly acquired auto guns but just stood there watching the humans around them with ease destroy the ponies rear lines.
Matt and Johnathan were covering the next wave of transports as they landed deploying their load of sisters and guardsmen into the fight. Dove has pulled Skyler behind the two gunners and gives her a look before doing something she has never done before. She pulled the trigger of her gun and a bullet flew out and to her horror it hit a royal guard and he fell over wounded. She stared in shock down the sights of her gun, she didn't mean to hit any one just keep up the act and not draw any eyes to herself and her sister.
She feels something land on her shoulder and looks to see Matt. "You ok? I saw you hit that thing... nice shot. I know its hard to get used to it but give it time." He gives her a smile and then goes to the gun when Johnathan jams it. She looked at him and then gunfire next to her makes her look to see her sister firing but sighs in relieve as its not at anything.
After a while the landing area has grown and a massive drop ship comes into the area and the biggest tank she ever saw is dropped on the ground and it rolls forward. Johnathan and Matt look at the rolling hill and cheer. "About time the Baneblade arrived now these things will pay!" It rolls past and its weapons open up tearing into anything in front of it. Dove and Skyler were scared at first but looking at it when its not charging her she has to admire its power. The massive hulk rolls forward before it stops and its massive gun on top turns and destroys a building with a roar of its weapon.
With the arrival of armored units the imperial forces start to push forward and Matt and Johnathan pack up their bolter and move up with the two girls in tow. They move up following the massive tank moving though the camp. "I may get used to working along with this kind of support." Dove happily says and Johnathan can't help but smile at her too.
Their fun soon ends as something massive hits the tank causing it to stop and find the source of the attack. Over head the two girls see their former leader and point her out to the rest. "Its the princess!" And the two men look up at the white figure throwing bolts of energy at the Baneblade who in turn has a rain of bolter fire come at her making her stay on the move.
Johnathan gets Matt and they move to set up the bolter and add to the fire on her. To their surprise the two girls add into the fire on the princess it isn't accurate but every little bit helps. Finally she is forced away from the baneblade and they seemed to get some lucky bolter hits and some mists of red were seen around her before she flew away deeper into the camp.
"How fucking tough is that bitch!? She was hit countless times with bolter and lasgun fire." Matt looks to the two girls who just shrug in return. "We don't even know just know she could move the sun." The gunners stare. "Biggest load of shit i ever heard." Before anything else happens a Vulture flies over head and its auto-cannons open up on something ahead and its missiles let loose clearing the way for the Baneblade and it starts to roll forward. "You explain to us more about these princesses when we're not fighting ok?" They both nod and they rejoin the battle.
*Location* *East Cerulea*
The 252nd FOB was quiet with much of the force out in the major assault on the pony base only men there were much of the tanks that couldn't be airlifted to the fight and much of the PDF and conscript forces who weren't ready for the full fight yet and kept in reserves. But fate has it set for something else. While most the camp was watching the fires burn in the distance as their comrades attack the pony base something came from their rear.
For any sentry on guard all they saw were a mass of something charging their way and they sounded the alarm but next thing they knew was ponies the size of adeptus astartes charged them with purple glowing bottles and axes cutting and changing them. Then the camp was over run in a matter of minutes and the only places hanging on were the depots holding the tanks and their techpriest workers. Most tanks were forming circles and guardsmen left were on the tanks or in the circles they made holding out to the last.
On top of one of the bunkers watching one of these last stands was Winter and his escort of night guards who were admiring the stubbornness of these humans. "They know they lost... their is no way they can win. Why do they not simply lay down their arms and convert?" One guard says and the others just shrug. "If i heard right they are very religious and from the looks of it they got many of their officers and priest in there keeping them going." Winter explains.
They watch as another wave of the ork turned ponies were repelled by the firepower the tanks had and one of the priests calls out some words that gets the others in a fighting mood and they cut down many more. But the sound of another weapon is heard that stands out from the pops of the guardsmen weapons, Then they see them. Tall female fighters in armor like he hasn't seen before steps forward in a arrow formation firing massive boxy guns and other weapons that threw flames out in a long arch burning all in front of them.
"Those must be the Sisters of battle." Winter says staring as they cut though the mass of ponies and their armor stopping any potion threw at them and deflecting any axe slash and some were carrying long swords with moving teeth along what was their main blade that cut some of the ponies in half. Winter and his team watch as they push to the tanks that were surrounded and they just clear a path for them.
Then they all form into a larger group and start to push the ponies back. "We have to do something or they will push us back." One says to Winter as he thinks. "Hey look at one of the sisters. That one seems to have more decorated armor." He points his hoof at a battle sister that has a torch burning behind her head and a large sword in one hand leading from the top of a white tank with no weapon on it. "If we can get her maybe with a potion we can brake their morale!"
With that they all take to the air and then find out one problem they only have one potion left from giving out most to the others to use in combat and they are now under heavy fire and then something is seen in the corner of his eye. He turns to look but all he gets is something big and metal hitting him and knocking him from the sky sending him into the roof of a bunker.
The attacker stands over him aiming one of their weapons at him and he and see one of the sister of battles with wings? The Seraphim loads her bolt pistol and puts it to his head. "You foul beast will be put down." She says coldly. He stares at her a mix of fear and something else but before anything else happens her head is covered in purple goo and she yells as the potion takes her and she slowly changes and her armor falls off her as she turns into a light blue Pegasus mare with black hair.
She stands unsure at first then helps Winter up. "We must make haste the imperials are about to over run us. they have called for air support." From above a night guard lands. "You alright sir? And she's right we see many aircraft are over head." Winter sighs. "call the retreat."
He jumps into the air and the other two follow and fly away from the 252nd base in defeat and the ponies on the ground fight to the death before the base is cleared. Many of the constricts were promoted and gained much needed experience and about a forth of the imperial forces were lost either killed or converted and deemed minor loses. And the attack on the pony base led to better results and sent the ponies on the run and many were now retreating to their homeland and the 252nd needed reinforcements if they were going to chase the enemy.
Once the ponies were routed in mass from their front line FOB they retreated across the water back to the new land mass. The main land mass was under mass search and destroy missions looking for any pony that is left. The general has already made calls for extra forces to assist in the invasion of the enemy homeland and the latest arrival of reinforcements was in the from of a Imperial navy Lunar class cruiser along side with the Dauntless class frigate already in orbit and both were readying their lances to help in the landings.
The shield has still been expanding and has displaced many from their homes and farms and the 252nd FOB has had it pass over already but thanks to the work of psykers and lascannons the FOB wasn't damaged and no one was lost. And now much of that force was on the coast readying them selves for the assault ahead and thanks to Intel acquired from captured ponies the assault on Equestira will take off very soon.
A Favor was called in and the techpriest brought another gift from mars to the force and a Stromlord has taken the fallen Firesword's place and will take part in the attack and the Baneblade is under repair from its fight with the princess. The men experienced thanks to the surprised attack on the FOB by a large pony force that was barely fought off if it weren't for the sisters of battle's new Canoness who rallied the defenders and lead them to victory. And now the Imperial forces plan for the final battles ahead.
*Location* *Eastern Cerulea*
Matt and Johnathan along with their two new team mates sit on the beach and wait for the order to get loaded up. Matt was trying to smooth talk Skyler and she wasn't having none of it and Dove seemed to be distracted by something and it bugged Johnathan. "What has you thinking Dove?" She shakes her head and looks at him. "Oh... just thinking... me and my sister are now going to invade our home. That would make you want to rethink things just a little." She sighs and lays back on the sand.
Johnathan looks at her a moment and then out to where this Equestira is supposed to be. "I guess that is something to take in.." He says and then goes to watch Skyler slap Matt for trying to get a kiss that makes him laugh and little. "That wasn't needed you know..." Matt states as he rubs his cheek. "Matt you suck with girls no matter what don't know why you keep trying." Matt shows him a single finger. "If i keep swinging i'm bound to hit something."
Before they can say anything else a whistle is heard blowing marking its time to get ready. "Well girls lets go see how this goes. Come on." Johnathan stands up and pulls dove to her feet. She frowns at him before following with Matt and Skyler who was keeping away from Matt but smiling. They make their way to the old pony base now leveled for a large landing area for transports and tanks were already being readied for the trip ahead.
They get up to a Valkyrie transport they were assigned to ride in and pack their heavy bolter in and take their places. The girls were still getting used to the machines the humans used but they were fast learners and copied the others. Matt get on the side bolter mounts knowing they can expect trouble before they touch down. The rest of the passengers surprise all the men and women in the transport when General Stubbs steps onto the Valkyrie with a commissar and two kasrkin bodyguards at his sides.
The gunner quickly salute while the girls stare in confusion before copying them best they can getting a little laugh from the bodyguards and a glare from the commissar while the General didn't seem to take to much mind as he was in thought. The girls move closer to the other two gunners not trusting the new arrivals. After a bit the ramp closes and their ride finally takes to the air nose aimed east. The voice of the Pilot is heard. "Next stop boys and girls is the lovely green plains and future war zone Equestria. Strap in its going to be a long flight."
Dove and Skyler look at each other a moment and if anyone looked it was nothing but worried expressions. They find a pass time watching the water move below them and watching the rest of the fleet of aircraft from up around their own. "Sir if i may ask why did you pick us to be your gunners? I thought the kasrkin were good enough at this? Matt speaks up. The General looks at him a moment and smiles. "Cause i heard you nearly killed the princess while a Baneblade was having trouble so i wanted the best gunners their were." He retorts and they just smile in return. "We wont let you down sir any pony come near us will get a gift directly from us." Johnathan says proudly.
The flight was quiet most of the way until they could see the land mass ahead but what stood out the most were the ships in the water ahead of them and the large floating objects in the sky ahead. "Looks like we're in for some company." The general says more to him self then anything. "Gunners get ready we have to deal with more then just their minor fliers." They grunt in response and start to pick targets and the aircraft around them start to get ready and the Thunderhawks let their cannons loose with the thumps and booming of the weapons filling the air.
It didn't take long for the fleet to start to swarm around the larger pony air ships and the dog fight begins. The Vultures and Lightnings were flying circles around the airships while most the transports flew past the sad blockade to run for the shore line. And the General ordered the pilot of his Valkyrie to stay in the fight to make sure as many of the enemy were destroyed. One airship stood out from the rest, it was bigger and better armored and its paint was a pure white with golden outlines. "That's the enemy flagship! Pilot get the word to the bombers to attack that ship ahead of us!" He yells over the bolter fire and the pilot barely hears but does what he was ordered.
*On the HMS Celestia*
It was hell the human ships were swarming the airships and the Pegasus could do nothing to stop them and they were being killed in uncountable numbers. On the deck of the flagship stood the princess her self but she was covered in wounds from the last battle. If she was a normal pony she would of been dead many times over but she was a goddess killing her wasn't going to be simple. She eyes a certain human aircraft that was flying around her name sake ship. "Well General it is time we meet face to face." She jumps from the deep leaving many confused ponies to watch her fly towards the single human ship.
She speeds to her target flying past any fire sent her way and she is on the craft in no time. She uses her magic to rip open the rear ramp of the aircraft to show two armored humans aiming their weapons at her. Before she can dodge a hell of red beams fly at her and she feels them hit many times but she keeps going. Soon one of the humans is pulled by magic to her and he tries to stab her with a bayonet but she hits his chest with a spell and she lets him go one she sees the spell starting the transformation.
She lets the soon to be pony down and moves on the second human who is slowly backing up but keeping up the attack with his weapon. She charges him in the small room and her horn runs him though and once she pulls back he falls to his knees and the air current pulls his body out of the transport. She then turns her attention to the general who is just staring at her with his blades extended and ready. "So you choose to fight me princess? Its about time you came to face me."
They stared each other off a moment before he charges her and she makes a sword with her magic and blocks a slash he sent at her. he backs up but a box on his arm is aimed at her and it shoots several metal projectiles that hit her chest. She ignores it and her horn charges and she sends a spell at him. He jumps to his right and his left arm is hit by the spell. He looks to his arm and a large amount of pain is felt there.
She walks to him. "You will join us General Stubbs." That's all she says before something happens. Her neck has something wet run down it and she feels a large amount of pain she looks slowly to see a human in a red uniform with a sword stabbed into her neck. She stares a moment before she feels everything slipping. "In his name. Let no xeno live." he pulls the sword out of her neck and the blood loss is sped up and he aims a weapon at her face and with a thunder from it her head was no more. The once great Princess Celestia fell over dead.
The general was barely holding on and he looks at his left arm to see it as a hoof. Then Dove ran to the Commissar and took his sword. "What are you doing!?" He stares at her as she brings the sword down on the arm of the Governor and he sees a short limb ending in a hoof land on the ground. "Now... you wont turn to one of them sir." She says slowly. The general holds his shoulder but is still human and stares at the girl who just saved him. "May i ask how you knew that would work?" He stares at her giving the sword back at the commissar.
She looks at him and sighs. "I saw a man who was hit by the potion and... we had to cut his leg off thanks to a medic and he didn't turn into a pony." She lies to him hoping it will work. He nods slowly taking that as a good answer but she can see he isn't sure. She sighs and goes back besides the gunners. The ramp is closed and the body the princess stay lays on the floor of the Valkyrie and they fly past the blockade of pony forces to the marked landing area.
Once they touch down many guards men run to the damaged ship to see if the General was ok but found something else. He walks out missing an arm but dragging the body of the Princess with his good arm. "Today men the enemy is missing their leader as she foolishly tried to turn me into her minion but thanks to loyal guardsmen of the 252nd she is now dead!" The men around him cheers at the news.
A few medics run up and look at the General's shoulder. "Sir we will start to work on you." He nods and lets them lead him off and the guardsmen surround the dead princess but something happens. A blinding flash of blue light appears and the blue princess appears she grabs the white one and then disappears with the body. The guardsmen stare in shock where the two once were.
*Location* *Canterlot*
Today was a sad day for the country of Equestria as they deal with the loss of Princess Celestia who due to her injury's was in a closed casket. She now lay where her throne was with many ponies wearing black but out side new posters were set up saying any pony at the age of 18 need join the army or guard. The draft as begun as the ponies ready for the final chapters in this dark time in their history and maybe their last.
Her personal student was hit the hardest as she lost a motherly figure to her along side Luna now stuck to lead the country by her self. Luna now sits alone on the throne after her sister was buried in the royal gardens she now stares out where the humans have landed a army on the shore line and now from the captured VOX they heard word that something called 'Blood ravens' were entering the system. "Sister... why did you leave me here?"
During the first war of the system the Blood Ravens were defeated and lost three full companies at the hands of the Orks and the T'ua weaponry on their moon base. Now they come to redeem them selves much like the Sisters of the Sacred Rose. Now a battle barge sits in orbit along side two ships from the Imperial Navy waiting for the right moment to deploy to the planet below.
*Location* *Equestira Canterlot*
"Thank you kindly Princess Cadance for coming as soon as possible." Luna says from her new throne to her guest from the Crystal Empire. Cadance nods in return. "I understand the times are dark and i know what you want to request and i'm already mobilizing the Crystal army. They will be in Ponyville by the end of tomorrow." She says with a smile and Luna sighs in relief. "Thank you Cadance this is splendid news to hear and the new guards and soldiers are being trained as we speak."
