//------------------------------// // 12. Arrival In Baltimare // Story: The Red Sun Rises: Homefront // by The Atlantean //------------------------------// “Wake up, Colonel. We’re in Baltimare.” Midnight’s voice was unmistakably tired. He had been in the bunk above Crimson before he got up and ready to unload. Crimson grumped and pulled himself out of bed. He never was a morning pony, and the constant irregularity of a soldier’s life drained him faster than a thirsty filly in summer. But he loved it, and was always able to crawl out from under the sheets and get up without much trouble. “Sweet Harmony,” he groaned as a crick in his neck suddenly released. “I’m so glad we got sleeper cars. That would’ve felt worse, but as it was, ohh…” He felt cricks in his spine release as he stretched beside the bunk. “That felt good.” The two walked to the door with their stuff and off the train. As it was, the station was virtually empty, but both officers knew that would change in a few minutes. And change it did. Ponies zombied their way into the station and formed ranks to head south to the planned camp area. Some had to be half-carried, half-dragged, but they at least had all their stuff. It reminded Crimson of AREA’s 2nd Coastal, his regiment, after its first battle. Soaked, beaten, and worn down, they had just barely made it to the station themselves before Pacifica was overrun. But this was different. This time, they weren’t running, and this time, it was just the tiredness of the dark night. There wasn’t any wounded nor panic-stricken ponies tonight. After unloading, he swore he could hear his friends from AREA, singing the anthem in their loud, obnoxious voices. The atmosphere was right. He looked up, half-expecting the Atlantean “Stars and Seas”. But the tattered flag wasn’t there; just a starry night sky. Always the first star that I find. Rose Thorn’s voice was clear. The mare referred to him as that during the war. If only he could see her once again… Crimson shook the thought. His wife was dead, killed by the Dominion six years ago, three long years before the war’s end. The only thing he could do for her now was find their daughter Andromeda and keep her safe. Lieutenant Silver Comet ran up alongside him, disrupting his thoughts. “Sir, we’ll be at the campsite in half an hour at this pace. Should I order them to go faster?” “No, this is fine. Besides, running directly after sitting for many hours isn’t too good an idea.” “If you say so, sir.” They continued walked side-by-side for a while. Then the lieutenant asked something Crimson had expected Princess Cadence or Twilight to ask. “Sorry if I’m intrusive or insubordinate, sir, but who are your relatives?” “Andromeda, Crystal Shard, Mom and Dad,” he replied without looking at the junior officer. “Crystal Shard’s my younger sister. She earned a veteran’s honor and such during the Atlantis-Dominion war a decade ago. Alongside me. “Andromeda’s my daughter. Great filly, she is. She helps take care of Cryssie so I can continue the military life. If Rose hadn’t been executed, Andromeda would have a mom. Instead, she ended up with my sister. Not to talk shit about her, but Cryssie can be a pain sometimes. You?” “Nopony in the army, sir. I came from an astronomically-inclined family, hence my name. Not really romantically interested, either.” Crimson let out a sharp but quiet bark of laughter. “You’re lucky, but you’re also missin’ out! A little horizontal dancing is part of it, but it’s mostly the ceremony that got me.” He looked wistful for a moment in the pale moonlight shining down on the column. “I met Rose Thorn on Day Three of the Battle of Aquarius River. Came into the field hospital on a stretcher with a bullet hole in my head and a missing left wing. After I healed, we pretty much instantly fell for the other. If only I could see her rosy coat, those green hooves that came up in little green fires up her legs, her eyes…” Crimson trailed off. “Sorry, sir. I didn’t mean to invoke bad memories.” Silver Comet had an apologetic look about him. “No, it’s fine. Just the things I have to deal with every day anyway.” Ahead of them, a flat area, formerly a campground, went out for a mile in both directions. This was their army’s campsite. The clearing had a view of the Celestial Sea on the eastern edge, and farmland showed to the west. The army had come from the lightly forested north, and saw the great swamp the Changelings supposedly controlled. Putting camp this close to the front lines was asking for trouble, but Crimson had no other choice. It was either this or take up all the space in Baltimare. It was morning before they did anything else. Fortifications were built, trenches dug, and Unicorn security guards stationed every so often to prevent Changeling intruders. To be honest, that might not happen. Chrysalis was focused on the alien ships off the coast. Speaking of those, narrator, Crimson thought, I should be getting around to actually talking to them. The colonel was busy with keeping the army organized. Some new recruits walked in from Fillydelphia and Baltimare, and he had to get them into the weakest regiments, bringing the regiments back up to strength. But enough came in to get him to create an entirely new regiment, which he welcomed. Training would normally take place in Ponyville, but the time it took to send them there and back was too much. However, recruits from the western cities would go through the small town and train with Shining Armor. Late in the afternoon, a white banner on what Crimson immediately recognized as some kind of rifle bobbed over to the troops. It was carried by a biped in uniform, and below it, on the same support, was a flag with three distinct colors: red, white, and blue. He called over Captain Midnight and Lieutenant Comet. “Captain Reynolds, commander of USS Ticonderoga, United States Navy. If you’ve seen our carrier, USS Ronald Reagan, we would be grateful.” Reagan. That rang a bell, but the Pegasus couldn’t locate it in his mind. “Colonel Crimson Dawn, commander of the Equestrian Defense Force. We sent messengers about a possible military alliance.” “Ah. Yes. I hope the details aren’t too extensive. I’m no diplomat.” “Neither am I. shall we?” Crimson indicated the command tent behind him. With a quick safety confirmation from his fellow sailors, Captain Reynolds walked in, followed by Crimson and his officers.