//------------------------------// // The Price We Pay // Story: When war comes // by Drakstice //------------------------------// Normally, stealth blimps were only deployed at night and behind heavy cloud cover. The weather detail had concealed the sky quite well, but the twilight hours still produced enough light to illuminate the craft against the sky. It was a large craft, but the altitude at which it normally operated rendered it a tiny speck to all but the most powerful spotting equipment. So far, the lone craft with a skeleton crew had been moving along at a good clip without incident. It would appear that General Star’s suppositions about the enemy’s capabilities were correct. Even if the ponies simply caught a lucky break, they were close to landing a critical blow, turning the tide of the vicious battle below. Inside, there were four ponies focused like a laser on their current tasks. The pilot paid close attention to his instruments and the outside environment. He kept the blimp high and quiet, perfect for getting in, out and back alive to tell about it. Major Skies had been assigned to this particular C-135 stealth blimp ever since he was Second Lieutenant Skies. He knew his craft inside, outside and any other side imaginable. He could even get his ship to fly higher than it was designed to go and still complete his missions. The two tech-mages worked diligently to modify the Living Bomb harness for the current mission. Neither of them had seen anything like this before, but they pushed past their urge to marvel and carried out their duties. Stabilizer fins were riveted to the sides for stability as it fell to the ground. A streamlined windscreen was fixed over the wearers head so as not to blind the wearer as he fell. Any unnecessary equipment was removed to save weight and prevent any holdups or possible points of failure. These two were expert mechanics and superior battle mages, but there was still one part of the system which they could not fix if it broke. General Star had not spoken a word since he boarded the ship. He was focused only on his final act. He knew it by heart and it played in his head over and over, like a mesmerizing play with a thrilling story near its climax. Here, however, he would not see the dramatic twist in the plot. Rather, he would become it. He had the honor of punctuating this fight with the most persuasive argument ever given by ponykind. One solitary line that would change the entire flow of events presented thus far. He would be forever inscribed as a true Equestrian hero, one that would not be rivaled for generations to come. Even as the technicians were working on the intricate arcane device sported by the young general, the batteries were being charged by Star’s magic. It took quite a bit of focus on Star’s part, pushing so much energy from his body into the device. However, it was a burden for which he had trained his entire adult life. The primary batteries would be energized to near critical mass, then the secondary battery would discharge its load to the primaries. The result would be a catastrophic failure to contain the energy within. Add to that the volatile nature of magic and the titanic might of this one unicorn further amplified by the utterly unique contraption he wore, there was truly no equal to this weapon the ponies wielded. “Here’s our opening,” Skies announced, “Get ready to drop!” The clouds cleared up and the ground below was becoming visible. The cloud cover was useful for concealment, but it was completely foolhardy to fire blindly through the clouds at this altitude. They had only one shot and it was going to count no matter what. The point of no return was less than one minute away. It was the longest minute Star ever had to endure. In his head, the plan kept replaying itself and he kept mentally rehearsing it. He will fall for precisely 125 seconds, then the device will detonate. All the while, he would supply the batteries with the magic energy needed to have the desired effect. The energy would quickly dissipate if he did not keep a constant flow of energy to the device, so most of his focus was diverted to keeping the device charged. The legwork of maintaining the harness was the easiest tough part of the mission. He wasn’t sweating over this, but he was somewhat frightened at thoughts coming from the back of his mind. Thoughts of what would happen if he should fail. “Everything alright, sir?” asked one of the technicians. His words were pretty muffled through the oxygen mask he wore, but the message was received all the same. “I’m fine,” Star replied with a small nod. He needed to be well because in less than four minutes, it wouldn’t matter if he wasn’t. As long as he did his job, he could worry about his frayed nerves later. The technicians took their places on either side of the small craft, changing gears from equipment tuners to aircraft operators. One took his place at the bomb sight, watching for the perfect moment to strike. The other stood ready at the spotter’s order to release the bomb doors. The air ship normally carried a caliper that held a single bomb or cluster of bombs to be dropped. The caliper could be removed to make room for a small squad of pegasi and their equipment. This mission, however, called for something a bit unorthodox. The pony at the bomb sight raised his hoof. The target was less than ten seconds from lining up perfectly. The pony’s eyes widened in fear and awe as his face lit up a bright green glow through the bomb sight. He was impressed, frightened, intrigued and so many other emotions he had never felt all at once, but he did not lose focus. His arm now stretched nearly vertical indicated he was a heartbeat away from making the call. The bomb door attendant wrapped both hooves around the door release lever, preparing to put his full weight on the stubborn mechanism. Star himself assumed a forward-leaning position. It was how he would effectively use the stabilizer fins not native to the harness’s design. In this moment, time seemed to stop, yet Star’s heartbeat was a deafening pounding in his ears. His entire life replayed before him, from his earliest childhood memories all the way up to now. Looking back on them, he had no regrets to address. He