She nods and sighs. "At times i wish i questioned auntie's choices." She looks out the grand windows at the distant shapes of the human war machine slowly readying it self. "I wished i did something too... but arguing with her would make me look bad to the public and lose trust that I've tried very hard to get." She lets a tear fall down her cheek and wipes it away. "Now we must try to fix this before it is to late, otherwise we will be wiped out and from the observatory a third war ship the largest so far with a dark red coat has entered orbit with the other two ships."
Cadance frowns. "Do we know what this new ship carries?" Luna nods. "It belongs to what is call the Blood Raven Chapter... Space Marines. From many newfoals they are the elite of the elite and if any info is right about them they may be immune to the potion. And they are waiting for the perfect moment to attack but how they will i do not know." She stated with a worried look.
"Well the crystal guards and soldiers have a advantage we learned by a mistake. Your sister managed to capture a weapon from the humans and i had a crystal pony working with the others she assigned to study it and it was set off by mistake and it hit the crystal skin and was deflected off. The main weapons of the humans can't hurt my soldiers." She says with a big smile seeing they stand a chance now. "This will greatly help us in the battle field Cadance this info will be used well."
They both chatted about battle plans to try to wear down the human forces and try to cause as much damage as possible. In another part of the capital. The officer quarters of the royal guard were a mess.
The generals were tasked with a last defense of the country and they lack many weapons to fight them but they had an idea to use the tech the griffons used with black powder to make muskets and other guns to counter the humans. And a mass draft has been put into affect to get a army the size of the humans and hopefully meet them on a fair playing field.
Winter was right in the middle of this with his new helper named Fire Bird the once sister of battle who tried to kill him. "Sir if we plan to fight the Imperial forces we need to match them on tech level... but that's not going to happen so we have to out number them and hope for the best." She says to him and he sighs. "If what you told me... we have to try and out number a army from a few billion worlds. We stand no chance... and we can't really wave the white flag cause they would shoot it with us."
The door to the planning room is pushed open and a messenger runs in getting all the officers in the room to look. he runs to Captain armor who sighs knowing it can't be good. The messenger stops right in front of him with a frown. "They have begun to make their push... they're pushing for ." The room is quiet and then they all make last minute plans and then rush out to get ready for the hell ahead.
*Location* *East coast Equestria*
A line of Leman russ tanks were rolling from the beachhead the Imperial guard were using as a staging area on the nearest city north of them and if the any info gained by psykers is good the city is called Vanhoover. The plan was simple roll for the city attack if it proves to be to tough some how dig in for a siege and shell it to dust then mop up and repeat with the next city. At the head was the Baneblade, the Stromlord, and a new arrival a Land Raider Crusader from the Blood ravens to help act as a relay to send orders for them to deploy in the Steel rain tactic.
The formation was lumbering along the shore line north to the city and behind the line of tanks are the Hydras, and the sisters of battle's Rhinos and Chimeras full of troops ready to help the tanks if needed help but it wasn't likely. Finally in the rear of the formation were the large numbers of supply carriers, and the artillery made up by Basilisks and Medusas that will shell the cities to rubble.
In the formation of APCs Matt, Johnathan, Dove and Skyler were cramped in the back of a Chimera with another squad and some of the men were trying to hit on the two girls in their ride but Matt and Johnathan were defending them. They were interrupted by a sound of a explosion. The door opens and they all rush out and look around to see a Leman russ burning and ponies flying over head. The Hydras in the convoy were filling the sky with flak and tracers and many ponies were falling from the sky but they were dropping bombs and potions on the men and women below. Sister and guardsmen alike when hit by the potion bombs were changed.
Matt and Johnathan both carrying parts of their bolter grab one of the girls and pull them to the side behind a Hydra and a friendly face looks down from it. "Glad you two aren't dead and when did you get dates?" Kepler from the hatch says down on them. They glare up but quickly get to work setting up the gun and start to lay fire into the ponies above. After a short time of them dodging about and dropping what pay load they carried they flew north to the city with over half the force it had lost but the fight wasn't over as any pony that was a guardsman or even sister of battle now was fighting and a large number were changed.
Matt was reloading the gun when he was tackled by a large pony and it was trying to stomp him. "Get off me you alien freak!" He is unable to push him off but gunshots from the side end the ponies life and Skyler is seen aiming at the pony with her autogun. He pushes the body off him and smiles at her. "You sure you don't got any feelings for me?" She glares and aims the gun at him and he crawls away behind Johnathan who laughs. "Smooth dude smooth." Matt rolls his eyes.
The gun fire around them was dying down as the last few ponies were killed and they can see commissars running about trying to get the convoy rolling again but just when some tanks were starting to roll the bottom fell out. The few white clouds over head got thick and rain fell so heavy it would hurt the skin if not covered. Everyone ran for cover in the APCs and then the gunning of engines are heard as the formation rolls forward.
OR tried to roll. After a few minutes the VOX started going off about tanks getting stuck and then the report of both the Baneblade and the Stromlord have been bogged in a ditch and can't move. "Oh great... these damn things not only walk on clouds but can control them. FUCK!" Matt says aloud getting glares from the girls. The VOX lights up once again but its not from any imperial guardsmen. "Get your forces unstuck the Blood Ravens will take the lead." It is cut off and the men in the APC look around. "Well i hate we don't get to see the action." Johnathan comments.
*Location* *South of Vanhoover*
On a hill over looking the city the Land Raider sat over watching the lines of defenses on the outside of the city's out skirts of trenches and small bunkers make of stone and wood. From the top of the tank stood a tall crimson armored figure facing the city. "Have you recived the coordinates?" He asks aloud with a finger to the side of his helmet. "Very good sergeant i expect your arrival soon we will lead the attack."
In a cloud above the man a pair of ponies were watching and spying. "Who is it talking to?" One asks another who shrugs in return. "I don't know but it can't be good. And if their are anymore like him... he is about 10 feet tall... if a ship full of them has arrived... by the sisters." His partner says worried. They watch the armored human reenter the tank and watch it move even in the mud that stopped the others.Then it speeds at a rate they wouldn't expect from something that size but what worries them is that they are heading for the city.
At the pony lines around the city they watched in fear as the massive metal beast sped to them and they fired spells arrows and even some musket balls but all did nothing to the armor and it's weapons opened up once it was close and its rapid fire weapons tore into any pony not in cover and some of the weaker bunkers and pill boxes were completely cut apart by the heavy rounds it fired. It kept moving and rolled over the trenches and into the city.
But something worse caught everypony's attention. High above them they saw pillars of light hit the shield and cracked it open and objects falling at high speeds came down from space aimed for the city. The massive tank rolled into a large plaza in the city and it stopped and everypony in the area went to hide while guards and soldiers surrounded it but kept their distance but they were forced back not from the tank but the falling objects that slammed around the tank in a perfect circle.
The ponies stared at the tall red things that numbered about five in all in curiosity but then they opened and four more of these tall figures stepped out of each and the massive tank let out another ten. These tall armored humans stepped from the pods and scanned the area around them. Many ponies were frozen in fear when the green eyes fell on them. From the tank came one who had what looked like a skull on its helmet who walked to the front of the others it had an large metal mace then a gun like the others to where he stops to look around.
"Brothers! Today we are tasked with purging this xeno from this world where our brothers have fallen! They come to dishonor this world where they died for his blessings! Will we let this stand!" he yells to the others who in return shout their disagreements and aim their weapons at the ponies. The ponies slowly start to back away and the first shot is fired as a unicorn throws a spell at one of the humans.
The human allows it to hit him in the chest where it burns his armor. Then all hell broke loose as they started to fire at all in the area. Ponies were being cut down in large numbers and many unicorns put up shields that stopped their weapons and allowed them to counter attack with spells but only the most skilled and powerful were able to hurt any of them. One skilled one fired a bolt of lightning that struck one in the chest causing him to spasm before falling over twitching but all it did was anger the rest and they fought harder and the shields were worn down by the massive amount of punishment they were put under and crumbled.
The arrival of many more of these pods filled the city as more humans fell from the sky to join in the purging of the city.
*Location* *Encampment* *South of Vanhoover*
The 252nd was readying their forces to join the space marines who have been dropped into the city but they must first brake the front lines of the ponies and destroy them. The Stromlord was already rolling to the lines flanked by four Leman russes and followed by many Chimeras. The camp had twenty Basilisks that were already shelling the pony line.
In the back of the Stromlord sat the General and his new personal guard. Matt and Skyler were talking while Dove and Johnathan were off to the side while Johnathan cleaned the bolter Dove went over her new Hellgun and she felt it differently then the one she took from the dead. This one seem to fit her better even if it is the same type as the other. They have all gotten new armor and Hellguns but they refused to give away the bolter and the general allowed them to keep it.
The sounds of explosions were nearing as they lumbered along no-man's land and they already could hear the main weapons spinning up. Johnathan was in deep thought about the up coming fighting. They now fought the enemy defending their own existence and they have what the girls told them was magic. He smiles to him self looking over at the girls, they know about the abilities of the ponies and can help them make it through. If only they wont vomit up their lunch during the combat.
The Ponies thanks to needed Intel from newfoals have drawn up a basic idea of how they will defend the country from the counter-offensive the Imperial forces are putting into action. They still have no plan to fight the space marines that have landed via drop pod in the city but they could hold the imperial guard... maybe.
The trenches were full of ponies armed with muskets, potions, and powder bombs to use on the advancing human forces. But they still lacked anti-armor and only a few unicorns learn anything of how to effectively fight the metal monsters but it has proven mud slows them down and are easy to get stuck so many large ditches were dug and illusions thrown over them in a hope to trap them. But it still came down to if the ponies could deal with the infantry that will push forward with or without the tanks supporting. The ponies had a large stock of spears, hastily made led balls for the muskets and large jugs full of the potion to try and gain as many pony allies as possible to help fight the tide.
The army and guard is drafting all stallions and mares that are sixteen and older into the fight to turn the tide. Even other entities have been thrust into the fight.
The siege camp of the human forces was full of cannons aimed at the city in the distance where black smoke has started rising from the once great city. A Guardsman walks down the line of massive war machines throwing shells at the city and he was confused on how to follow his orders and they weren't from a sergeant, of the imperial guard anyway. This was a Changeling who was thrown into the fight for the countries survival for all who live on it.
He walked past another weapon called the basilisks that dot the camp and fire a endless rain of death. He was tasked with causing as much chaos as possible to the human forces before getting caught or retreating. He looked into his satchel at a few bombs he was supposed to use and he had no idea how to use any weapon captured from the humans to try that. Then it catches his eyes, a pile of the shells the guns were using and runners were going back and forth carrying them to the guns.
He takes a deep sigh and walks by the pile and drops one of the bombs off in the mud by them and quickly walks away remembering the one minute timer on the small powder charge. He quickens his pace hoping he wont be taken out by the massive blast that will surely follow. He was almost out of the firing positions when he bumped into a uniformed human who didn't look happy about the run in. "Best have a good reason you're not on the front line soldier." He glares down at the Changeling.
"I... was... uh." He says quickly but before he can do anything else a massive wave of heat is felt behind him and then a shock wave that picks him and the officer up and throws them to the dirt. The officer recovered very quickly to the spy's horror and was barely holding his wounded form but manages and watches a fireball where the guns were but once again he sees not all guns were destroyed and were still firing after their crews recovered.
He slowly dragged himself to his feet and then felt a hand on his and he reacted by attacking but was restrained when two humans wearing medical markings was trying to settle him down. "Hey clam down we're here to help you." He clams down slightly and allows them to check him and give him a pat on the back once they find him in one piece and shrug off his reaction minor shell shock.
After he sees them head to the carter he created he quickly walks away from it trying to disappear into the other guardsmen in the area. Until he is away from the destruction he caused he takes a breath. "That was close." He once again changes his from to be free to go where ever in a small bit of green flame and is gone in the crowd.
*Hanhoover* *Front trench lines*
Winter was in one of the many hastily dug trenches out side the city in a hope to repel the human attack. He was beside a small pillbox made to house a light eight pounder cannon that will hopefully hurt the enemy armor but from the two massive tanks rolling towards them he knew better. Out in the middle of no pony's land what the new foals called a Baneblade and Stromlord were bearing down on them.
The cannon belched fire as it fired and Winter watches as the small ball harmlessly bounces the armor of the beasts and the Baneblade returns with kind as its main weapon and Winter and the gun crew run for their lives as the cannon was blown to dust and now a large crater was in the trench line and it was also a breach the humans will use.
The Stormlord rolled forward with its main weapon spraying massive shells at the dug in ponies keeping them suppressed as Winter spotted the lighter APCs moving up closer and closer to the trench ready to disperse their infantry payload. As they neared a few brave unicorns stick their heads up and fire their armored piercing spells and quiet a few of the APCs stop or smoke forcing the humans in side to go on foot.
He sighs seeing the human advance seems to be slowed but he knew its only a set back for them and will keep pushing. He watched the last few tanks roll forward to the trenches and some weren't APCs to his horror as some spew forth hell fire and others seemed to let out green chemicals into the ponies. The final ones dropped off their infantry who jumped down into the dugouts to fight the ponies.
He soon heard a bugle call singling for retreat into the city. Cannons fire a few last times before they are forced to retreat. Ponies take off at a gallop and the humans see this retreating and quickly get in pursuit of them. Their tanks roll over the trenches and infantry run behind them. But all they do is roll into a cross fire as hidden unicorns and other ponies hiding in buildings fire spells at them disabling many armored units.
Once the infantry get to the trap they rush to behind the tanks and use them as cover and bit by bit take out the defenders. But the guardsmen can see they got heavy urban fighting ahead and force their way forward into the inner city but they are being slowed but inside the city its a different story.
*Vanhoover center*
The teams of space marines have completely taken the city square and much of its surrounding area only fallen four battle brothers. The chaplain leading the assault force while the rest of their forces are in route in Thunderhawks was pushing the ponies back every second shouting battle cries and speeches keeping the massive super soldiers going.
And its not long till a assault squad linked up with some imperial guardsmen but find them stopped and at first they think they are waiting for reinforcements but its something else. The sergeant walks to his imperial guard counter part and asks. "What is keeping you from crushing this xeno!? Move forward!" He yells down onto the man who flinches a little. "Well... you see sir..." He points to a building. "We found something in the basement of that residential building and are waiting for orders what to do with them. Not sure when anyone will get the request VOX is crowded with all kinds of requests for support."
The Blood Raven stares at him a moment. "Them?" He then starts his way to the building busting the door wide open and forcing his way in and to the stairs. At the stairs a pair of guardsmen stand one wears the markings of a medic and he was also holding something in his hands. Both look at the space marine in shock and so does the third set of eyes in the medic's arms.
The Blood Raven stares at a foal in the medic's arms that has nothing but fear in it's eyes. "Why have you not purged this creature yet?" He demands the medic who flinches a little. "Sir... they are just kids... a school was nearby and they were moved here after we started the set siege to the city. We're waiting for orders from the general." The medic manages to say and the marine doesn't take it well.
"They are nothing but xeno scum who came here to attack and you think of mercy? We know no mercy." He says coldly to the medic. "Sir we are waiting from high command for orders on what to do. Until then we wait.... sir" He says hoping the marine doesn't get trigger happy. They stare at each other a moment before a voice is heard and its isn't from a human in the room. "Please... don't hurt us we were told we were doing good... we were lied to..." she whimpers out on the edge of crying.
