Colonel Moonshine Silvercrest stood at the Starsong Encampment train station awaiting the arrival of those who’d been in the lines during the retreat from Pacifica. She’d rushed her maternity leave, letting her husband care for her filly, so that she could get back to her command. When she learned that they’d been position dead center for the last part of the battle, her initial thought was that the entire 2nd Coastal was obliterated. Now a train carrying 160 familiar ponies on its flatcars pulled into the station.
Treetop hadn’t asked Zucchini Muffin if Princess Celestia’s school accepted mares yet, so he popped it while they rode the last mile.
“Yes, sir. Both mares and stallions are permitted to go; it’s just that I’m the first mare to actually apply,” she replied.
He bobbed his head. That was something Celestia would do, allowing both sexes to join. Not that it mattered much if only one actually tried.
Crimson saluted the Lieutenant. “Sir, we arrive at HQ in five minutes. Engineer’s ETA.”
The salute was returned.“Good. Round everypony up and tell them to be ready. I received word via comm spell that a certain officer will meet us at the station. Dress uniforms if you have them.”
One hundred sixty ponies in ragged uniforms, mixed between dress uniform and whatever they had left, lined up along the left side of the train, watching the platform come into greater and greater detail. Out of all those who came from the sprawling camp to meet them stood the Sarge, feeling a tad bit guilty even though he only relayed orders, and Silvercrest. A team from Medical showed up as well in case.
The regiment’s remains cheered as the train slowed to a complete stop just in front of Silvercrest. Treetop waved his chipped steel helmet and Silvercrest returned the favor. The remaining officers and NCOs stood next to him, including “Major Muffin,” who sheepishly smiled amidst the cheers and loud conversations. She was obviously out of place with an Equestrian emblem on her Royal Guard armor.
They all hopped off. “Silvercrest, it is so damn good to see you again. I thought we wouldn’t be comin’ back for a while out there!” Treetop exclaimed. “And ma’am, I need to introduce Major Zucchini Muffin of the Equestrian Royal Guard. She’s in the transfer program.”
“Major.”
“Colonel.” The Equestrian took a cautious step forward. “I’m sorry about your troops. If I hadn’t decided to experience the front lines, you may not have lost as many.”
“Treetop, who was it?”
“Private Nightmane, ma’am. He was killed in action bringing her to Warrant Dawn’s group shield. Also lost in other areas were Eagleface and Martian. The full list will be in my report.”
Silvercrest’s head dropped slightly. “Understood. Let’s get you guys to the mess and Medical.”
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Nurse Lieutenant Rose Thorn watched the reunion with a teary eye. So many had died; most of them were new, too. They were back with their commander, though, so that was a plus. At least there weren’t any emergencies.
She was proven wrong the instant that thought crossed her mind. A second train, this time with a single passenger coach, pulled in, braking at maximum power to slow down. They were definitely in a hurry. The car’s doors swung open and several ponies carried others on makeshift stretchers and had miraculously stemmed blood loss with nothing but ragged uniforms and red-hot rods from the engine. Some on stretchers had no apparent cause for concern except for the fact that they were just barely breathing.
She and a few other medics got over the initial shock and jumped to work. The injured ponies were carried to Medical as quickly as safely possible. As Rose treated her first patient, a Unicorn stallion with a horribly burned hind leg, she asked, “What the hell happened?”
“The Dominion got a bad-as-mother-of-all-fuck weapon, that’s what happened! They threw these cans at us, then a second later, they popped and filled the entire right flank with some kind of liquid. It was weird and colorless; I almost didn’t see it. The shit hit my leg and didn’t feel bad at all. Then we had to run and left on the last train out. The other two were gone.
“Anyway, I didn’t feel a thing until a few hours later. By Harmony! The pain was - is crazy! Ahh! I think some of it popped into my mouth! It’s driving me insane! When I rinsed my leg, I thought I was fine. But it didn’t do shit! The damn liquid must’ve got into my skin or something!”
Rose listened as he told her the entire story. It was enough to give a guess at a diagnosis. “I’ve heard of this weird fluid called hydrofluoric acid during my training. It’s odd that it was even in there, but it is potentially deadly stuff. Would you recognize it if I got some?”
“Just do something about this! My leg feels about to shatter!”
Rose grabbed a container full of the acid, normally used to get rid of bone pieces, with her magic. She held it near him and he revolted. “I’ll assume this is it.” Her next action was to get a nurse to fetch a gel known to relieve the acid’s effects. When it arrived, she generously applied it how she was taught. “Now we wait.” Rose moved on to the next patient, with a similar story, and did the same.
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Queen Atlanta, ruler of Atlantis (named before her time), sat in a simple chair in her War Room, next to the central throne chamber. Her ocean-blue fur bristled when her main general arrived. The flowing, deep green mane and tail of the Queen did not falter, however. Neither did her steely, turquoise eyes, which glared right through him and the other generals. She waited for the general to sit down before speaking. “Why is it that we have just lost a vital industrial city to the Domination Army less than six months into this war?”
“My lady, we had no choice but to retreat. The enemy is too strong,” the main general answered, his voice wavering a bit. “I want to keep the army intact.”
“We could have held. You all ran the math. I ran the math! We had the ability to hold Pacifica, so why did you order a retreat, General?”
He gulped. “The army needs to remain intact so that we can defend the capital.”
“Defending here at Nautinia, when our ponies believe we’ve turned our backs on them, when we have no industrial and technological aid, when our supplies are dwindling with no hope of replenishment, is a good strategy? Bullshit!” Atlanta’s use of coarse language accentuated her irritation well. “They do not go past the Aquarius River. Is that clear?”
Mumbles came to her in reply.
“IS THAT CLEAR?”
This time, a chorus of “Yes’s” and head-nods came.
“I don’t care if we lose a hundred thousand ponies. They do not cross the Aquarius River. If they do, I will hold whoever is responsible for the mess accountable. That means you, General.”
“But my Queen, the river is only seventeen miles from Pacifica!”
“Then I suggest you work out a strategy to keep them there.” Atlanta stood up and walked out of the War Room fuming.