and his wife had raised three beautiful daughters, one of which took after her father and became an officer in the army. He had led a renowned career as a proactive and resourceful military commander. His friends, peers and family all spoke very highly of him and would miss him dearly if ever he should leave them. Then there was this moment, a span of time that outlasted the entirety of his life before now. It was as if the grim reaper was watching him, waiting to collect his due. Was there some unseen force trying to give him a chance to call off the mission and return home before the point of no return? Even if there was, Star refused to be remembered as a coward or for lack of integrity. The mission must go on and he would make no such call. There were simply too many reasons to continue, even though every terrified fiber of his being was screaming for him to retreat to safety. Then, without warning, time sped up faster than ever. The spotter screamed for the doors to open, the floor beneath him lurched open and he was in free fall. The rush of wind past his helmet let him know that he had already reached speeds the Wonderbolts would find ludicrous. Not even for a moment did he stop charging the system to detonate. As the features of the surface came into view, Star could make out the situation of the battlefield below. It was not a reassuring sight to see. The enemy had pushed farther out than he initially projected, claiming roughly ten to fifteen percent more territory than he predicted. The bomb’s blast would not reach far enough to get all of them, but there was nothing he could do about it at this point. Besides, he would still deal a crippling blow to the enemy ranks in just 90 seconds. The ground forces would be hard-pressed, but he was confident that they could contain the incursion. The bomb was primed and ready to blow just one minute into his fall, so now he only needed to maintain it. This would take his entire focus, so a personal shield was out of the question. Fortunately, the harness came with a self-powered shield system that could rival even Princess Celestia’s powerful defenses. It would prove to be a necessity, not a luxury, for he did in fact receive fire from the ground forces. Small, scattered bursts at first, nothing the shield couldn’t handle. The shield would flare up and wear out fast for the concentrated volleys and heavy fire he took got more and more frequent as he approached the ground. The last fifteen seconds proved to be the most nerve-wracking fifteen seconds of his life. There was still room to falter. However, Star was not known for being complacent nor did he have a reputation for substandard performance. He always saw his assignments through. It did not matter if it was a satisfying conclusion or a bitter ending, he always finished what he started. He kept his guard up, putting faith in his equipment and the ponies who would succeed him. 5 seconds remaining The green glowing heart of the enemy’s encampment came into view, infantry continuing to emerge from the center. They were so many, but soon, they would be no more. 4 seconds The shield’s power source was down to just 20%. Effectiveness was notably dropping. His resolve, however, had never been stronger. 3 He knew that they could see him now. Every small arms weapon was firing in his direction. The shield was nearly depleted, but it made a resounding last stand as it held out against the punishing blows and searing energy bolts. 2 All he needed to do was maintain the charge and the altimeter would trigger the explosion. He had faith in the engineers who designed this weapon many decades ago. He had faith in the technicians who studied it and customized it for him and this particular mission. He even had faith in the others who trained and prepared him for this moment in his life. Most importantly of all, everypony else had put their faith in him. They believed that he could pull this off and as long as he lived, he would not let their trust be misplaced. 1 This was his legacy. He relived his journey as a curious young foal, bright-eyed colt, fitness stud, straight-A student, JROTC valedictorian, standout officer candidate, legendary three-star general. Though he would not live to see it, he would be posthumously awarded a Medal of Heroism and go down in the history books as an inspirational war hero. Ponies would sing of his heroism and create awards in his honor. His children would hold their heads high when they say ‘I’m proud to call General Silver Star my father’. This could be the future he creates, or he could still fail in the one second remaining in his approach. One full second is quite generous when instants count in the execution. The impulse from the switch to the battery took up one of these precious instants, leaving the remaining time exponentially more valuable. Ignition! All that was visible now was a bright light. A calming glow that contained the peace and ever-lasting rewards he so rightfully earned. Though Star wanted to return home to lead his comrades and his race to victory, he knew that he couldn’t, for the afterlife is only a final destination. From there, there was no return. Still, it’s not like he had any complaints. After all, heaven was rumored to contain long lost relatives, pleasures and paradise beyond anything the mortal realm could offer and, of course, a view of the world that even dragons perched atop the highest mountains would envy. He had done his job, performed his role and paid a price for which nopony could reasonably ask. Still, he took the initiative and paid it so that others would not have to. This was the one pony who tipped the scale so that his friends and loved ones could secure victory. Now, it was up to the remaining forces to ensure that Star’s life was not sacrificed in vain. Celestia willing, and with everypony’s utmost effort, there was no way they would allow themselves to fall. --- Far from the front lines, the rest of the masses waited with anticipation for the end of the fighting. Since Princess Luna left to provide logistical support, the atmosphere had been remarkably tranquil. Most of the populace had remained calm despite recent events. There was an occasional emotional fit from an individual or