The two sides are quiet as the filly brakes down and buries its head into the medic's chest who looks at her sadly before looking up at the assault marine who is also quiet. The marine speaks. "They are weak and as do all weak should be purged." he rips the filly from the medic's arms who squirms in his grasp and has nothing but fear in its face as it cries as the medic can't do nothing but watch sadly.
The marine walks outside to where the rest of the guardsmen squad is and his battle brothers. He holds the filly high above his head. "We take no prisoners! No mercy for xeno!" He then aims his bolter pistol at the poor thing who closes its eyes ready for the end and holds back any further cries. The sergeant was about to end the things life as it shivered in fear Before the sergeant from the guardsmen squad ran up. "Hold you fire! We got our orders they should be... taken back to our lines and let some others deal with them." He says rubbing his neck.
The marine glares at him. "Who would want these things!" His smaller counter part only returns with. "Sir a inquisitor has gotten word of this and has come to the system and... want these xeno for reasons unknown sir."
*Canterlot*
Princess Luna can see the smoke clouds in the distance and sighs knowing her subjects are no match for the human war machine that seems to keep growing. "Sister... why did i let you lead us to this end." She says as she hears hoof steps behind her. She turns to see a robed pony that has helped with the mass teleportation. He bows to her and speaks. "Princess we have news about something that explains a lot." He looks up at her. "One of the chosen was corrupted by an outside force when we performed the spell turning us off course from the human earth to this planet."
Luna was confused at hearing this. "Corrupted? How?" She asks wanting to know more. "We are unsure but he reported he heard voices when doing the spell and he altered the course and we landed here. Who the voices were from are unknown but... the unicorn committed suicide not long after." He informs her with a frown. "Somepony wanted us to come here to our doom... but why and who?" She asks her self.
High above the world dark forces ready them selves to fight the distracted Imperial forces.
Not but a few hours ago a Endeavor class light cruiser exited the warp bearing the markings and insignia of the holy Inquisition and soon orders for the on broad inquisitor to 'obtain' this new xeno for 'research purposes' and has already sent a company's worth of stormtroopers planet side to fulfill this request and now a Thunderhawk was speeding to the ship in orbit along side the Lunar class cruiser and dauntless class light cruiser. Inside the small gunship was a squad of inquisitorial stormtroopers along with a few gun servitors watching their 'cargo'. Eight foals captured in the siege of a city by a squad of guardsmen who will be pardoned for not purging them for their capture for the holy order.
The foals were huddled together in a containment unit with the servitors training bolters on them while the stormtroopers milled about cleaning their Hellguns and hotshots while a few were standing close the the unit watching them closely. Inside the cage the foals were nothing but scared as monsters from another planet with weapons that can destroy so easily have just taken them and then handed them over to a tall armored one who nearly killed one of them to be then given to these new dark armored soldiers and as far they can tell they are no longer on the planet. The older ones were trying to keep the smaller ones from losing it complete telling them it was going to be ok lying as they needed to make it though. The guards that stood around them were deathly quiet not speaking a word not even to each other only the sound of them working on their weapons or the ship they were in and some breathing into their face plates were the sounds.
Then they all jump when the ship rocks and loud sounds are heard as they hit something and feel everything slow to a stop. The soldiers soon get to work and open the unit they were put in and yell at them to come out which they are forced to reply if not slowly exit and walk forward for the fourteen armored soldiers form a moving wall around them and march them out of the large ramp in the ships chin and their eyes widen as they take in the massive metal room they have entered full of other ships like the one they just left and many other metal monsters alongside the ones escorting them now. Also they all shared a look at the symbol that was near everywhere that was a large 'I' with a skull in the middle of it.
After a while they got across the massive room and the guards around them came to a stop having a few foals run into the back of their boots at the sudden stop getting what they thought may of been a chuckle from the ones behind that quickly became a cough. Though the legs of the ones ahead the foals can see a tall mat black armored figure like the red one that they saw back in the city only lacking the massive backpack and had a weird hat and what looked like pieces of paper hanging from parts of its armor. His face unlike the others was shown but he wore a stoic look as he talked with the leader of their escorts.
"These are the... foals sergeant?" The figure asked and it sounded like a woman to the foals. "Yes inquisitor. This is the group captured by the guardsmen recon squad and we already issued them their new orders as you requested." He said quickly. The armored woman nods and looks to the colt who was looking though the sergeant's legs who backs into the group after making eye contact. She smiles and returns her gaze to the sergeant. "Escort them to the chambers to be dealt with and from the looks of it... we have one of every sub species that will make this easy. Have the tech priest who have already done tests on them sent their finding with you?" The sergeant nods. "The information has been sent and should be ready for you to view ma'am."
She smiles. "Excellent you are dismissed and make sure they get their in one piece. Understood?" He salutes giving her the answer and started to march off with the scared colts and fillies in tow deeper and deeper into the massive warship. After a while of walking in quiet passing many things that had the ponies pale at and will never speak of again even in the princesses her self forced them to talk about. They arrived at a door like many others they have passed and the guards open it and have the ponies enter before it closes behind them and they are in A nearly completely dark room with a small light in the ceiling and the room was more or less bare for the door behind them and another ahead of them.
With the time alone the foals rest from the long walk they have just done and finally start to brake the silence and comfort each other best they can. Not more then ten minutes later the door opposite the one they entered from opens to show a brightly lite room. The colts and fillies look at each other before they slowly walk forward without anything else to do and enter the light.
They say the Princess of the night sky heard their cry's and pleading and had nightmares of the foals' pain for the rest of her life.
*Vanhoover* *Outer City*
Matt was feeding the ammo belt into the bolt as Johnathan fired it from one of the captured trenches into a building holding out that managed to disable a Leman Russ inferno that tried to burn them out and the crew were stuck inside praying for the machine spirit to pull though with them. Besides them in the trench Dove was trying to help a guardsmen who has taken a crossbow bolt to the neck while Skyler fired over the lip of the dugout with her Agripinaa pattern Autogun.
"Damn it! We to blast them out that damn shield is eating the damn rounds like its nothing!" Johnathan calls in rage ducking down into the trench dodging spells and bolts. Matt nods. "We used a full belt on that thing and its still holding." He looks around trying to find the VOX operator. "Where the hell did the communications officer get to?" Dove looks up from the bandaged guardsmen. "I saw him head down the trench line... before a explosion came from that area." She informs him.
"Just great..." He complains and watches the building take more fire with little affect. He then sees the disabled Leman russ was blocking some of the ponies from firing on a certain area. "Johnathan... want to do something stupid and maybe die or finally take this thing out?" He asks slowly running the risky plan though his mind. "Either die to your plan... the ponies... or the commissars. I'm up for it.... what is it?" Matt leans in and explains the plan and Johnathan looks to the girls who look at each other unsure of it.
"Alright girls... ready for heavy weapons training?" Johnathan says walking over and pulls Dove to the Bolter and shows her the trigger as Matt pulls Skyler to the ammo and shows her how to feed it right and reload it. "You girls cover us as we run in the pillbox's blind spot made by the tank. When we get to the tank aim else where you don't hit us. Then we toss a frag in side and clear it. Got it?" They merely nod before Dove starts to fire the weapon and takes her a moment to get it under control.
After a moment the two gun crewmen ready Lasguns and rush to the out of action tank keeping it between them and the pillbox causing such a pain. Once they reach the tank Johnathan stares at one of the fuel tanks on the back of the tank before he gets a idea. "Hey Matt... how bout we burn them out? I think this is going to be more effective then a frag." he points to the tank. Matt stares at the tank then to the frag and then back to the tank before smiling. "This is going to burn us alive... lets do it"
They both unlatch the tank and peak around the tank to see the pillbox still firing where they left the girls who were still returning the favor. They wait a moment until they have a opening and rush forward both hauling the tank with them and make it under the firing position. "Come on lets get this thing in there!" Johnathan calls rolling the tank into the bunker hearing many ponies in side calling out about the object dropped into their pillbox. "And now." Matt tosses the frag in making sure it lands next to the tank and they both take off running. Before they reach the tank they feel a heat wave behind them and are thrown to the ground by the following shock wave.
After they feel the heat wave leave they slowly get up to see the burning pillbox and a happy tank crew climbing from the leman russ. They help the two cooked gunners to their feet. "Thanks for the help boys. Some how they disabled the tank and it refused to work." The tanker says giving a jester to the leman russ inferno behind him. "They got some strong wrap powers... wont surprise me much if they can do some damage." Matt says looking towards the scorching flames.
They bid the tank crew a good bye as they start to work on the tank and return to the girls who are waiting. "If you die i will enjoy taking the place as the gunner of this thing." Dove jokes as she leans on the heavy weapon. Skyler was sitting in the trench taking a breather as the gunners jump down to join them. Johnathan smiles at Dove. "Remember that the gun's machine spirit hasn't excepted you i simply let you use it for a little." He counters and leans on the wall of dirt. "Glad we finally broke the first line... that now we can link up with the Blood ravens inside the city and fully conquer this place.
"Johnathan... why is the commissar and a techpriest coming towards us... and neither look happy?" Matt asks as he looks down the trench. "Cause we took that tank of fuel from a holy spirit of the machine god... and blew it up." Johnathan says causally. "Explains it... how much trouble we in?" Matt asks his buddy. "Don't know yet... depends if we really used it for good."
And with that the commissar and techpriest both gave them a ear full for a full hour and were thrown to the front line where the fighting was the hardest.
*Vanhoover* *Townhall*
Town hall was currently under attack by the humans called space marines. In side was the general in charge of the defense and now fighting for their lives to keep the marines suppressed with magic but they were being pushed back never the less. Winter was also in town hall fighting as hard as he could with a crossbow that only seemed able to hurt the visors of the helmets and that was still a long shot only angering them. Beside him stood Fire Bird and she was aiming for known weak spots in the armor of the spaces marines from what she told him she fought and killed them before in a short battle.
Out side the town hall was too many massive humans to count pushing for the building but then... it arrived. A pod like the rest but slightly larger landed right in front of building but when it opened a blood red metal monster on two short legs stepped out and aimed towards the ponies and started their way. "They dropped in a dreadnought!" Winter heard Fire yell and then watched as flame throwers under its arms opened up burning many near the windows forcing them all into the center of the main room.
They all stared at the doors as they can hear the thuds of the monsters steps and soon it began to knock. One hit at a time knocked away rubble and other things piled on the door to keep it shut sending it flying. Finally the doors flew off their hings and it stepped in. It is flanked by many marines armed with weapons that put the Imperial guard to shame and they were aimed at the few ponies in side. Few quickly shot up the stairs and Winter and Fire bird were with them but Winter stopped at the top when he heard something.
He turned to see horror. The dreadnought has picked up a pony and with out any care smashed it like a pimple and then its flame throwers along with the others began to gun down any that stayed there. Fire Bird grabbed winter's tail and pulled him to a window and gave him a look. "We fly away or die... staying in this building is a dead end death." He stared at her before he looked back to see flames shoot up and start to burn. "Lets go... nothing left here." He bucks the window open and takes flight with Fire bird in tow.
This marked the first city to fall to the Imperial forces but in the south a frontier town has gone dark but with the war in the north raging no pony noticed either did the letter sent by a runner make it to Canterlot telling about red monsters deformed and tall spiked humans destroying everything in their wake.
Spike stood by the door to Twilight's room that was currently locked and was refusing a select few ponies from entering. "Sorry girls Twilight wants to be alone... she hasn't gotten over Celestia's death yet..." The short dragon says to his sister's friends. Pinkie Pie's hair was not its fluffy self and all the others hung their head down low. It has been many days since Princess Celestia has been killed in battle and Twilight has locked her self away when the news got to her.
While she has been by her self the other elements have been doing their best to keep the town and even parts of the country's moral up but it was slowly doing less and less and the news of Vanhoover falling to the human forces have the ponies fighting with a all new low for moral. Now the elements are trying to help their depressed friend. "Spike... open the door you know good and well we can help her." Apple Jack says stepping forward. Spike simply sighs and looks to the door. "I... fine you can try but... she has even turned down my help. But if any thing has a chance its the help for the five of you." He says before opening the door.
The girls slowly walk into Twilight's room to see it a mess and a lump under the covers with a few bottles of unknown but strong smelling drink in them on her night stand. Rarity holds back a comment on seeing the room with a look from Pinkie Pie. As they near the bed Apple jack is the first to speak. "Twi... you awake?" a grunt is heard from under the cover and some movement. Rainbow with out thinking pulls the covers off her only for twilight to cover her blood shot eyes from the light from the open doorway. The others glare at Rainbow for her actions but then move to comfort their friend. "Twilight... please come around and let us help... cause i don't think this is the time to let depression take you." Rarity says using her magic to fix Twilight's messy bed ridden hair.
Twilight finally use to the light opens her eyes and looks around at her friends and sighs. "I... can't help it... she... was like a mother to me... and now... they took her from me... i didn't even get to talk to her before then." A few tears run down her cheeks. She then feels a wing on her back and see looks to see Fluttershy beside her. "She was a good friend to us all Twilight we all miss her." Rainbow dash hovers right above her. "Yeah Twi we all miss her but this isn't how we get over it. We get over a loss together not alone in a dark room... and alot of alcohol." She says holding a half empty bottle in her hoofs.
Pinkie pie then started to jump like her usual self with her hair starting to return to normal. "Come on Twily we can't sit around as those meany humans push us around! They wont even accept an invite to my Welcome to Equestira party! Its really rude of them." Twilight and the others can't help laugh even half heatedly at Pinkie and her antics. "Thanks girls... its really hard... and i fear more will be lost." Twilight says though a few tears. Then apple jack takes her hat off. "I know... the Apple family have already started to enlist all over, even Big Macintosh has joined the army. I know there is a big chance i will never see him again but... i can't stop him... nor the humans coming for us."
Twilight looked at her cowpony friend before smiling. "Thank you. Thank you all for your support." She smiles and hugs them all in a group hug. After a moment they separate and Twilight takes a few deep breaths and looks around. "Well... i need to be caught up on what has happened so far with the war." The looks on the their faces told her already its grim and one by one they inform her what they know about the fighting and how they have been trying to keep everyone in a calm state. And it ends with Pinkie pie pulling a small round metal object from her hair and giving it to Twilight. "Here maybe you can figure out what this is. I forgot to give you it when we were in that base we very stealthily got into." She said holding it out in her hoof somehow.
Twilight takes it and looks over it closely. It was was as maybe as long as her leg and it was thick with a big handle on one end. She had one question so far. "How did you fit this... you know what not going to bother. But where did you get this?" Pinkie smiles. I got it from this very well guarded building full of their weapons! They have all kinds of cool toys but... i had to pick only one... so i picked the one that looked the weirdest cause... i don't know..." She then takes a thinking stance and is quiet for a moment.
Twilight giggles a little before turning to her friends. "Lets get to Canterlot maybe me and some of the mages can figure out what this is. They all let out their agreements even pinkie after she shrugs to her self about why she took it. "Well girls lets get going as soon we can." She then looks to her self after a look from Rarity. "After i get cleaned up of course." She then goes to the bath room with her friends giggling behind her.