two, but they were either quickly calmed by friends and family or ushered out to a more secluded place to settle their nerves. On their own, the Royal Guard would be hard-pressed to maintain order in the huge crowd of ponies. Fortunately, Thane had kept the attention of the more curious ones by sharing his lore and stories with them. They seemed quite enthralled by the story of his Primarch in the final days of the Horus Heresy. He was acting out the battle using his chainsword as a placeholder for weapons of the many different characters. “And so, Ka'Bahnda stood over Sanguinius about to deliver the final blow when the most perfect sinister idea emerged from his mind.” The crowd of ponies, already gripped with intrigue, leaned in closer to hear the story as it unfolded. “ ‘I have so thoroughly enjoyed breaking your body,’ ” Thane growled, doing his best to imitate a greater demon’s satanic tone, “ ‘but that will heal in time. This wound, however,’ ” he continued as he raised his chainsword, giving a visual aid to the story, “ ‘this one will fester for all eternity!’ He then left Sanguinius where he lay and began slaughtering the other Blood Angels on the battlefield.” He left the activation rune alone, but he did swing the weapon around in slow, exaggerated movements. “Blow after blow,” Thane continued with his battle dance, “each one who fell was another hit to our father’s psychic being.” “Did anypony survive?” asked a small child, her arm extended as though she were asking a question in a schoolhouse. “Sadly, not many,” Thane replied as he secured his chainblade to his belt, “we lost more than 500 brothers to the greater demon that day. The grief he felt as they were slain was overwhelming to Sanguinius. He lost consciousness before the demon finished his massacre.” “How did they survive on Signus Prime?” an older stallion asked from the crowd, “If Kababble was that powerful, wouldn’t he have wiped out the entire legion?” “You would be forgiven for thinking so,” Thane replied as he turned to face the inquisitive elder, “I came to the same conclusion myself upon hearing this tale. But the Blood Angels would not yield,” the bravado in his voice rose to accentuate the climactic end of the battle, “they had newfound righteous fury after seeing Sanguinius struck down from the heavens. Such a crime would not go unpunished, not as long as they drew breath.” While the young marine told of his primarch’s penultimate sacrifice, his brothers stood off to the side. The looked at their young comrade as though he were making a fool of himself. He wasn’t incorrect when he told of how the Blood Angels were victorious at the battle for Signus Prime, but he was only telling a version of the story that hid the Chapter’s greatest weakness. “Didn’t you tell him about the Rage?” Delk asked Ulyss in a whispered tone, “He may be young, but if you told him of our condition at all, he may as well know the whole story.” “That we suffer a curse from a nightmarish demon?” Ulyss’ tone got sharp as if Delk had touched a nerve. “Even ten thousand years passing has not led us any closer to a cure.” Ulyss always had a hard time suppressing his emotions when talk of the Black Rage started. His first encounter with it was fifty years ago when he had to subdue his own company captain after a prolonged battle on Galtan VII. His second was his own frenzy just four years ago when he singlehandedly slew Mektoof Klawkutta above the Perocles gas supergiant. Only when the horde was completely wiped out did his rage subside. “Ka'Bahnda did not curse us, Ulyss,” Delk replied in an equally sharp manner, “we are still human and thus as flawed as any mortal.” “It only takes one flaw,” Ulyss interrupted, “one chink in the armor to start the cascade of events leading up to now. As far as I am concerned, effecting such a change in man from an inherent weakness is no different than a sorcerer’s foul magic.” To this, Delk had no response. He was one of the few in the entire Chapter to thus far lead a career untouched by the rage that had claimed so many already. Some would dare say that Delk had had the greatest fortune one could have from such an unfortunate heritage. “Brothers,” Thane called out from the other end of the room, “what bothers you two to bicker so?” It would seem that the two warriors’ argument had grown loud enough to be overheard. “All is well, new blood,” Ulyss replied, weakly disguising his agitation. Even Thane could see that there was a problem, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. Without warning, the darkening twilight sky was instantly alight with a blinding white halo. So intense was the flash that even the Blood Angels were caught off guard and blinded by it. Their pale skin darkened reflexively in response to the intense and sudden light source. Their eyes, shut tight as they were, still let a red blotch prevent them from seeing clearly. It was good that mark VII power armor helmets had auto-photobalancing capabilities. They would filter out the excessive light when their biological optics could not. Thane donned his own helmet and let his auto-senses adjust to the environment. The image was not painfully blinding, but it was still blank, washed out by the complete overabundance of light. Within moments, the chaos of the room came into view. The ponies who were caught in the flash were crying out in panic. They stumbled blindly, trying to find the exit or better shelter, whatever came first. It took thane a moment to realize what was bumping into his ankles. “Holy Throne,” Delk silently exclaimed, staring out the window at something that must have been absolutely captivating. “What happened?” Thane asked, knowing that he may not receive an answer, at least not vocally. Instead, he observed the source of the calamity for himself. Outside, there stood the telltale sign of doom for the planet. The bright light and the mushroom-shaped cloud were undeniable symptoms, but the next sign sealed the course of events in the minds of the Blood Angels. It started as a slight tremor, but within a moment or two, the ground seemed to come to life. The already panicked room of ponies was thrown into further disarray by robbing them of solid footing. Even the Astartes’ superior equilibrium was of little use against the violent shaking ground beneath them. Delk and Ulyss remained upright by way of holding onto a candle sconce built into the wall. Thane, on the other hand, nearly crushed two helpless ponies as he tumbled forward. Had he not braced his fall with his arms, they would be ex-ponies by now. As quickly as the earthquake started, it ceased and allowed the disoriented crowd to recover. Foals and their mothers were still frozen in fear and confusion. The guards recovered their weapons and did their best to maintain what little order remained. “What in His name was that?” Thane asked, still regaining his bearings and processing what he just witnessed. “Unless I’m mistaken,” Delk replied, his voice filling with dread, “that was the start of an Exterminatus strike.” Under his helmet, Thane wore an expression of confusion and fear. He had never heard of ‘Exterminatus’ before, but by his reckoning, it couldn’t possibly be anything good. “Why would they do that,” Thane asked, “We’re still down here. Do they not care to retrieve us?” Indeed, why would Captain Emanulos order the use of capital weaponry when three brothers were still in the line of fire? Unless the situation was particularly dire, no company captain in his right mind would ever expend Astartes lives so lightly. “It’s a game of costs, Thane,” Ulyss explained, “We are but three, a pittance compared to losing the entire company in a forlorn battle.” Thane was always told that he was akin to a god amongst men, immeasurably more valuable than the rest of humanity. If the Imperium decided to imbue him with these gifts and not the other countless billions, there must be something about him that made him special. Why would it be wasted like this? Now, however, he was with others in his own league, an entire company of men who were equally as powerful as he. Now that he was amongst others in his own league, he was once again fair game for the violence of reality. What set this reality apart from the mortals’ was the order of magnitude of the consequences. If ten mortal men die in battle, each is replaced by ten more in that short interval. The tide of battle is unlikely to change then and there. Should an Astartes fall, the enemy can seize the initiative from gaining such a valuable advantage. So few and precious are they that only the most pivotal of battles would be graced with their presence. Besides, the Adeptus Astartes are almost without equal in warfare. Almost. If humanity’s greatest warriors were lost, what would keep the rest of the Imperium safe from the galaxy’s innumerable horrors? --- The gunships wasted no time in their approach. Engines roared ahead at full speed. The mission was initially a simple extraction of four stranded marines. Now, the situation had changed. Orbital scans showed hitherto unidentified forces wreaking havoc across the surface. The entire motor pool was finally mobilized after the much-needed repairs to what remained of the VI company’s Thunderhawks. Backing them up was the VIII company’s main force of gunships. The pilots maintained their heading while the gunners scanned the ground below and the skies above. The setting sun was making visual spotting difficult, but none were dissuaded by this small inconvenience. Onboard auspex scans showed intense activity just ten kilometers ahead. Their destination was the last known location of the four confirmed survivors of the events three heliocycles prior. “Five kilometers and closing,” voxed the pilot to the rest of the crew. Already laser focused on their mission, the gunners started scanning more methodically for any trace of their battle brothers. All they found, however, was the miniscule constructions of the native xenos. From the port side gunner’s seat, Brother Reless had a commanding view of the landscape and all of its details below. Through the superior preysense optics mounted on his hurricane bolter, he traced the path of what appeared to be a dirt road. This path was significant because it appeared to be used very recently. It was well worn relative to the surrounding terrain. It was also placed with intent. It was more or less straight despite the gentle rolling hills that would otherwise influence its direction. What’s more, it was not the only one of its kind. Approximately five kilometers further out, a similar path appeared, but this one was still in use. A quick adjustment of the optics brought the distant cloud of dust into focus. The disturbance was caused by a small olive-green quadruped galloping at full speed down the road. Its muscular build easily explained its cargo in tow. Behind him, a rather sturdy-looking, but still primitive, wagon packed full of its own kind rolled along as fast as the beast of burden could go. Each of the passengers was holding a weapon reminiscent of spears or pikes. Looking behind this transport, there was one more approximately every fifty yards, each carrying a full load of beings apparently geared up for battle. This was a makeshift military operation if Reless’ instincts were correct. If they were prepared for a fight, the senior Brother’s observations could help the rest of the fleet prepare for whatever may come. Turning the turret as far forward as it would allow, he spotted a cluster of activity far above that of the surrounding area. Taking a moment to observe, he took in the details before reporting to the pilot. “Reless, what to you see?” The pilot did not see anything himself, but his gunner was equipped with a powerful set of eyes amplified by bionics as well as an all-revealing preysense scope. “Five kilometers ahead, looks to be a fight. Two fronts, unknown allegiance.” Reless had more to say, but the pilot interrupted him before he could finish. “How close are our stranded brothers?” “Near side of the battlefront, but it is advancing in our direction.” He was simultaneously observing and reporting. As soon as he could make out new details, the rest of the squad received them. “The advancing front is emitting high amounts of electromagnetic energy.” “Then we will make this quick,” the pilot declared before ordering the rest of the squadron to begin their descent. If they could retrieve the missing Blood Angels quickly enough, they could