*Captured Vanhoover*
The new command center inside a sky scarper in the ruined city was busy as a report from orbital ships have spotted the signs of a small chaos war band with plenty of demons of many types. The Blood ravens wanted the company on the ground to move all its forces to crush the heretics and leave the 252nd to deal with the ponies and the Sisters of battle want to wipe the war band out with holy fire now the force commander and the Canoness were in argument over who's force was going to go hunt them down. And between they both was the governor general who looked bored and at his new augmented arm that was placed on his arm where the stub was from his battle with the princess. He also had something else on his mind. The young guards woman who cut his arm off saved him from being converted but what he wanted to know is how she knew. Not in any report of losses has he found a guardsman with a cut arm or leg who said he was nearly converted.
He is snapped from his thoughts as metal hit each other and he looks to see both have locked their force swords together in a small battle of strength. He sighs and stands up and walks to them and is ready just in case if needed can extend his claws in time. "How about you both lead your forces to attack this warband if it has demons it will require the Blood Ravens Liberians to help fight some and the sister's holy flames will kill any traitorous heretic following them." He says getting for them both to stop and look at him.
They both pull from the each other and look at each other for a moment. The Force commander speaks first. "Can the 252nd hold the xeno at bay while we both are fighting the heretics?" The governor nods. "We had the ponies as they are called at bay before either of you arrived you are both speeding this up. I believe my guardsmen have a easy campaign here." The sister and brother look at each other seemingly happy with the answer. "So be it governor we will destroy this warband and then return for the capture of the next city. May the emperor watch over you." The Canoness says before walking out followed by the force commander.
After they leave the general sighs and rubs his head. "Why must these things be so difficult?" he walks back to his seat near a table covered in reports of the battle of killed or converted and resources lost. And a certain data pad that shows no guardsmen in his regiment with the names of Dove or Skyler. "Now lets find out who these girls are playing dress up really are." He says waving a Karskin sergeant over with a VOX castor on his back.
*Southern Equestira*
A large formation of two hundred ponies were marching to find out what has happened to a few towns that have gone dark and even two trains have never come back. They were ready in case they ran into any humans that were invading from the south. As they near the location of the town they see smoke in the distance raising into the sky and the ponies of the small force ready them selves. The commander of the group looks around. "What happened to our scouts? Have they not returned yet?" The ponies around him shrugs and he fears for the worst.
When they crest a hill and see the town... what they see has no words to describe it the town was burnt to the ground but the ponies were cut apart and put on metal post for the world to see and strange symbols were painted in what the ponies guessed was blood. And worse still was the ones who did it were still there and they noticed the pony force and were now charging at them. "To arms! Prepare to receive them!" The commander calls out and they line up and aim their spears out at them as spells from mages fly over head to try to stop some of them.
To their horror even the strongest spells seem to only anger them and they are bigger then even then a normal humans and armored in dark colors and spikes and axes covered in dried blood as big as them. The spear line soon has soon musket fire come from it as the humans near them but then something happens in the middle of the ranks. A massive armored thing torn from the ground after blood red runes appear on the ground. The massive flour legged beast with a small red creature with a sword in its hand rode it as it rampaged though the lines as spears and swords broke on its armor but spells proved effective and even burned into the armor but it more or less proved to anger it.
Then the armored figures hit the spear line and spears were broken or sent into the pony behind it from the force of the charge. The moral was broken on the spot and many broke and ran, flew, ore teleported away but many didn't get that luxury. The melee that follows was bloody and the ponies didn't stand a chance to the powerful weapons and the wild demons that was running though their ranks.
In less then twenty minutes the two hundred ponies were either on the run or dead and the monsters gave chase to a few before turning back to the town they ravaged to set up more of their monuments to the dark gods. The ponies that manged to get away are in full gallop north to get the news of such enemies to the princess but then they saw something in the skies above. Crimson red air craft along side white ones speed to the place the ponies were running from and the weapons on them were firing.
They watched as they sped in to attack the monsters. "Its like what the princesses said these humans fight each other no matter what." One commented before heading north.
*Canterlot palace*
Luna was in the war room and was trying to keep a level head as ponies and even a griffin yelled at each other about battle plans some wanted to retake the city of Vanhoover while others wanted to dig in everywhere they could and wear down the enemy some were even trying to get them to give up and even become human but they were only three out of twenty some ponies. She looked between them all as they argued about how they could save the country but not one of them have seen combat neither the less the combat with the humans.
After having enough she slams her hoof into the table and her Canterlot voice shows. "QUIET NOW!" all cover their ears and look her way once it passes. The princess regains her composer. "Thank you all for your ideas but... we are at war and we need to work together! Stop arguing and put plans together." See looks around the room slowly before setting her eyes on her night guard captain who has been quiet.
"Captain i know you to well... what are you thinking about." She asks the bat pony. He looks up at her before walking to the map and all eyes are on him. "Princess i had the idea of a raiding campaign on the humans at night by our night guard. They seem to prefer day light fighting and we have a advantage over there." He states about his plan. Luna was in thought and many were muttering to each other about it.
The princess smiles. "Captain it sounds promising rally the Lunar guard we will need them for this." He salutes before leaving. "Now everyone else if we are to stand a chance we need to dig in. Get all army forces to take up defensive positions in front of the human army. Am i clear?" She says sternly to the others who all salute in return. "Good you are all dismissed." They quickly file out leaving her and once the door closes she slumps and lets out a sigh.
Winter looked over the army that made it out from the city they once called unable to fall and it broke the already low moral of the beaten army. But now he had some hope scattered across the camp shines of light can be seen in the sun moving about. The first Crystal Regiment from the Crystal Empire arrived to assist and from the rumors have a fair chance to deflect the main line weapon of the humans. This has brought up moral a fair bit and now this new force with the battle experienced force from the city now have a new task.
The camp they reside in now was on one of the mountain tops of the Unicorn mountain range east of the city. This is where they will make their stand and fortifications are already being built from trenches to bunkers and training of fresh conscripts were going on all over the camp. Winter smiled at the sight before him thinking how they may just pull this off, until he remembered how powerful the enemy was and his muzzle lost its smile. "I hope we aren't over run." He says looking to where the city was now a imperial beach head.
He hears something not far and turns his head to see a group of unicorns moving a strange object around in their magic into a small dugout. His curiosity getting the better of him he walks their way and inspects the metal machine. At first he thought it was a cannon but it was alot smaller and at the end where the crew would be was a large gem and a handle where a earth pony could use it. "May i ask what this thing is?" Winter says to one of the unicorn soldiers.
The one in question looks at him. "This new little toy here is what will cut them down in groups. The gem here is packed with power and we can focus it in quick blasts that can maybe be a threat to even the armored ones we heard about. But... hasn't tested it fully yet and safe to say useless on their heavy armor." He informs Winter before returning to helping set it up in the firing position. Winter gives it one more look and nods. "Maybe we stand some chance." He walks away from the new weapon into the camp to find the officer's tent where the battle plans were being made.
After a short amount of wading though the crowds of fresh and veteran soldiers he arrived at a tent guarded by two ponies but what made this other wise unimportant info more interesting was that one was the normal solar guard seen all over while the other was a lunar bat pony guard in their dark colored armor. Winter gave the guard a odd look before entering and spotting a pony he didn't expect here. "Princess Luna?" He says out loud at the Lunar god with every other general and officer around her.
She looks over at him and smiles. "Ah Winter glad to see you made it though so much and still stand ready to serve." She says before she goes back to the maps and papers on the table. "Come join us you have something these ponies lack. You have fought this enemy your self and have information that is very important." She said as he comes to the table and looks at the maps that have their forces and lines of defenses scattered about the mountain range. He sighs. "Well then... where to begin."
Many of the ponies in the room look like they just been shot when they heard that he had something more important then them. Winter rolls his eyes at the nobles who cause of their power when they were drafted got high ranks and now are in charge of defending their country. "Firstly the human army of the 252nd regiment is heavily dependent on heavy armor and close support from the air or their massive artillery they set up just behind their lines like clock work." They look at him then the maps. "We may be able to deny them tanks in the mountains here due to their size they wont fit in the narrow paths making the infantry move in alone but usually in mass. But they will still have support... a strange two legged machine they use that is amazingly fast could fit and it can carry some sizable weapons but light armor." He adds and many start to think or have a clueless look on their face.
"How lightly armored are these walkers?" Luna says braking the silence. Winter shakes his head. "Not fully sure but one of our eight pounders took it out with a lucky hit into the side of its head." Luna nods at this and looks over the other ponies around the room. "We still have to worry about their artillery. Do we have any counter to such weapons?" One asks. Winter just shrugs but the princess speaks. "We have seen our shields can hold to a few of their shots to a short barrage so a strong team of mages could make a small one that can withstand a beating." They seem happy with this news of some form of protection.
"Now... for the other forces." Winter says and they stare at him. "They're more of them?" One nobles says loudly. Winter nods. "Next is the Sister's of battle who are well armored and well armed worriers who have a heavy use for fire based weapons. But don't use large amounts of tanks like the 252nd. Lastly is the Blood Ravens." They stare in confusion. "Blood ravens? Are you saying some sort of bird is with them?" Winter sighs as he can see none even looked at the info gathered form new foals about the enemy. "No... they are super human soldiers called Space marines. Blood Ravens is the chapter they are in and so far a full company is here to reinforce the other two."
One just smiles. "Only a company? we out number them, i don't see them much of a problem." Only for a wing to hit him in the back of the head. When he turns to look with a glare only to meet a mare who matches his glare. "If you underestimate a space marine you will pay with your life. I have personally fought with one in close combat and nearly died back during the first war of this system." Fire bird says in a angry tone. The noble stares at her confused and she sighs. "I was a human sister of battle before now and fought one called a assault marine in hand to hand combat and nearly lost." She enlightens the pony before her.
Winter smiles at Fire before looking back to the others. "Space marines are well armored and so far only the most powerful spells put them down and also electric charges are effective with their heavy metal armor. They also have what are known as Dreadnoughts which are heavy walkers with as much armor as a tank." The ponies talk between them selves about this new threat. Luna is quiet as she looks over the map and turns her gaze to the city they recently lost and then to a Lunar guard at the tent entrance before she nods to her self about a plan.
"Is it true that reports of the 252nd are alone at the current moment as both the Blood Ravens and sister's of battle have gone to attack something in the south?" Luna asks looking around the tent. One grabs a paper in his magic and reads before nodding. "Good my night guard will start a raiding campaign on the human forces while they are separated from their allies." She says firmly. The ponies look around some are in thought but they slowly nod to her. "Best of luck princess we're all going to need it." Winter says to her.
*Vanhoover eastern side*
After the city was taken the imperial guard dug in to hold the new territory and a small network of trenches were dug and artillery aimed at the nearby mountain range where the ponies have retreated. While many tanks were under repairs from the attack and guardsmen were recovering from wounds or exploring the city ruins. And for Matt and a large number of other guardsmen they found a bar that was more or less in one piece and was raiding the drinks while the commissars were else where. Johnathan along with Skyler and Dove was still in a trench facing east knowing all to well going for a drink will end badly for the two girls.
"So where did you girls once call home in this place?" Johnathan asks braking the silence that has been hanging for a while. Dove looks at him. "We're from Manehatten but moved to Ponyville and called it home before we were drafted." She says while Skyler just looked out over the trench at the mountains. "I know the mountains are interesting but not that much Skyler." Johnathan says nudging her slightly and she shrugs. "Just in thought is all." Johnathan nods in return.
Johnathan looks up at the moons of the planet that just came out for the night and starts to doze off. But after a bit he hears Dove scream and he shoots up. He sees her head covered in purple goo and he knew it was the potion and above her one the lip of the trench was a dark armored pony with bat wings with a now half empty bottle. He jumps into action and draws his laspistol and fires only for the pony to disappear into the shadows. "What..." was all he could say at the disappearing act before he turns his attention to Dove who didn't look happy.
"Uh.. you ok?" he asks keeping his distance from the goo pooled at the bottom of the trench. "Yeah i'm fine... cause i'm still a pony just in human from i'm save from its effects. Thank the goddesses they made this stuff where it doesn't effect ponies." Se says trying to clean it off her with water from her canteen. "OK that's good now we have to worry about weird ponies that can hide in the shadows." He extends a hand to her one she has washed off the potion from her helmet and face. "If i'm right... that sounds like a night guard. They can move between shadows... wont be easy to stop" Johnathan stares. "Great..."
"Alright girls stay here while i go send the word down the line about these hit and run... things" Before they say anything else he takes off down the trench. He reaches a area where another bolt is supposed to be but to his horror finds the two man crew are now ponies looking at him with smiles and a potion in one of their hoofs. "Join us... the emperor is false we have been enlightened." All he did after that was quick draw and put a beam of death into both their heads. He swings the gun around making sure the one who turned them isn't near by before running down the dugout and yelling. "We're under attack! Ponies using stealth have made it past the wire!"
He passes many guardsmen who jump to their places and soon pops of lasguns are heard all over as they start to repel the night raid. He runs into a commissar in a sword duel with a bat winged pony who had their sword strapped to its foreleg and giving the man a hard time, before Johnathan causally shoots the pony and watches it drop. The commissar glares at him. "Well then report before i shoot you." He asks. "Sir these ponies can... disappear in shadows and move about and have made it to the trenches and are dropping the potions on to the men. Sir" Johnathan tells the commissar who nods in turn. "Get going then and rally the men and bring the battle ready tanks to the front now!" the commissar commands and Johnathan salutes before climbing out of the trench.
After running a while and dodging any pony that jumps from the shadows he makes it to the tank depot where the ponies were already attacking. The tanks were firing into any shadow they saw movement and any Leman russ infernos along with Hellhounds were burning and brave pony that shows it self to long. Johnathan runs to one of the sergeants that wasn't fighting and salutes. "Sir any armor that can be spared to the front? the ponies are past the wire and turning us against each other. The sergeant regards him before he points at two tanks. One was a Leman russ punisher while the other was a Leman russ conqueror that weren't in heavy combat just supporting their allies. Johnathan gives the sergeant a thanks before running to the tanks to give them their new orders.
Back at the trench Dove and Skyler were busy avoiding swords and potions coming their way as night guards attacked them. When they were backed to the wall of the trench and Dove was about to take a sword to her gut a red bolt of light hits the offending pony and the rest turn to see Matt and a few other guardsmen charging forward if not very sloppy but a welcome sight. The batponies are soon on the run as tanks arrive with Johnathan riding on top manning the heavy stubber and Matt leading a full squad of guardsmen was the final blow that pushed them back. But as they retreated more then just bat ponies were seen running as new foals were also in the groups retreating and it was a size able number. And another thing was strangely found.
Small colorful fur balls with wings and large eyes were left by some of the ponies. The guardsmen didn't wait for orders and tried to shoot them but due to their size made it though the light show and to the men horror and surprise started to eat their equipment. The men soon grabbed flame throwers and started to roast them but another thing they learned was that when they ate something they would spit out another and the numbers grew. It took quiet some time before the last one of them was burned to ash and the guardsmen started to relax.
Johnathan and Matt return to where their bolter was and sat down with the girls. "Alright... we both know you knew what those things were." Matt asks looking at the girls. Skyler sighs. "Those were parasprites and... they can eat anything and once they eat it... they in a way give birth to another one and it keeps going until they eat everything in a area making many more of them." The two men stares at her blankly. "Hell of a weapon to use..." Matt comments and pulls a bottle from where his canteen should be. Johnathan stares at him blankly before he garbs the bottle and takes a sip and sighs. "I needed that." He then offers it to the girls and they share a look before accepting it and both have a share before the near empty bottle is returned to Matt. "yeah thanks guys... i was saving this." He complains. "Be happy we're still here to have a drink." They all share a small laugh before they all lay down to rest for the day to come and the mountain climbing ahead.
A small slip trench full of ponies watch as a tall two legged machine walks its way forward ahead of a squad or two of guardsmen. The ponies were keeping their eyes on the machine cause it had a glowing blue weapon on its chin and the ponies didn't want to find out what it did. The only unicorn in the group was keeping an illusion spell up where the walker wouldn't see them till the right moment but they didn't know one thing. The machine comes to a stop about ten feet away and a small object on top points at them and they freeze as the gun soon follows and the ponies stare at the weapon as it slowly starts to brighten.
Then a small blast comes from the side of it causing it to stumble to the side and turning its gun else where and the ponies in the trench drop the cover and fire a bolt of energy at the now exposed rear of the head. The bolt punches into the back where thick black smoke follows before the head explodes as its weapon over loads in a bright blue blast. The ponies then start to search for what attacked the walker to draw its attention. After a bit they spot a small metal barrel poking out of some rocks. "Glad those cannons aren't completely useless." The unicorn comments.
Two of the more curious ponies leave the dugout and head to the ruined war machine and look it over or whats left of it as the head was completely destroyed and its legs remained. "So these things lack armor... but have a big gun. Best we hit it before it hits us." One says. After a while they hear what sounds like marching and quickly gallop back to their hiding place. As soon they jump back to safety from the path the scout came from was full of humans marching forward with standards flying proudly and officers barking orders as the soldiers kept their weapons ready for any attack. They spotted the downed scout they slowed their march and the humans were watching in all directions weapons raised.
The ponies keep down until the blast of the hidden cannon is heard and the first rank is cut down as a canister shot turns them to meat. And what followed was every gun that had a line of sight fired on the cannon's hiding place and then a trail of smoke came from their ranks and flew into the firing position and a explosion followed as the gun was knocked out. The ponies then watch as the force starts to march once again and as they near potions are readied to be tossed onto the ranks. When they reached the edge of the illusions one guardsman walked though it and was surprised to see the ponies before a potion hit him in the chest and the transformation slowly began and soon the guardsmen were getting more bottles raining on them from the hiding spot before one tossed a small grey object in turn at the ponies.
The ponies didn't notice it until too late and the trench was filled with orange gas and they could see the guardsmen quickly put on their masks. The ponies then felt very sick and started to vomit and then blurry then darkness as blood ran from their noses and eyes. The deadly gas covered the trench killing all in and near it and the newfoals were dealt with quickly as the gas started effecting them as well. And not more then five minutes later the Imperial guard kept on their march ignoring the fifty-five lost men.
*At the pony command center*
The command tent was in full chaos as officers and nobles playing soldier run about with orders and a report from many of the humans using poison gas the newfoals call nerve gas and its effects are enough to even sicken the princess. A few level headed ponies were keeping her up to date. "Ma'am Winter's info was correct they haven't been able to get any heavy armored units up the narrow paths and those light scouts called Sentinels are easy to knock out for a charged spell." One of her night guards said next to her and she nods in return looking over the map as magic symbols mark the movements of human forces and the pony strong points.
"Has their artillery done anything yet?" She asks the pony who shakes his head. "Not sure why but they have not opened fire yet. We believe they are waiting for something but what, we can only guess." Luna only sighs as she thinks of what is keeping them back. A fury of wing flaps is heard out side as a messenger arrives and comes though the tent flap. "They have reached the first strong hold and are preparing for an attack!" He calls out and unicorns move the markers around where the human forces are at the first line.
But then the ground shakes. They all look around in confusion then the explosions follow as the artillery now with a target finally opens fire. The nobles barely keep it together or run out of the tent in fear for their own safety as the princess sits at the table looking at the map as the first line symbol flickers under the heavy barrage they can feel so far away. After a few minutes of this the barrage ends and the ponies calm down but Luna looks sadly at the map and the rest follow her gaze. The first line has gone dark and a unicorn slowly pulls the dead marker off the map.
"That bunker had two hundred ponies and they were wiped out before the attack even begun. Give a recall to any survivors to pull back to the second line and have the second line command center fortify and more shield spells be deployed to protect it from the human guns." The runner salutes and flies out of the tent to carry her word. She was about to turn her eyes back to some reports when her ears picked up some words she isn't to happy to hear. "If we slip out now we can ditch this and wait out this damn war we can maybe find a place in the human world when they take over." She hears a noble say to some of his lackeys in the darker corner of the tent.
She stands from her sit and walks to the noble who speaks the traitorous words and her magic sword slowly forms and it pokes the pony in the back of the head who turns to stare at the very angry princess. "Princess... yes... how can i help you...?" He manages to say backing away slowly. His companions have already departed leaving him to face the moon goddess alone. "I heard you speaking of leaving the country to die. That is called treason and we be punished for those words." She says coldly. "You were be put onto the front lines and fight and hopefully you'll die there where i wont come back to hang you!" She yells at him in near royal Canterlot voice.
The noble was frozen in place from her words and the fear he had for speaking out against them before he finally hung his head low and two guards took him away. She watches him before he disappears through the tent flap and sighs. "Everypony i'm going to take a short brake please keep everything in order while i'm out." Is all she says before she disappears in a cloud of dark mist leaving the make shift war room.
*Base of the mountain*
Matt and Johnathan sat on the back of a Leman russ as they watched some engineers tinker with some explosives with the idea they can make a path for the tanks. "Five rations they blow up half the mountain with us on it." Matt says and Johnathan chuckles. "If that happens you wont be able to give me what you owe... and you don't even have those extra rations." Matt smiles. "That's why i placed the bet on that where i wont have to pay up." Johnathan rolls his eyes at his partners logic.
They watch as another large rock was blown to pebbles by the sappers and a tank fitted with a blade starts to clear the way. "Maybe they can get a path made... I really hope they do i rather have a Leman russ then a sentinel backing me up anytime." Matt says watching as they rig another bomb. Out of the corner of Johnathan's eye he sees the girls walking their way with a cluster of boxes of extra ammo they are going to need in the fighting ahead. They walk up and place the ammo boxes by them. "How do you guys haul these things around?" Sykler asks rubbing her arms and the two just laugh.
In the distance behind them they hear the booming of another battery shelling the pony lines. Johnathan looks at the mountain range where the shells are landing watching smoke clouds rise over the hills and cliffs. "Going to be Rockclaw mountains all over again but less green skins and more grots." Johnathan hears Matt say and can't help but smile at the confused faces from the girls. "We'll tell you two later but right now." He points to where the sappers are blasting. "We're about to move out so mount up and hold on." They look to see the last large boulder destroyed and tanks already starting up and they climb up beside Matt and Johnathan.
A small convoy soon starts up the narrow path consisting of four Leman russes and one Hydra and more will follow when they get the path stable along with the tanks a few squads of guardsmen and one karskin squad were escorting. Most of the infantry marched along side the tanks while a few rode where their was room. The path they were on was a tight fit for the tanks and these tanks had been refitted without their side bolter mounts so they could fit with out trouble and damage to the tanks. After a bit of riding in quiet and listening to the fighting ahead they reach where the path opened up and ahead was a guardsmen squad pinned down by a pony machine gun in a pillbox in the rocks.
The tanks slowly fall out of the path and into a line facing the pillbox. The ponies saw the tanks and turned their weapon on them but it harmlessly burned out on the armor. Every gun slowly aimed and with a resounding blast all fired at once destroying the emplacement and the guardsmen yell their thanks and can once again start their advance. Matt and Johnathan set the bolter up on top of the turret of the tank they were riding and started to fire on the pony trenches ahead suppressing them as their comrades advanced. The girls were keeping their heads down behind them giving them a box of ammo when needed. Dove poked her head around the turret to watch as guardsmen got to the trenches and tossed in grenades but some didn't explode like normal others started to release thick orange gas that covered the ponies and she didn't see them leave. She holds back her lunch and gets back behind the turret.
The ponies in the trench learned fast and grabbed some of the grenades in their magic and tossed them back while a few even controlled the flow of the gas and pushed it towards the guardsmen and many die of the gas but it was short lived as they fixed with gas masks and kept pushing. With the minor tank support the guardsmen finally got to the trenches and bayonets met swords and spears as the tanks stopped firing so no friendly fire would happen but it was a sure win as the guardsmen merely over ran the ponies and many tried to surrender but only received a lasblast to the face or a bayonet to the neck. At the end the 252nd standard waved proudly over the destroyed pillbox that took many of their lives.
The guards took a short time to rest in the now quiet area as they waited for reinforcements. As they sat down and started to eat rations and chat while a few dug through the dead looking for trophies of the fight be it a sword to some of the gold armor the ponies wore. Johnathan and Matt found a small crater and set down the bolter and started to relax and dose off under the sun and the girls did the same but felt uneasy of doing this in the battlefield. As time went on the men started to hear something and it wasn't gun fire or anything they knew.
The guardsmen started to look around in every direction then a their eyes go up into the skies when they spot a large dark shape coming towards them. The Hydra from the convoy takes aim and starts to pump shells down range at it but it doesn't seem to slow it down. Then they hear the roar it lets out as the massive monster lands on a ledge hanging over the battlefield and the guardsmen stare weapons aimed at it. The dragon scans the scene before it slowly as the tanks turn their battle cannons ready to fire. As soon it opens it maw and fires come forth all hell brakes loose.
Bolters, cannons and lasguns fire at the giant lizard as it spews forth flames to melt rock and guardsmen were turned to ashes in it. The lasguns are useless while bolters aren't as effective either but the cannons from the tanks did the damage but once it took to the air nothing big enough could keep up with it. The dragon circled burning any man in the open as most jumped into the trenches they just cleared or behind the tanks that were immune to the dragon fire. The crater where the group were hiding in a few other jumped in and one was busy yelling into a VOX requesting air support. Johnathan was busy sending another burst of shells at the beast but to no avail as it kept flying about.
Then over the sounds of battle they hear jet engines and sure enough a Vulture flies over head getting the dragons attention and it tries to chase the machine but the gunship outruns it very easily and turns to open fire with its auto cannons but it doesn't prove to be big enough. it speeds past the creature and comes around for another pass and it primes its missiles and once it lines up it sends two at its target. the dragon breaths its fire and one missile is set off by the flames but the other makes it to the dragon's soft under belly and with a explosion it falls to the ground with a large hole in its under side pouring blood.
The guardsmen cheer and wave to the gunship as it passes low over head before returning to the captured city. "Well... that was something." Matt says while unloading the bolter and Johnathan nods. "Yeah... first i seen that before... and i thought the chaos guys had some strange things." He looks over at the girls who were staring at the dead dragon with scared looks. "Uh... you two alright?" He asks them. "That... that was a teen dragon... not an adult." Dove says slowly and watches the skies slowly. The two gunners stare blankly before a massive roar is heard that shakes the ground. "May the emperor protect us..." Was all Matt could say as a shadow over head blocks out the sun.
Over the battle field flew a massive dark shape that blocked out the sun for both human and pony forces. The ponies seemed to cheer for it while the humans fired everything they had at it but even leman russ battle cannons did little to its scaly skin. Its shadow started to circle the imperial's front lines and soon the hell fire fell from the sky, not even tank armor was safe as leman russes melted under the waves of flames. Men ran for any cover they could but nothing lasted long under the massive dragon flying over head and ponies pulled out while their enemy was distracted.
Johnathan, Matt, Dove and Skyler with company ducked into a pony pillbox that was more or less intact and set the bolter up in one of the firing slits and started to pump rounds into the sky. "We're going to need some heavy fire power to bring that damn thing down!" Matt yells and looks to the VOX operator who is with them. "Well... with some... work i can maybe get word to the navy... maybe." he says tripping over his words as he thinks of a way not to be burned to ash. "Well do what ever now! Or our company is not going to live to see the end of this war!" Johnathan calls out from his gun while the rest of the guardsmen who were with them were firing their guns at the monster above them.
Out the side of the bunker they watch as the last tank that they arrived with a leman russ demolisher was bathed in flames before it slowly melted and the ammo soon went up destroying the tank completely leaving a sizable crater where it once was. The men stop as they watch any poor soul in the open is cooked and soon the shadow circles around before it leaves after killing all who were in the open. After a while of it being gone men started to exit their hiding places and look around the scorched earth. No bodies remain neither pony or man as there it is nothing but ash and molten metal scatter all over. Many were quiet as they looked over the battlefield where nearly a full company was wiped out by a single beast of these lands. Johnathan passed his gaze over to the first beast that was killed and rubs his head. "How many of these things are in these emperor damned mountain range?" He looks to the girls who just shrug and look sadly around.
Over head three Valkyries fly over head and circle around back to them clearing and land. Once they touch down two squads of Karskin exit two of the transports while the third has the general and a commissar exit and start to observe the area. After a moment they start to walk forwards in the direction of the four and once the two reach them the two men salute right away and the girls follow slowly behind. "At ease guardsmen... mind explaining what happened here? Last i checked we have word this battle was won... then a new creature came but it was killed by air support. What happened?" The general says as he looks over the four slowly. Dove looked at him before gulping. "Sir this first beast was killed... but it wasn't the only one attracted by the battle... and once we killed the first one the other was... angered if i had to guess. And it's flames melted tanks sir and we didn't get support here before it left." The general stared at her a moment. "So the threat is still out there... this is going to be a problem."
He looks to the commissar beside him. "Get orders to the navy they have a new target and have them ready to fire once they have sight." The commissar gives a salute and heads to the transports to relay the orders but then General Stubbs turns his gaze to the two girls. "Now... something has annoyed me and now is the time to ask..." He has one hand on the plasma pistol on his belt. "Why is that when i looked up your names in both the PDF, local militias and even the other regiments from the system did i not find you at all?" He says staring at their wide eye'd scared expressions and he sees the two men look between him and the girls. "Care to explain... but i already have an idea of whats going on." He fixes his eyes on the two guys. "You knew who they are don't you." They stare at him before slowly nodding and Stubbs looks at the girls with a level expression. "I should have you both shot... but with the inquisition in orbit... they learn about you ponies can shape shift and hide in the 252nd's ranks they will have my head for not sharing this information. And you also seem to know a good share of info of these lands that will greatly help us..." All four have confused looks at his words. "I wont put you on a firing line if you give me any to all important information you can of this country and i may spare you... better be good too."
The four are in complete silence as they go over what just happened. "Sir...?" Was all Matt could say before Stubbs started again. "I want all four of you with me so i can question. And this is not a choice." He points to the transport. "Now get going before i have you shot for not following orders." They share looks before heading towards the air craft with the general following close behind. Once they reach the landing area the commissar was waiting at the ramp for them and was fixing them with a stern glare as they passed. Once they were in Stubbs and his close friend went off to the side. "Sir... if these girls are really xenos... we should kill them both." The commissar says eyeing the two in question. "Yes but if we can gain any information from them it will help us. After that... well we'll have to wait and see." Stubbs states. With that said they head into the Valkyrie and it lifts off to the nearby city.