avoid impending battle. Whatever the local life forms were combating, the Blood Angels had no obligation to fight. Besides, they were needed elsewhere in the Imperium. This planet was quickly turning out to be more trouble than it was worth. The explorator legion should be recalled soon and the Astartes would not be far behind. If only the process were that simple. A blinding white light threw the pilot slightly off his course, a powerful shockwave violently shook the entire craft, and for some unexplained reason, many of the readouts went blank and the engines stalled. The crew was taken by surprise, but none panicked. This was not the first time any of them had been the victim of a surprise attack, nor would it be the last. Working quickly, the pilot and navigator worked feverishly to recover from their freefall. The Thunderhawk’s machine spirit was unresponsive for a few tense seconds, but was roused back to life in time to level out and regain control. This was a very primitive-looking world, so the sight of a thermonuclear bomb detonating was quite out of place for its setting. Whatever that explosion was, it was placed squarely in the center of the glowing green mass of combatants in the distance. Something was off about it, however. This had all the telltale signs of an Exterminatus order, but no such order had been issued. The orbiting battle barges were not issued any such weapons, for they had no justifiable reason. They were here to provide backup for an explorator legion that had encountered some fairly hostile and formidable wildlife. It was a job that called for space marines to deal with it, but not so dangerous that the planet would need to be destroyed. Besides, exterminating all life on every world mankind visited would only build a kingdom of ashes. Captains Emanulos and Niroces accompanied the strike force in their own attack craft and they were demanding answers as to who unleashed such a devastating weapon without so much as an early warning. A negligent discharge of capital weaponry could see the offender imprisoned or enslaved for life, executed by the most painful means possible or worse. The investigation would have to wait until the stranded Blood Angels could be reclaimed. At this moment, recovery of chapter assets was a higher priority than dealing justice to criminal offenders. The squadron was still at its full strength despite the slight vehicle malfunctions. They were ordered to press on and complete their standing mission. --- The fading light made it hard to see, but the three privates could see just fine with the non-natural light being generated. They had lured one of the lower-level demons away from the mainstay of the battle, but it had cost them their squad sergeant and another private. Still, the remaining unicorns and earth pony worked like a well-oiled machine team to take this opponent down. The two unicorns took turns firing magical beams to distract the metallic monster while the earth pony snuck up to its suspected blind spot. As far as the skeletal beast could discern, there was just one creature firing back at it, but changing positions for every volley fired. Running as silently as he could, the earth pony dashed full speed and brandished his enchanted blade. His leap toward the beast may very well have been his last, for at the last second, it whirled around as if it noticed his approach. Fortunately for the pony, the creature waited just a moment too long. He found purchase on the creature’s upper back, causing it to stumble and lose control of its weapon. The bad part was that it was not a fatal blow. Damaging as it was, it was simply not enough to kill the mechanical horror. As quickly as the assaulting pony had assured himself that he was victorious, he nearly panicked when the creature’s cold bony fingers wrapped around his body. Wrenching him off its back also caused one last gash across what would be its shoulder blade, but had not weakened its grip. Worse still, the blade snapped and caused the enchantment to vaporize, leaving a jagged, but ultimately useless, chunk of steel strapped to his forehoof. As the young private struggled against the iron grip, he was stopped by something truly terrifying. He was now face to face with the green and dull silver goliath. Its glowing green eyes were burning with hatred and a fierce desire to kill. Though the head looked like a skull, it was far too elongated vertically to be any form of equine. It made no sound aside from the metallic clicking and creaking as it moved. Its unhinging jaw still bore teeth of a prehistoric monster with little instinct beyond killing for its own survival. The enigmatic sigil on its chest told of its allegiance, but it was too alien for the terrified pony warrior to understand. In fact, he was so frightened that he did not even notice the beast bending over to retrieve its weapon. The creature’s bayonet was lined up for a fatal thrust clean through his entire body, but the killing blow would never come. Instead, the unicorns came to his aid, ending the threat to their helpless comrade. Together, their magic beams combined into a powerful lance, incinerating anything it touched. The head was the first thing to be turned into molten slag. The pair of mages wasted no time making short work of the rest of the creature. One quick downward thrust effectively cleaved the monster in two, destroying what life it had, but leaving their earth pony friend still in its grasp. The halves fell apart, molten slag still dripping from where it was parted. With the life in its eyes extinguished, the murderous being died where it stood. Unfortunately, as more machine than organism, its claw was locked shut without a command to release its constricting fingers. The unicorns simply wrenched it open with their magic. It took both of their efforts to free the earth pony from the stubborn claw. When they were through, it was completely bent out of shape, but more importantly, it was no longer a threat to his wellbeing. “You OK, Spur?” one of the unicorns asked. “I’ll be fine,” came his reply. It came through a gasp for air, as the beast’s claw was no longer constricting his lungs. He quickly drew his secondary blade, fastened it to his hoof and got upright mostly under his own effort. “Then let’s move,” the other unicorn said, “no telling how many of his friends heard all that.” If only the trio knew just how true that was. Out of the corner of his eye, Spur caught a glimpse of movement scurrying into a collapsed house. It was far too large to be a rat, or even another pony. Far too fast for any of those things too. Whatever it was, it almost moved without a consistent shape. Spur had absolutely no idea what was coming, but his gut was churning with bad feelings and his worst fears started to come to mind. “Something’s in that building,” Spur pointed out in a hushed, but urgent whisper. The two unicorns froze and looked in that direction, but they did not see anything of note. “What was it?” one of the unicorns asked. “I don’t know, but I’m not staying out here.” Whether it was pure fear of the unknown or tactical wisdom, each pony in the small squad took shelter in the house across the street. Here they could at least feel safe, though the reality was different. Scanning every direction that was not blocked by still-standing walls, the squad kept watch in all directions watching for any threat that may present itself. They would not advance across a hot war zone unless they were certain that it was safe to do so. It was most unfortunate that there was no pegasus in the group, otherwise, they would have thought to check a crucial area for potential dangers: up. In a fraction of a second, a weak support beam went from sturdy to snapped-in-half. Two of the ponies reacted fast enough to dodge the falling debris and splintered wood, but one unicorn was trapped on the other side. He was not crushed by the disintegrating structure, but he would soon be wishing it had. It would have been a far more merciful death. Wooden beams and plaster was not the only thing to fall in that moment. There was something far more sinister. Something that made the trapped unicorn scream in panic and blindly fire what attack spells he could muster while fearfully retreating. He didn’t get far, however. In the middle of the street, the routed unicorn’s screams of fright morphed into blood-curling pain and agony. Only at this point did the rubble settle down, allowing the other two to hear the screams of their imperiled comrade. “Zapp!” the unicorn nearest Spur called out, “Are you hurt?” In the interval it took him to ask this questions, the screams silenced. “Come on, talk to me!” He would receive no reply. Only a low, barely audible sound was to be heard. It was a jarring mix of tearing cloth, wet slapping, and liquid squirting from some gelatinous substance. Words simply could not do it justice, it would have to be observed directly. This was one spectacle that could serve as capital punishment by Equestria’s standards. As the unicorn left his concealed position to check on Zapp, he was about to call out when what he saw held his tongue, widened his eyes and froze him where he stood. Whatever he saw made him visibly pale and nearly lose his lunch. Without a second thought, he turned tail and ran the other direction down the street. He had abandoned all sensibility, all tactics and decided to let his instincts take over and run for his life. It would be the last move he ever made. The unicorn barely made it ten yards away when he was tackled by one of the horrors the ponies had been fighting for the past few hours. It was unmistakably of its ilk, but this one was different, even more sinister than usual. It had no weapons in its hands, for the massive sharp, and still wet with blood, claws were weapons in their own right. In an instant the unicorn, whose name Spur would never learn, was impaled by the unforgiving claws. He should have died then and there, but this living horror had other plans. However long he lived, Spur would never forget the grizzly scene of a pony being flayed alive by a nightmarish demon in a tattered and bloody cloak. Upon further inspection, though, Spur did notice something odd about the beast’s hood. It was not uniform in color, sporting many tones the ponies of Ponyville once were. In fact, some sections had small icons on them. One of them he recognized: a crescent moon behind a dark cloud. It belonged to his wife’s best friend. As the monster finished pureeing its most recent victim to pulp, it added one more piece to its patchwork cloak: a navy blue section with a pair of crossed lightning bolts. He did not want to believe what he saw, but this was the same cutie mark of the nameless unicorn. Before he knew it, Spur was meeting this demon’s gaze from under its bloody cowl. It was already preparing for victim number three within the minute and he was fighting against his paralyzing state of fear. Motivated by survival instinct and adrenalin alone, Spur made a beeline for the best place he could think to go. Given the circumstances, however, the only safe place to be was as far away from here as physically possible. This being made of steel and sadism had already made short work of two unicorns. He hoped and prayed that he would not be the third. Much like with the other two victims, this one liked pouncing on its prey before delivering the killing blow. However, in its bid to simply incapacitate rather than kill, it miscalculated the trajectory. The razor sharp claws still connected with Spur’s hind legs, but only just. Still, this was enough to send him tumbling to the ground, coming to rest against a sturdy brick structure. Dazed and unbalanced after the tumble, Spur witnessed the beast struggling to get its claws free from the ground. Each pull it gave loosened the rending blades ever so slightly, but that still didn’t leave much time to escape. As his survival instincts kicked in again, he tried to order his legs to carry him to safety, but a shooting pain protested any movement. Looking down, he noticed a fairly serious pair of gashes right behind his right calf. It didn’t tear into the muscle, but it was still deep enough in the skin to paralyze him through pain alone. His front legs could only drag him so far before his soon-to-be assailant closed the distance. Hearing the metal blades freed from the dirt, Spur could not help but look toward the source of the unsettling sound. From his prone position, the