*Mountain peak/pony FOB*
The Base was in a bit of celebration of the news they received recently of a large human force was burned to a crisp by one of the native dragons that lives in the mountain range. Even the stuck up nobles were in a good mood until they killed it by saying they paid the dragon and most just wave them off. The princess was happy as well but was in thought as this gave her a idea as she quickly wrote a letter directed to some of the few dark markets of the underground parts of the pony world for certain animals trained in the art of fighting to be shipped to the front line with a small flash from her horn the letter disappears in flames and goes off. With a sigh she smiles and looks out of the tent where many ponies are dancing and some singing is heard. "Moral is at a high for once princess." She turns her head to look at Winter who is smiling at her. "Yes Winter it is very much welcome to. And a force of a few hundred humans were lost in that dragon attack so that should slow them down." Luna says to her friend.
Winter walks to the table she is at and passes his eyes over the table. "Have the idea to send gems to dragons and use them as mercenaries?" Winter jokes and Luna gives a short laugh. "No but a war beast idea is growing." She passes him a piece of paper with a few pictures of many different creatures that call Equestira home and ideas of armor for them and info in deep detail for each and Winter can't help but smile. "This... may do something. We may not beat them in their technology but we can have something to match them." He says looking closely at the details.
What catches his eyes the most is the dragons armored and with pony riders on their backs with a mount for a cannon or the crystal repeater with even a bomb rack along the belly. Armor to cover the riders and cover the weaker scales that are in certain area and a few spikes added to the tail. "Princess... when can we start recruiting?" Was all Winter said and Luna looks to another report. "We have already begun with shipments heading to any dragon willing to join us and some have already been attacked by the human forces and have already said they will help. As we speak a small squadron of five adult dragons are being fitted for battle. I'm expecting them to be ready in the next three to four days. I have also sent a message to the one responsible for the latest attack to join us in fighting the humans." Winter stares. "You have nearly everything covered... how can we lose?"
And then they hear a heavy breeze come over the base and it grows quiet as the ponies look at something. Luna and Winter both walk out of the tent to look up at a massive blue and green dragon now sitting on a cliff near the base. Many ponies look fearfully at it but Luna just took flight to it with a knowing look. When she got it the beast it looked to her and rolled its eyes. "Princess i received your message and i agree. These... humans took my son from me and they will pay for doing that. I have also sent word to any other of my kind in the area about the threat this new foe presents." Luna nods. "And that is very welcome our situation is dire and any helping hoof is welcome. If you wish you can head to Stalliongrad to be fitted for armor and weapons but it is up to you." She offers only for the dragon to shake it large head. "I think if i leave even for a minor amount of time this human threat will make great use of it and press their attack. Now they are being careful looking for more of my kind in fear of our power." It says looking to where the human forces are located. "I must say these things have some impressive materials and if you do not mind i wish to take a look at some of the wreckage left over from battles." Luna thinks its over for a moment at the request but then recalls how dragons are still greedy and not just gold and gems pleases some as many horde knowledge, food to even some useless junk. "Yes you may but if you do bring back some of their wreaked units do allow some ponies to examine them we wish to try and create counters if possible." The dragon is quiet at her request before nodding. "That sounds reasonable i accept."
With the deal complete Luna gives her new ally a pardoning good bye before returning to the camp where all eyes are on her. "My subjects... we have allies to stand beside us in this war." The base once again broke out into cheering and celebration and Luna reenters her tent where Winter is waiting. "Well we may just stand a chance princess." He says.
*In Canterlot palace*
One of the many private chambers was full of ponies swarming about over the newest human objects to arrive brought by the elements of harmony, but what was more interesting is that after taking it apart piece by piece and examining it they have come up with plans for their own version of the human melta bomb to be used against tanks. "I must say princess Twilight with this tid bit of tech here we can maybe beat those monkeys with no trouble." One of the many scholars says coming up to her. She blushes and smiles. "Its nothing really but i still think we need more then just this to stop them they do have a lot more experience. But this will save many pony lives." The pony nods and looks over the metal object. "We will begin production as soon as we can on them. Princess if you can get your hoofs on any more of their weapons we can maybe copy it to a level." She nods. "If it is important enough and possible i will give it a try." she happily says.
Not far off the other element bearers are helping others build or come up with ideas. Rarity was with a few unicorns working on better armor for the front line ponies and they had some interesting designs. Rainbow dash was explaining in near full detail to some guards about how the humans fight and how to counter them. Fluttershy had a few ponies around her going over the war beast idea and she was explaining what each animal of the Everfree was able to do. In the back Applejack was testing some metal hoofs that was suppose to make where a pony could kick harder then normal with the idea based off the weapon that some of the space marines use called power fist. And finally Pinkie pie was trying to explain to some ponies how they need to make better tasting food for the soldiers fighting if they want to win. Twilight sighs and smiles when looking at her friends. "Alright girls lets see if we can save the country again." With that she heads to the nearest one and tries to help.
In a side room sitting at a table waiting was Dove and Skyler sitting quietly waiting for the questioning to begin. A single guard stood at the door in the from of a commissar cadet who glared at them form under his cap the whole time with a hand resting on his sword. Finally after a good wait the door opens and the general steps into the room along side with his right hand man who dismisses the cadet with a nod leaving the four in the room by them selves. "Now... lets begin" Stubbs says slowly eyeing them. The girls share a look before looking back at him. "Where do we start?" Dove says.
"First i want to know what the hell wiped out a full company single handily with out even taking any heavy damage." He asks with a even tone and dove sighs. "A native animal of the country... dragons sir... the first one killed was just out of its teen hood while the next one... was its parent and a fully grown beast. Its skin is as thick as most of your tanks or more and flames to melt anything." She says slowly then Skyler joins in. "And the mountain range has many of them calling it home." She tell him and he stand quietly in thought of her words. "How many live in the mountain range so far?" He asks for her to look to the side thinking. "To say... i have no clue on the right number but a little under a hundred." With that the general looks to his companion. "Get naval command on the VOX we're going to need orbital fire to bring them down."
The two girls share a look before he asks. "What do we have beyond the mountain range? I need to prepare for what is ahead of us." They look at him a moment before Dove speaks. " Behind the range is the Galloping gorge. Its rich in gems and other metals and is mined so it may be defended. Also little further back from that in the sky is Cloudsdale." She states and he raises an eyebrow. "The mining area will need to be captured but... Cloudsdale?" He is unsure about the name and with what he has encountered so far he must be careful. "Its a city of... well clouds where most of the pepesi in the country live and also manage the weather. Also is beside the town of Ponyville which is one of the rail road hubs that is in the center of the country with a line heading to nearly every corner and with one capital of Canterlot." She says and he nods thinking over what he has learned. "We now have new targets for our navy... Have them give this Ponyville a orbital barrage and same for this Cloudsdale. If we take them out we can disrupt their supply chain and their control over the weather." At that the girls get a worried look but don't say anything about it. "Now is their any other important target we can remove from the problem?" He asks and the two talk to them selves quietly before Skyler nods. "Yeah in the north..." She begins.
*Crystal Empire*
The city was quiet as the moons drifted across the sky as the shield stood guard over it and its residents. Princess Cadence laid in her bed fast sleep but her husband wasn't by her side as he stood on the balcony with a cup of coffee in his magic looking south with a hard look on his face. He was watching the base of the shield surrounding the city cause he felt something but was unsure what. He scanned back and forth slowly before he spotted black objects in the sky just beyond the shield causing him to frown. His horn lights up and a flare fires into the air and soon alarms follow and ponies below run about or wake up to see what is going on. He soon hears somepony behind him and he looks to see his wife walking to him with a worried look on her face. "What is happening shining?" She asks and he shakes his head in return.
"I don't know but it isn't good. I saw a few objects flying beyond the shield and they looked like those machines the humans use for transport." At that Cadence covers her mouth with a hoof as she gasps. "They come here!?" She near yells and he sighs. "I hope not but... it seems that way." He says using a hoof to pull her in for a hug to comfort her. He looks out to the shield where he can see the out line of the ships landed almost right out side it but beside seeing them milling about nothing else is happening. He looks to his wife. "Sweetie i have to go alright? I'll be back soon... stay here please and look after her." he jesters to the crib on the side of the room where they can hear faint crying. She looks at him then to the crib and nods but before she heads into the room she freezes when she looks up. "Shining..." She is cut off by a explosion and he feels the shield nearing its end and he looks up.
Pillars of blue light ran from the skies aimed at the city and many strike the shield and soon he watches the cracks grow and then it starts to crumble and he stares in complete shock as the empire falls into chaos as buildings and ponies are wiped out in mere seconds. He watches as three come down aimed at the palace and he rushes in and grabs his wife and runs to the crib where Flurry heart is crying and grabs her in his magic. Then the building shakes from the first impact sending them to the ground. Cadence has their daughter in her hooves crying and Shining armor hugs them both close as the other two lance rounds impact.
From the Imperial guard forces that landed out side the city to give firing coordinates to the ships above they get to watch as the spire in the center slowly start to lean and then it crashes down on many other buildings. "Send word to the general that the threat has been eliminated. And word of the dome falling apart all over the planet has been reported." The officer on hand says to the VOX operator. He waves to a few squads of guardsmen with sentinel support to move in on the city ruins for clean up. After they leave he heads to the nearest Valkyrie and grabs something and lights it and lets out a puff of smoke. "Not every day you get to order a full city to be wiped out." He says giving his newly acquired major rank markings on his shoulder a look.
At the guardsmen pushing into the ruins they spot a few ponies that have survived scattered about picking through whats left. But when the guardsmen take aim and fire at the ponies only to have their eyes widen when they harmlessly deflect off their natural skin. The ponies who were once running from the invaders now turned to charge them after seeing their nearly immune to their weapons. The line of guardsmen soon clash with the crystal ponies and they find their bayonets near useless unless aimed for the eyes and most are trampled under the ponies hoofs. The scattered bolter teams and sentinels are the only thing keep the wave from over running them as missiles, auto-cannons and lascannons on them fire as quick as they can cutting down most of the pony combatants charging the line. Over head some of the Valkyries fly over head and do strafing runs that cut down the pony numbers drastically.
After a while of both sides taking heavy losses the guardsmen stand firm after braking a few times if not for the single commissar wielding a bolt pistol and a power fist that destroyed the ponies. "If you will not serve for the Emperor! You will serve on the firing line!" He yells out as a bolt destroyed a head of a guardsmen sergeant who turn to run and the guardsmen once again pushed the ponies and with them nearly wiped out finally gained a large amount of ground. Soon the ponies are on the run and many safely get away as lasblasts simply deflect harmless into the air and in few cases back at the guardsmen wounding to even killing them. And the guardsmen give chase for what they can but soon brake off to dig though the ruins. As they near whats left of the spire that dominated the city they fire the opening to the balcony was still open and at ground level.
A squad of guardsmen go into explore and they find a flow of blood and start to follow it. After a few minutes they find a large part of what was the wall that is now above them has fallen on what looks like two ponies one pink one with both wings and horn with a white unicorn that wore purple and gold armor, but something else caught their eyes. As they made their way to a small glowing pink bubble that was under some fallen supports. One brave guardsmen picks up the small ball shaped object and looks at it. "Hey! I see one of those ponies with wings and horn in this thing... looks like a kid.." He says bringing it close to his face to look in. The other look at each other oddly at that. "Lets bring it to the commissar... cause this must be a important one. They say the ones with both wings and horn are some sort of royalty." They agree and leave with the ball.
Not long after they arrive at the plaza turned landing zone for the transport but among the ships with the markings of the 252nd a thunderhawk painted black with the large symbol of the holy inquisition is in the center of the area and the unmistakable armored storm troopers are around it standing guard. As the guardsmen near it they gain many eyes of their package and it also acquires the storm troopers eyes in their direction as well. When they arrive at where a tent they are met by the commissar who looks confused at their cargo. "Men explain what... this thing is." He asks sternly. "Uh... well sir look inside." He holds it up close to him to look into it. His eyes widen. "Is that one of those things... why did you bring it to me! Kill it and be done with it!" He aims his bolt pistol at it.
"Lower that weapon commissar... if they brought it back here they must have a good reason." A voice comes from behind. All turn to look and sees a robed man in dark armor under it with a large 'I' on his chest. "My lord... as you wish." He lowers his gun. The inquisitor walks up to the guardsmen holding the small bubble and looks in to it. "Ah... this is a very young alicron... i presume you found this near the dead leaders of this little city?" He asks the guardsman. "yes mi'lord we found them dead... i can guess they saved this one before they died." He answers and the armored man nods. "Good... now get it abroad my ship. Understood?" He is rewarded to see the guardsmen salute and start towards the thunderhawk. "Another one to... fix." he says to himself glancing at a small group of storm troopers.
*Unicorn Mountain Range*
The imperial guard was digging their heels into the rocks of the cliffs of the mountain as massive beasts fly over head burning all below and what ever is missed is taken out by cannons or repeaters mounted on their backs. Few guns could hurt them as the hydra auto guns only angered them. Only a few have been taken them down and those were lucky shells form artillery and leman russ vanquishers. The guardsmen were still pushing forward as they started to dig tunnels and move forward. If it weren't for the over sized dogs and their gem mines.
After a while of the guardsmen tunneling they stumbled onto a large network of mines populated by large dogs who at first were confused then they got aggressive as the guardsmen started to explore more of their tunnels. They were stronger then a normal man and even could dig small tunnels at speeds that rivaled the machines and they seemed to be large numbers of them. This was solved by simply arming many guardsmen with flamers and large number of frag grenades. As the guardsmen fought deep in the mines they found that the walls were rich in gems, metals, and other resources the war factories will be happy to put into use. After quite a while the men found that many exits are scattered about and some even are located near and behind the pony front lines and plans were put into place to use them to their up most effect.
*Pony FOB*
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN IT WAS WIPED OUT!" Luna yelled in the royal voice at a crystal pony messenger who looked like he has been through hell with blood and dust covering him. "Ma'am... the crystal empire was wiped out by what the humans call orbital fire. Prince Shining Armor and Princess Cadence were found dead before the humans routed us. We also have conformation that... their daughter was captured and last our spies saw entered a black ship and entered orbit." He states sadly looking down and Luna stared in shock at the news. "She... was abducted.. by the humans?" She says slowly but uses her magic to reach out and look for her. She soon finds that she is in a coma state of sleep and alive letting her sigh in relief. "I... found her... she is still alive." This gets many to feel better, but it soon comes to an end as a pony covered in wounds runs into the tent. "We're under attack! from the rear!" Only for Luna runs out of the tent to see guardsmen and their bigger friends of ogryns charging the rear of the camp. "Oh foast..." Is all she can get out.
A powerful beam of purple energy torn though two decks before the source was cut off. The source being a small baby aliorn who happened to sneeze and her power was set off. The room was full of storm troopers now aiming at her and even two grey knights, but the one keeping them in line was the inquisitor him self who was pleased with the power this little one held. "lower your weapons men and you are dismissed... including you two." He says looking towards the two knights, who in turn stare at him before doing as told with the rest of the men. After they all leave he then turns to the darkest corner of the room and crosses his arms. "You both failed a decent amount of you're training... and you expect to hide from me? Easy to fool the others they aren't that smart." He was rewarded with two storm troopers to come out of the shadows but something was off about them. They had colorful hair and three of them were girls and most of all they weren't even human.