gruesome beast looked all the more intimidating as its skin cloak swayed with each step. It must have wanted to savor this kill, or perhaps it thought this would be an easy task. Whatever the reason, it was simply walking up to Spur for the kill, not running and pouncing like before. Each step brought out some new horrifying detail he did not previously see. Another familiar cutie mark, the way the still fresh blood dripped off the scythe-like fingers, the unyielding green eyes that personified anger and suffering the likes of which Spur would never understand. Spur was trapped on three sides by brick masonry, so he couldn’t run anywhere even if his leg was in good shape. This would be his small corner would be his resting place, he fretted. For the first time in his life, his vehement fear of impending death brought tears to his eyes, but he was too scared to look away or blink. His ultimate nightmare as a casualty of war had come to exact its terrible toll. However, this would not be the end for the battered soldier. One moment, all he could see was the darkening sky and this monster’s silhouette against it, the next, a bright light from off to the side. It was enough to get his attacker’s attention and it would be his saving grace. The silver skeleton stopped its approach in the middle of the street and turned to survey its surroundings. Celestia must have unleashed a powerful spell, for a second later, a powerful shockwave ripped through the streets, carrying the beast away with it. Huge dust clouds and entire chunks of what were once houses followed, sailing through the air as if they were a foal’s toy. It was lucky that Spur was tucked away behind this brick structure, or he would have been caught up in the blast as well. None of the debris hit Spur, but he was still hit with a powerful shockwave, the force of which was like being stepped on by a stampeding elephant. He felt a similar sensation in his sensitive eyes and ears, like they were being forced deeper into his skull. Everything on his body was being hit at once, rendering him once again incapable of even reacting immediately. So intense was the event that he found himself blinded by the light, deafened by the noise, numbed by the shockwave and even more terrified than before. For almost ten nerve-wracking seconds, Spur was not sure if he had actually died or if Celestia herself had chosen to spare his life. Either way, he could not stay here, it was clearly too dangerous. With what strength he could muster, he got upright and limped through what remained of Ponyville. So many lesser structures had been demolished and there were almost no landmarks to be seen, but one beacon of hope stood out above all else: the Castle of Friendship. If Princess Twilight was still there, she would know what to do. Without any other viable options, the wounded stallion started his long and painful journey to the last sanctuary not decimated by the violence of the fighting. --- General Star’s secret weapon had certainly done its job, vaporizing anything in the immediate area and effectively destroying anything that was within several miles. The very edge of the weapon’s blast radius, places like Ponyville and Sweet Apple Acres, still suffered intense damage, but survivors would eventually emerge from their desperate shelters. Now that the Blood Angels had deployed their full fighting force, the ponies would no longer be desperately fighting a losing battle. With the aerial fighters doing the heavy lifting, the remaining robotic force was ground to oblivion by the formidable Thunderhawk fleets. The next objective was to secure the area and recover all chapter assets that could be salvaged. The gunships landed now that the battle was over and the tech adepts of the chapter began their work reclaiming the precious technological wonders of the Blood Angels ‘ vehicle pool. The ponies kept their distance as the armored behemoths spread out to salvage their property. Many of them have not even met Thane and the rest in Canterlot, so avoiding the hulking warriors was the safest option for them. Ulyss did finally manage to contact the squadron leader, who in turn relayed their situation to Captain Emanulos of the VI company. Emanulos was supremely skeptical at first that xenos would keep their battle brothers safe from harm, but authentication procedures were in place for this very reason. An hour later, Thane, Ulyss and Delk could reach the landing zone using Equestrian military transport blimps. Princess Luna also showed up to act as an ambassador to the pony race. Her Eldar form was what the company captains saw. Captain Niroces of the VIII company was but a young brother like Thane last time he was here on Equestria. Much like the ork Waaagh over two hundred years ago, the Blood Angels had no intention of staying. Besides, the explorator legion had done enough sampling and finally finished looking over their reports from the surface. This was not a planet worth settling, all things considered. It was obviously not of virgin soil, there was an army of powerful and ancient creatures hidden just beneath the surface and the indigenous creatures could put up far more of a fight than anyone thought possible. It would cost more to incorporate this planet into the Imperium than it could possibly produce. --- [DOCSTART] [HEADSTART] Document ID: 66482010G-K66 Time of File: 22:18:00 1-025-995.M41 Transcribing Librarian: Codicier Tern Gureros, Blood Angels VI Company [HEADEND] [CONTENTSTART] Blood Angels Chapter responded to a routine request for Astartes support for Explorator Fleet DU-334.A. Fleet was to explore and document planet designation 3-885-G45.GAMMA, codename ‘Equus’. VI and VIII companies transferred from reserve training to active duty deployment. Resistance from feral wildlife was expected to be minimal, but some species were more aggressive than initially suggested. One hive of particularly territorial and dominant reptilian creatures nearly eliminated the VI company’s reserve of Thunderhawk gunships. Three standard terran days later, all available craft were mobilized to combat any potential threats while the casualties were recovered from the surface. The chapter appeared to arrive in the middle of a civil war, as the life forms were already warring when the main force entered atmosphere. First contact was suspected Eldar or Tau automaton defenses, although no samples could be collected for verification. Explorator Fleet DU-334.A reported unfavorable conditions for Imperial settlement and no economic value in harvesting what little resources were found. Official declaration for Equus was nullius pretii – an endeavor not worth the investment of Imperial time, personnel or resources. In total, 85 astartes were killed in action, 2 still MIA, and 1 dead from . Of the fallen and missing brothers, 81 geneseed was recovered with 1 salvageable, but needing to be purified of . 40 Thunderhawks out of the available 80 were lost as casualties, but all were recovered and sent to the mechanicus for reconstruction. [CONTENTEND] [DOCEND] It would take two whole weeks of tireless work, but the Blood Angels collected all their property and left Equestria without a glance back. Many of the ponies were relieved to finally see them go, but at the same time, many saw their arrival as a blessing. If the demons from the Everfree forest were not countered by the Blood Angels’ superior firepower, there may not be an Equestria right now. --- Back in Canterlot, Princess Celestia made a full recovery and resumed her duties as co-ruler of Equestria. Luna was relieved to be sharing the workload again, but she still had a whole host of questions for Celestia. Looking over the balcony of the Royal Castle’s highest tower, Celestia watched as Ponyville made impressive progress rebuilding. “Celestia, do you have a moment?,” Luna asked as she walked up to her sister. “Of course, Luna,” Celestia responded, “Is something wrong?” Given recent events, it was reasonable for Celestia to have concerns that all may not be as well as it seems. “How long have you known of the Blood Angels?” Her question was met with stunned silence. “What about the beings from beneath Everfree?” Again, no answer, as if the explanation was a great shame to Celestia. She could not bring herself to answer Luna’s questions, only gaze out at the battered section of her otherwise beautiful world. “I couldn’t tell you about it,” Celestia finally replied, “none of it.” Luna did not know what to make of her sister’s vague response. “I’m your sister,” Luna said, her frustration slowly growing, “There is nothing you can tell me that would make me think less of you.” Instead of making her open up, Celestia got even more reclusive. “I want to trust you with the knowledge, Luna, I really do, but...” Celestia’s thought trailed off just as she pondered all the things she had seen before she made Equestria her home. Luna was not Celestia’s sister by blood, but their spirits were certainly kindred. Luna was able to read so many thoughts and visons simply by looking with her mind’s eye. Visions of a thousand-year war that had its origins many more thousands of years prior. Unimaginable numbers of warriors fighting against their enemies and sometimes, each other. Billions perished from the actions of a single man. Chaos and discord pervading societies where order was absent. Celestia herself even appeared in a few of these visions. It was nowhere near clear, but this small taste gave Luna just enough insight to at least see the scale of events she just witnessed. All this information, she got in the interval where Celestia’s thoughts trailed off. “But you don’t think they could handle the truth,” Luna said, finishing her sister’s sentence. Celestia just sighed with weary resignation. She had let her thoughts be revealed and there was nothing more to hide. “This isn’t the first time something like this has happened, has it?” It was all becoming clear to Luna now. Though the details were absent, the concept was plain as day. “Nowhere near the first. Luckily, time erases most of the memory of the destruction and loss. This time will be no different. Three or four generations from now, the ponies will not even remember any of this.” This was not the energetic and free-spirited Celestia that Luna remembered a thousand years ago. Something changed her. “So,” Luna began, disgusted with Celestia’s attitude to the situation, “if two drunkards in a tavern bring their fight in your direction, you do not think to fight back? And when it does happen, your response is to just forget about it?” “It’s worked for over a thousand years,” Celestia replied calmly, but firmly, “it will work for a thousand more.” “It won’t be a thousand if we keep getting hit like this,” Luna snapped back, “You should tell all you can about what you know.” The mere mention of this act brought Celestia’s deepest fears to the surface. “Teach these creatures to defend themselves, let them contend with those big fish in this small pond. They should-” “I will not jeopardize a lifetime of work over the squabbles of aliens!” Celestia grabbed Luna by the shoulders and shouted to get the message across. Luna ceased her insistences for fear of incurring Celestia’s wrath. Soon enough, Celestia calmed herself and released her grip on her sister. “Equestria is the first place in millennia to be built on peace, love and friendship,” Celestia explained, regaining her calm demeanor, “The ponies proved that it can be done and I don’t want to see it fall to petty fighting.” Without further words, Celestia left a dumbfounded Luna standing on the balcony. To her credit, Celestia did have a lengthy history of surviving a violent galaxy. Just about every corner of the Milky Way was involved in war in one way or another. Equestria, her creation, was the very antithesis of this way of life. It was nearly brought to oblivion by a comparatively meager event compared to the more invested battles. Her policy of isolation couldn’t possibly have lasted this long on love and tolerance alone. What was certainly not helping was maintaining a state of blissful ignorance to what lay beyond the stars. After all, if they knew nothing but their own world, how could they hope to combat something the likes of which they have never seen? Regardless, Celestia was still the de facto ruler of Equestria. Her policies would stand without opposition for now, but it would only be a matter of time before a true challenge came for Equestria.