They walked forward all missing their helmets. "Yeah we know but its only to not get in the crowd with the others." One of the girls says and its clear she is in her late teens same as the others who weren't that tall and if it weren't for the armor they would be a few inches shorter then normal. "I knew you two would want to be here with our new arrival here." He says pointing to the laughing little filly who was playing with a hand from the lone boy from the pair. "Well lord inquisitor..." One of the girls says a little mockingly. "We would be better if we could get more training and not sit around... i was promised some action." She complains and he rubs his head. "And i will give you action. Your first assignment as a inquisitorial soldier is to watch after this little one." He says pointing to the filly who laughs and grabs his finger with her hoofs and starts to chew on it while the pair stared with mixed faces. "You have to be kidding me..." The talkative girl said with irritation in her voice while the boy only smiled and bent over to play with the filly. "My lord please... can i get sent down with the others! I want to see some action that is fighting with lasguns and bolters firing!" She near yelled at him causing him to chuckle lightly remembering when he gave the group of captured young ponies a new version of the 'potion' and watching them become loyal soldiers... sadly only these two made it due to them being older and stronger... and welling to accept the emperor's blessing.
He is snapped back to the present when he feels her poke his chest and he sighs and glares at her. "Do i have to punish you again?" He threatened and she stopped to think before backing away hanging her head. "Why must i repeatedly put you in your place." He says shaking his head. "Don't worry sir we'll keep her save... she is a princess after all." The boy said making the inquisitor smile. "Thanks Andy... keep your sister here in line... last i need is Riley getting into another fight with guardsmen or other troopers." He said turning to the door. "Best of luck to you three try not to blow holes in the ship." he remarks before exiting the room leaving them alone with the little happy filly unaware of what is going on around her. "Well... what now Riley?" Andy says looking at her who just sighs. "We keep her happy and not blow the ship up." As soon does she say that Flurry starts to sneeze and both of them hit the floor covering their heads. With a quiet 'achoo' nothing followed and they stand up to see her rubbing her nose before laughing at how they acted. "This is going to be harder then i thought..." Andy says slowly as he and his sister got to their feet. "Well we can handle her... just hope no one else come sin here... i don't need another grey knight to yell at me..." Riley says remembering her unpleasant crossing with a knight making her shiver slightly. "We'll be fine sis. Its a simple task here i bet we-" He was cut off as the ship rocked as it fired its lances at some target planet side causing Flurry to get scared and cry. With a sigh Riley walked over and picked her up and held her in her arms. "Shhh its ok princess. We're here for you." She did her best to clam the filly down and it slowly worked and soon she found the small pony asleep in her arms snuggled up against her breast plate.
"I have to say it but... she is cute when not blowing the ship apart." She joked and they shared a laugh before she laid the sleeping Flurry onto the cot and backed away. "lets grab something to eat i know she will want something as well... hope she likes rations." He says walking to the door while Riley stayed back. "You go i'll keep an eye on her." He nods and leaves. Once alone she sits besides the sleeping filly and starts to pet her slowly.
*Pony front lines.*
The pony front lines were on the edge of crumbling as the imperial guard has encircled them and has burned the main camp killing most of the lesser officers. But the ponies were still holding due to the dragons but with the orbital fire coming down they wont last long. And Luna was trying to keep their forces together best she could with out killing the nobles for being poor military commanders. "Come subjects of Equestria!" She yells out to any pony near her to rally them but she knew it was getting more hopeless by the moment as the human artillery rained down from both the city and the ships high above. Also mounting to the problem was to put simply is that the forces that went south have returned.
Marching forward no matter how many are burned were the human sisters of battle armed with their own flame based weapons burning ponies in mass coupled with the armored giants that were the space marines with a few grey armored ones scattered about fighting the dragons. With a sigh she looks around her and then to the flag that flew over the battlements and with her magic pulled it from the flag pole and lowered it and with the royal voice. "My ponies! We must retreat! Let us not fall in a pointless fight!" She jumps into the air with a few powerful flaps of her wings and she spots many ponies pulling back but not all. The distinct sight of crystal ponies staying and fighting could be seen all over the line. She calls out once again but the don't budge and she realizes they are buying the others time and starts to speed up the retreating ponies. Her magic help many wounded move at a better pace and some dragons help gather any weapon them can before leaving.
She looks back behind her before leading the ponies in their march to the next line of defense and soon they are out of sight of the line. The crystal ponies were dug in well and were causing as much damage they could on the human forces but they lost the one advantage they had when the bolters of the heavy infantry arrived and started to blow holes in the ponies every time they struck but they refused to brake. As the first humans make their way over the pony lines close combat quickly follows. The crystal ponies unlike the other ponies gave the marines a little more of a challenge as their skin stop most of their knifes unless it a chain sword or power sword while for the ponies they are not lost as their diamond tipped spears and swords and punch into weak points of their armor. Soon a heavy slugging match has started between the two sides and the holy flames of the sisters of battle weren't as useful as it didn't effect the harden skin of the ponies. And the guardsmen fair no better then before as their lasguns merely reflect off but bolters cut them down with easy. The human support units had to hold fire in fear of hitting friendlies leaving it up to the front line units.
As the battle drug on just behind the front lines the general was moving forward wanting to take part in destroying the line of ponies stalling them. Once he gets over the first trench he is already in the thick of it as a pony charges him with a sword in its mouth. The battle claws extended as soon as the pony neared and caught the blade before pulling it free from its owner's grip. The pony's eyes widened before the claws doubled back into its neck but not cut deep due to the hard skin and the general had to back peddle to avoid getting tackled. The general once again slashes at the pony but gets the same resolute as the skin is to thick and he decides enough is enough and draws his plasma gun from his belt and shoot the burning ball of death into the ponies head and watches the pony fall to the rocky ground. He turns his head to watch a lone pony crush under the armored feet of a assault marine as he landed starting his chain sword and started to attack the nearest target.
The general looks towards his claws and frowns before something that catches his eyes and turns to a fallen marine sergeant who had a burned face but what has the general's eyes was the power sword in his hands. He walks over and picks up the sword and gives a short prayer before lifting it with care and charging the nearest pony. The pony who was targeted a unicorn saw him coming and brought up his blade and they met and it was a battle between the general's body strength and the pony's magic but the general was slowly pushing his opponent's sword back and even saw his sword beginning to cut deep into the diamond sword. Thanks to the new heavy bionic arm the general pulled from the stand off and brought it down hard cutting the diamond in two and continue into its owner with enough force to slam him into the ground. After dispatching the pony the general looked to see not many are left and the mix of the four armies were crushing... wait four? He did a double take and counted Blood Ravens, his guardsmen, sisters of battle and... black armored inquisitorial storm troopers walking his way led by the inquisitorial himself. 'This won't go well.' He said in his head and sighed.
"Governor General Vance Stubbs... i'm sure you want to know why i have graced you with my presents." He said looking over the slightly bloody Stubbs. "Yes... not normal for inquisitors to get into the battle field often.... and the chaos forces were crushed in the south of this land mass." The general stated looking carefully at the man before him and his grip on the power sword tightened. "Yes you are correct the heretics were purged with care and cleaned up what was left of the war band. I have come to you because of the recent events i want to know how you gained the information about this crystal empire? Better yet why wasn't any other informed of its founding either?" He locks eyes with the general. "You sent that VOX message directly to the ships and thought we couldn't listen in? I sent a team and we got our hands on something of high importance from what i understand of these ponies so far. Now... i want to know how you gathered this information for spotters find it so easily and call for a orbital barrage." He asks coldly and the general meets his tone. "I use all resources at my disposal to find and destroy the enemy, Inquisitor." They soon gather a small crowd of on lookers as their 'talk' goes on. "General i know you don't have a good history with the inquisition... and making it worse isn't a good idea."
After a moment he sighs. "We acquired the information from a few captured spies and ponies and put the info to work as soon we could. We also cracked down on a few other spies in the ranks of the guardsmen and even a few in the sisters of battle's ranks." This got the inquisitor thinking before nodding slowly. "I also have heard of this and dealt with my share... i'll take that answer for now Governor but do not get on my bad side again... understood?" Stubbs simply nods and watches the black armored man turn on his heels and walk away. After he feels it safe he waves over a VOX operator and grabs the communicator. "Keep them out of sight and don't let them leave the building understood? I have a feeling it will get bad very soon." The voice on the other side answers. "It was bound to happen sir... we'll keep gathering information and keep them out of sight but we may need to move them out of the HQ and hold them else where." The general nods and cuts the channel and tells the guardsman to leave.
*Vanhoover*
Dove and Skyler found them selves surrounded by commissar cadets moving though the dark halls of the HQ in the city. They were a little scared of what was going on and even more of where they were going, They were pulled from the room they were being held in and were escorted by these cadets and they didn't say why they were being moved. After a while they exited the building and entered out onto the streets. They are once again met with the heavy tanks of the guard moving up and down the street along with many transport full of supplies heading towards the mountains in the distance but the girls didn't get to look along before they were marched down the road passing the bombed out buildings of the city and other scars it has gained during the attack to capture it. After a few long minutes they arrive at a large bunker built into the town square and they were quickly ushered into the command building. Once in they they found the room to be full of officers with a communication network and reports covering tables.
But soon they are escorted to the back to find stairs going down to another level. After descending the stair case they find much more finer quarters commonly used by officers or nobles. Dove turns to see one cadet walk to her. "You are to stay here until the general returns from the front lines for more information... if you try to leave you will be shot. Understood?" He says without any emotion behind his words before he and his companions go back up the stairs leaving them in the room. "Dove... why are they hiding us... and from who?" Skyler asks her sister unsure of whats going on. "I don;t know... but it can't be good." Dove says and puts a arm around her to comfort her younger sister.
After about a week of fighting in the mountains the imperial forces have broke through the pony lines and now are heading towards the nearest target located in the galloping gorge, more like whats under it. The ponies along with diamond dog clans have been mining and collecting gems and metals to fuel the war and the Imperium wishes to get their hands on this stockpile of resources for their own war effort. And with a passage through the mountains created thanks to the engineers a road big enough for super heavy tanks can pass through to the moving front line. As for the mountain range, the artillery will be moved to its many peaks and start to shell any pony target in range. As for the dragon threat that has grown over time the skies have be come thick with them and still nothing has yet to be able to counter them besides heavy use of orbital lance fire but low flying Thunderbolt fighters have been seen and have proven to be somewhat decently useful.
As for the guardsmen, they once again are either in convoys of tanks under heavy air escort or extending the tunnels east hoping to connect to the mine shafts. But as they kept digging they found what at first was thought to be the mine shafts but they soon were corrected as the caverns they found them selves in were inhabited. After the guardsmen along with scattered space marine squads were heading towards what was hopefully the pony base they encountered large worm like creatures that ranged in length from fifty feet to over more then a hundred feet and its entire front was a maw full of razor sharp teeth, but most of all they don't like visitors in their home. And a certain two guardsmen of a bolter team were stuck in the darkness as well.
In a makeshift firing position Johnathan sat behind his weapon firing burst into the beasts that wonder the underworld they were stuck in as Matt rushed back and forth with boxes of ammo. Beside him was a devastator marine laying into the worm as it torn into a formation of guardsmen. "Guardsmen! Hold these beasts at bay until reinforcements arrive! Destroy this xeno scum!" The marine bellowed and the guardsmen rallied around him putting as much fire onto the monster only for it to turn their way and start to move towards them. "Aim for the eyes! It can't kill what it can't see!" One guardsmen called and the red beams and bolters slowly started to tear at the many eyes in the beast's head. But it did not stop its rampage as it rammed head first into the line of the men and marine and guardsmen alike were tossed into the air as the melee started.
Johnathan was firing at the target at pointblank range and watched as the rounds dug into the tough skin and blood flood from the wounds. "Johnny! Don't waste all the damn ammo!" Matt called running up behind him dropping two new boxes of bolter rounds. "I'm getting tired of running back and forth so make the shots count!" Johnathan nods halfheartedly as Matt loads the next belt into the gun. Around them more worms started to appear coming from below and even above dropping down to land on top of the poor souls below crushing man and machine under their massive weight. The only thing standing a chance in this fight has been the few dreadnoughts with their different combos or weapons from lascannons, autocannons, and assault cannons and their own fists were taking the worms down one by one.
The pair feel the ground under them rumble and they share a look. "Ditch the gun!" Was all they got to say before a worm broke the surface sending them flying from their foxhole. With two heavy thuds they land in the dirt and watch as the one who threw them look down at them ready to cut them to pieces with its teeth. The two men quickly drew their laspistols and fired at the monster to no effect. Just before the head was about to strike them a canister shaped object flew over them and went into the open mouth and then a explosion followed and the creature fell over dead. When the two looked behind them stood a blood raven stern guard with a storm bolter in his massive hands and a melta bomb in the other. "Guardsmen grab a weapon and join us in our push." The marine says before moving on and firing with his weapon.
After recovering from the shock of what happened and a commissar threatening to shoot them they grab the nearest lasguns who are missing their owners and join the mass following close behind the veteran Blood Raven. Ahead the largest of the monsters was fighting about five dreadnoughts and it was becoming a losing battle for it. The stern guard soon has the rest of his squad join him along with storm troopers, karskin and any guardsmen nearby who has rallied to his call. Around the underground caverns many of the xenos have been put on the run but many still stood their ground killing men in mass. Off to the side a worm with its eyes shot out rampaged in a small area in anger as many fired on it to end its life. the sound of ripping metal is heard and the two guardsmen look to see the front armor plate of a dreadnought torn from its mount by the jaws of one and then it finishes the war machine with a jab to the exposed pilot inside and with a loud thud the hull falls onto its back.
For two gunners who are without a gun they soon stumble across something of use. After the ground once again displaces thankfully not under them but sends a marine sergeant into the air only to come down on top of a confused worm and receive a power sword into its brain and Matt lands in what used to be a makeshift dugout for another weapon team and there sat a autocannon in perfect condition and its ammo right beside it. "I hope you don't mind us taking over?" He says and grabs Johnathan and throws him behind the gun. "We got an upgrade! Lets use it!" Johnathan smiles and the pops of the cannon starts and the nearest creature soon gets the tastes a wave of high explosive shells into its open jaws aimed for a lone karskin who yells his thanks before charging forward once again. "Brave single minded bastards." Matt says watching said karskin get hit by a tail of one monster sending him flying into a wall with a crunch and didn't move after the landing.
After a hour or more the brutal fighting in the depths the last of the xenos were routed or killed and the men claimed a small victory and began their march and digging towards what they hoped was the pony mining operation. With much of the man power killed or eaten by the natives of the underground the progress was slowed heavily and much of the machinery was also disabled and under repair or being scraped. As for the two guardsmen they were now hauling a new autocannon and its ammo through the ever growing tunnels to the next battle that will follow very shortly.
*Galloping Gorge mining camp*
The ponies were busy as iron and many different gemstones were excavated from the earth and packed to be shipped to the factories around Equestira to make weapons and other magic items to help fight in the war effort. Along side the ponies were diamond dogs who have made agreements with the ponies with them getting a share of the gems mined for them selves and now they were armed and ready to help fight the humans when they arrived to avenge the many fallen dogs killed under the nearby mountain range. The mining operation was located in the Pit as it was called for the mining going almost straight down the use of layer after layer of wooden platforms at different levels and the heavy use of elevators powered by steam and magic to move ponies and resources alike up and down the shaft.
In the mid level where the offices are located that double as the quarters for the works and soldiers stayed along side where the ones in charge worked. And over looking this operation was Winter who looked older then he should and by his side was Fire Bird who seemed distracted with the things happening around her. Winter let out a heavy sigh as he ran over his latest promotion, he now was the commander of the mining operation and was to defend it as long as possible and to ship out as much materials they could. "Winter keep it together. We have to do our best in the hope we can buy time for the rest of the country." Fire says and he nods giving her a smile. "I'll do my best... just hope things don't fall apart." She nods her head and looks down below to see the workers moving the stones around.
Winter lets out a sigh and passes his gaze over her before looking away feeling a little warmth on his face. For a while now Winter has grown to like the sister of battle turned pony and it helps that she is a well built mare and at times he catches himself staring, thankfully she seems more focused then he is and doesn't notice or doesn't care. With the sounds of rusty metal moving one of the elevators goes up past them carrying several carts of minerals with a few pony miners. Fire Bird watches it pass and looks to a nearby table and takes a pin in her mouth and adds another shipment is sent out. "Another ton of ore on its way." She said to her self more then anypony else. Winter follows it up and when he looks to the top of the shaft the sun is blocked for a moment as a dragon passes over the opening.
"Fire... Can i tell you something?" Winter asks after taking in a breath and Fire looks from the table full of papers with a raised eyebrow. "Uh.. yeah. What do you want to say?" Winter rubs his neck before walking up close to her and looking her in the eye. "We may of only known each other for about a week and a half now... but..." He swallowed before speaking again. "Over time i have gotten feelings for you." He says and they both stare at each other and her confusion was all he got and he blushes a little and looks away. "What do you mean Winter? You have feelings for me..." He could tell she was highly confused and then remembered what she told him about the sisters of battle causing him to sigh.
"Well let me explain better." He takes in a breath before pulling her to him with a hoof and kisses her causing her wings to shoot up in surprise before slowly returning to their places followed by her eyes that were as wide as plates before they closed and the corners of her lips did pull into a grin. He pulled away and looked at her as she was in deep thought and he could tell she was arguing with her self. Winter waited for her response unsure of how this will end and hoping she wont over react but the dazed look on her face gave him hope. But sadly before he can get his answer they both hear a bell ringing from below and rush to the edge of the platform to look down only to see a firefight starting as humans come from a few tunnels along the shafts sides cutting down any miners in their way.
Winter watches Fire quickly run to another bell and start to ring it and soon more follows as the alarm is raised and soldiers quickly run out of their quarters and aim up only to realize the enemy is below them. The unicorns and any other ranged pony unit quickly starts to rain spell and led down onto the humans below and start to catch them in a deadly cross fire denying them any cover at the angles of the attacks and the magic repeaters are quickly redeployed and its rain of dead joins the onslaught. Winter looks around for ways to help before he spots a group of ponies ready to try to get into melee with the humans. "Wait! Don't go down their keep the lift up here so they can't use it!" As he called the ponies looked at him before doing as told. He sighs in relief but then the platform started to come apart from the human's heavy weapons. Far below devastator marines are pumping their deadly rounds into the metal and wooden platforms that ring the shaft going up and soon debris and ponies start to fall to the ground.
"Get off the platforms! Fall back to the edges they are much stronger!" Winter hears Fire Bird call out and her orders are quickly followed as ponies displace to a stronger piece of cover and the two sides exchange death from above and below. Winter watches the imperial guards killed in mass but they just keep coming while the marines just stand their ground taking most the punishment sent their way losing only a few to their combined firepower. Then all over the upper levels large *pops* are heard and soon the ponies meet a new heavier unit of the humans. Winter was about to run to where he heard the sound but soon in a flash and another *pop* he was face to torso with a massive red armored... thing that he could only guess was a elite space marine. He slowly looked up and the green eyes of the beast looked at him before a double barreled weapon is aimed at his face but then they both hear what sounds like cracking. They look down to see the wooden supports below the massive man was giving out to his weight and the stone wasn't fairing any better.
As Winter simply opened his wings and jumped the terminator marine was sent falling far below as the support finally gave out. He watched the marine fall and hit the floor of the mine and didn't see him move afterwards and flew to join the others in their fight. He saw quite a few more marines like the one he faced fall though the wooden floors and weak stone due to their size or just being thrown about with large amounts of magic but they still did their damage as the weapons they welded destroyed cover no matter what it was and their armor was unbeatable by anything the ponies had, but only for the ponies. Winter watched a diamond dog jump onto the back of the terminator and to his amazement start to leave deep gashes in the armored back by the long claws and all around he saw similar things where the armor was slowly torn apart but many dogs were cut down as the terminator squads started to regroup and cover each other's backs, but not below.
Many dogs saw how the heavy enemies needed a sturdy place to stand they started to dig under them causing them to fall into pits or to join the others on the ground below. Winter saw a few that were falling turn blue and in a flash either landed on the ground below or back on their level, but not on their feet and were quickly jumped on by dogs or ponies. "Hold them back! Show them that we are something to fear!" Winter called and many cheered and soon it was a stalemate as the imperial forces could not advance up or get any units in the ponies lines for long periods of time and it was costly to waste such heavy units.
Fire Bird came flying up next to him and set down and before he could say anything she gave him a peck on his cheek causing him to blush. "I'll have to say i felt something for you as well. Now if we don't die here we maybe can make this go somewhere." She says and he can't help but smile and put a wing around her. "I'll agree to that now lets see how the defenders are doing and keep up moral." She smiles and follows him to where the biggest group of defenders are massed.
To the guardsmen below all they see is tracers and flak clouds dotting the skies but to the pilots engaging the pony air units it was paradise for them as they out flew the dragons in speed and turning but power and armor was always in the dragons favor but it didn't stop the pilots of the imperial navy from scoring many dragon kills sending them to the battle grounds below. So far it was a battle with no clear winner as the fighter pilots will fly to support the ground forces when a dragon attacks them and they exchange heavy damage to each other before one side can't fight no more which takes longer than one would think due to the numbers of the pilots and the toughness of the winged beasts.
Above one battlefield where the two metal machines of mars lumbered through the war zone putting large amounts of fire down range into the pony lines. But being such large and powerful targets makes where they are attacked by dragons very often and the general has given orders that the Baneblade and the Stormlord will have close air cover at all times and now the fight above these metal monsters rages. With a full wing of lighting fighters speeding about the dragons are kept busy and the random marauder bomber only helps keep the super heavy tanks out of the dragon fire.
One large dragon accompanied by a group of younglings were speeding low over the group to their target that were the heavy tanks and they were closing fast. High above them a another group of their kin were in a life or death dogfight with the imperial aircraft keeping them distracted while the ones below made a dash for the now unprotected targets ahead. After speeding over many scared and confused humans and ponies locked in combat the elder dragon spotted their prey, and more.
Ahead was the targets from what the ponies told him were the 'Baneblade' and the 'Stormlord' but they had to other metal war machines with them painted a crimson red and seemed to move much faster then the other two, but that didn't stop him from his mission he would just burn them as well and he dived on them. He watched one of the new machines come to a stop and a weapon on its side aims at him causing him to smile. "Ha! They expect to best us with their pathetic weapons! Burn them to as-" A pair of blue beams fires from the tank and impacts a young dragon not far from his side and he watches in shock as its scales melt under the shot and it falls out of the air dead and hits the ground throwing up dirt and dust. The pack slowed for a minute to look at their fallen kin but that was a minute too long.
The side turrets of the tank start to fire and more blue beams met their targets moving so fast giving the dragons no time to dodge the attack. The elder's anger starts to grow as more of his wing is cut down and he puts on more speed and with claws out locks onto the one killing his kin. As he nears his target one pair of beams impacts his chest and he feels it burn into him and the wave of pain that follows but he doesn't turn from his path and he slams into the tank sending it sliding across the blasted earth and his claws digging into the sides leaving long gashes in the armor but never getting past it's shell.
Soon the other three heavy tanks start to fire on him and he starts to slow in his attacks but does not stop him as he opens his mouth and lets out a breath of fire onto his prey. After a moment of burning the threat he was about to turn his anger onto the others but a single beam of blue hits his need and cuts straight into it and out the other side. The last thing he sees was the prey he tried to burn almost perfectly intact except for one side turret turned to slag but the other was aimed at him and with a final shot to his head the beast slumps over on top of the Landraider missing from his eyes. the two ponies who were on his back manning the guns were quickly dispatched by the fire of any soldier near by.
After the dust settles the hatch on the damaged Landraider a tech marine steps out and casts his gaze over the war machine examining the damages it has received in the fight and walks around it. He gets to the melted side turret and with keen eyes sees what needs to be replaced and what can be repaired. With an explosion over head he looks up along with anyone nearby to see a Lighting fighter missing a wing speeding towards the ground with a thick black trail of smoke following.
In the battle high above the dragons were starting to get the upper hand and the number of imperial fighters were getting fewer and fewer. The marines and guardsmen quickly start to set up heavy weapons ready to fight off the dragon attack that will hit soon. When the last fighter delaying the dragons was send into a tail spin covered in dragon fire tumbled out of the sky did the beasts turn their eyes to the ground below. The ground forces along with the heavy tanks started to pick their targets and soon their guns roared and the dragons started their attack as well and dived for them.
The Baneblade's battle cannon fires and one of the lead dragons now falls out of the sky with a large hole in its chest while the Stormlord opens up on the smaller dragons with its assault cannons cutting down many and beside them the two Landraiders with what weapons they still have operational join in as well. As the dragons were about to be on them a beam from a lascannon impacts the lead beast making it change it's target and many men below to look for the source only to see a massive metal aircraft speeding towards the dragons flanked by a few lighter aircraft.
The space marines let out a battle cry as the unmistakable shape of a Stormraven Fury speeds by with land speeders supporting start to engage the the scaly monsters attacking them. The massive gunship had every weapon it had mounted on it firing at its enemy cutting apart many lighter targets before switching to the few larger and more elder dragons. One dragon quickly realized that the new arrival was the largest threat and with talons first rammed into it knocking it off its course but not out of the sky. Its claws started to dig into the machines armor while the smaller support craft started to fire onto the attacker with little outcome.
As the dragon started to divert their course into the ground the roar from the Baneblade's cannon is heard and one of the wings of the beast was now gone in a shower of blood, bone and metal. With the beast now unable to effectively adjust its course the gunship forces into a sharp turn throwing its extra rider off and let's gravity take over. With its wing gone and picking up speed the dragon slams into the ground crushing any who were near and in the impact zone and that was the end of that one but the sky was still full of its kin. With the heavy gunship now in the fight it was a battle of power and both sides slammed into each other.
*Galloping Gorge Mining*
The fighting has lasted for about two days now and the long battle was taking its toll on the ponies as they ran out of energy and ammo while the humans seemed to be endless throwing men into the bottom of the pit to fire at the ponies above them and it was starting to wear down any supports holding the platforms up and ponies were starting to meet their end on the ground below. The diamond dogs were also becoming tired as they have done many surprise attacks on the humans even managing to trap a dreadnought in a deep hole they dug right under it and killing many both guardsmen and marines but in those attacks they spotted a new type of marine.
The marines had large objects on their backs and didn't know what they were for until they saw them in action. They shot into the air and started to climb the different levels up to where the ponies were making their stand and as they made their way up they started to toss large metal devices around onto the main supports. They soon get up into the pony lines and with speed and movements that seemed impossible they started to cut down any pony in their way with swords that seemed to roar or shot any pony with a ball of blue fire. After some heavy close quarter fighting the assault marines were forced to return to the ground below but not with out taking many with them. And after a few minutes the supports were blown and a large section came crashing down with a large number of the pony heavy weapons with it.
But then something came shooting down from the top of the pit with speed to match the navy's thunderbolts. With a tail of what looked like a rainbow it sped past many men knocking them over and sending even a space marines sergeant airborne and even leaving a explosive gift on one of the hellfire dreadnoughts. Before any could notice the war machine was destroyed and the wreckage had the tell tail signs of a melta bomb and then the rainbow streak came for another run. Every gun that could started to fire at it and it with near untold levels of grace dodged it all. And two guardsmen were now in the way of this flying problem.
"Take that damn thing down now!" Matt yelled into Johnathan's ear as he put a full clip of shells into the attacker's direction. As Matt was about to reload they were thrown to the ground with everyone in the pit as a shock wave of bright colors sent from the rainbow trail. The only ones who remained standing were the few dreadnoughts who were firing everything they could at the target. As the room slowly recovers from the shock wave they hear a voice. "You are all weak! A simple sonic rainboom took you all out!" The attacker who proved to be a rainbow haired winged pony who wore a blue and yellow suit yelled out to the men below. She was now floating in the middle of the open air and what sounded like laughing was heard from her as she ignored the army below getting to their feet.
Once she stops laughing and looks down Johnathan could swear he saw her eyes widen at the sight of over a few hundred guns aiming at her. Soon the pit is filled with death as shots are fired at her and she speeds up to the top of the pit. After she was out of view the guns returned to shelling the pony fortifications. And to the defending ponies it was just the day before repeating. And for Winter he was more of waiting in the barrack quarters giving orders and getting letters telling him how bad the situation all over has gotten. With a sigh he looks at the report that a large armored formation was nearing the mine on the surface and the dragons have run into a human war machine just as tough as them or maybe more.
He was about to let some thoughts in the back of his head get the better of him before he felt a wing on his back causing him to look behind him. "Please keep it together Winter. We need a good commander to make it though this hell." She said rubbing his back and he smiles at her. "I will... for you... and with the new weapons that group of Wonderbolts brought with them we can deal with their heavy armor." he states looking towards a magic version of the human melta bomb on the desk. "We wont hold long but we can take out some of their heavy weapons as we go." She nods in agreement looking at the weapon as well.
Winter lets out a sigh. "Our orders are to hold until the human tanks above us get to close to the mine shaft opening then we pull out.... also to bring down the shaft with magical explosives on top of the humans below." He says while showing her the letter with the orders. She puts a hoof to her chin in thought before nodding slowly. "We may need to start soon because it will take time to set up the charges." She adds pointing to a blueprint of the shaft where they should put the bombs. Winter nods before the room shakes along with the whole shaft. "Crap... with our heavy weapons gone... we can't take out their damn mortars! We need to get everything ready now cause we wont last long under those guns." With that they rush to get the orders to the right ponies. Once they get out onto the open platforms they spot ponies fleeing left and right trying to find cover from the death being launched at them. "I'll find the unicorns who have explosive experience." Winter said and Fire nods. "I'll get the the explosives to where they are needed." With that said they went their ways to get the job done.
Not more then ten minutes later they meet back up and watch the charges be put in place and were about to turn in until a letter or a small piece of paper appeared in front of Winter. "Must be from the forward observers." He said opening it and then freezing.
Winter we have reports that three human heavy tanks supported by twenty lighter armored units are headed right for the shaft. It is highly advised to start to fall back as soon as you can before the tanks cut you off. A train is waiting but not for long.
"Get the word out! We're pulling out before we're cut off." With this new information fueling him and Fire Bird they start to get the defenders on the move before its to late. Even now they could hear the sound of metal getting closer and closer.
