The next morning found Applejack sitting with the other earth pony sergeants in a large pavilion while Captain Swift gave them their briefing. He paraded back and forth in front of a large map of the surrounding area, occasionally indicating a specific location.
"Our primary objective is to defend the orchards. Most of the unicorns will be occupied with the defense there so you and the pegasi will bear the brunt of the fighting. The town itself is our secondary objective. A few unicorn squads will be positioned there, as will our buffalo allies. In order minimize the pressure on Appaloosa, we will attempt to drive the majority of the swarm into the rock formations to the north. That is where your squads will be posted. The rocks will provide you with cover from metorite attacks, but will also make it easier to be cut off, so don't get caught up in skirmishes. Stay focused on the larger battle. Should retreat be necessary, you will fall back to the orchard and assist in the defense there until you receive new orders." Swift stopped his pacing to stand in front of the map and delivered his final comments. "Scouts report the swarm is seventy leagues away, so we expect the attack before nightfall. Check your individual assignments," he indicated a list tagged up next to the map, "Report to the medical station for tagging and get to your posts. Good luck everypony. Dismissed."
Applejack stood and went to the map with the other officers. It was always easy to find her initials on these alphabetized lists. Her orders were to link up with a heavy weapons squad on the primary firing line. The orange pony gave a dissatisfied grunt. A position on the primary firing line was one of the most dangerous assignments as they were often the first positions targeted. She told herself that it wasn't just Swift being petty over the way she had gone over his head with the princess. It was just a job that needed doing and her squad was more than capable. But after some consideration, Applejack realized she might be able to turn the situation to her advantage. She scanned through the list again to find which squad was attached to Big Mac's, then searched the crowd of sergeants until she found who she was looking for.
"Hey, Qucksilver, don't suppose you'd mind switching assignments with me," she called.
The other officer paused to check what she'd be getting herself into, then shook her head with a smile. "You know that's against regulations," she said.
Applejack just snorted, saying, "Ah know, but don't ya think the pony who saved your flank from a burning airship deserves a little special treatment?"
"Well when you put it that way, I guess I might 'accidentally' set up at the wrong post," Quicksilver said.
Applejack thanked the other sergeant and went off to assemble her squad in as high of spirits as was possible before a fight. It would be good to have Big Mac nearby during the battle. She could count on him to watch her back and she could be sure he was safe.
Her squad was just packing up the last of their gear as she trotted up. Applejack took a moment to look over her squad mates. Their silent efficiency spoke of their nervousness, but they also moved with purpose. Autumn double checked the contents of her medic's bag with a practiced eye. Dusty withdrew a cleaning rod from his rifle's barrel in a quick fluid motion and set the weapon on it's saddle mount. Star Gazer and Glitter were helping each other strap their close-combat blades to their hind hooves. Lancer swung his grenade bandoleer over a shoulder and looked up as Applejack approached.
"What's the word Buck Sergeant?" he asked.
Applejack set to arming herself as she briefed her squad on their assignment. The familiarity of the routine brought forth the familiar, cold and controlled mindset that accompanied battle. It was always slightly unsettling, but long months of war had honed her ability to put all negative emotions aside. As a veteran soldier, she knew how to focus on the job, trust her instincts, and absorb the terrors of combat. It was not good, but it was necessary. The war left no room for worries about her mental and spiritual well being. The soldier's only concern could be getting through the next battle.
Once she was ready, Applejack led her squad to the medical station. A squad of unicorns was busy tagging the pony combatants with a spell that made them pulse with a low, green light. The changelings couldn't reproduce the glow and they seemed to have difficulty in distinguishing green from surrounding colors. So, not only did the tagging perfectly counter their shape changing ability, it also helped to break up the ponies' outlines, acting as a basic camouflage.
The process took a bit longer than Applejack was comfortable with and by the time her squad was tagged, the sun had already crested and was descending toward the western horizon. In the back of her mind, she knew there was probably plenty of time before the swarm arrived. Still, it's difficult not to hurry when you know an army of creatures intent on killing you is approaching. That thought seemed to be on everypony's mind as Applejack led her squad out of the town. There wasn't much more the Appaloosans could do to fortify their town, but the ponies who had elected to stay still seemed to be finding ways to occupy themselves. Stockpiling food and water, transporting weapons, sharpening extra stakes for barricades. It didn't matter if the task was unnecessary so long as it let them believe they were preparing for the assault.
The soldiers left the town behind in short order, heading out into the rocky labyrinth to the north. It took a while for Applejack to reconcile the landmarks with the layout she'd seen on the map, but with some direction from the soldiers who were there she managed to find the heavy weapons squad. They were set up on the top of a tall outcropping. The squad consisted of three, two-pony teams. In each team, one member bore the swarm-buster cannon and the other loaded and fired the gun. Big Mac's strength made him perfect for carrying the massive weapon. He looked rightly intimidating under the huge gun, but, under the circumstances, that just made him an even more welcome sight.
"Howdy, brother," Applejack said. The red stallion turned to smile at her by way of greeting but said nothing. He was even quieter than usual before a battle. Applejack didn't press her sibling. Over the years, she'd learned that his silence was sometimes more valuable. There had been several one-sided conversations that wound up leading her to just the right conclusion. Unfortunately, this time they had no time for their usual discourse. A cry from one of the heavy weapon gunners drew the squads' attention to a black cloud in the distance. It contorted as it moved across the desert like a great, dark amoeba. The swarm was here.
"Alright folks, it's almost party time. Everyone spread out and find some cover," Applejack ordered. Once her squad was settled into position, she found a good spot for herself where the rock formation jutted up, providing some protection. With a twist of her hips, the special mount for her rifle swung the weapon out in a tight arc that ended with the butt of the weapon resting on top of her shoulder. It was an ingenious design, thought up by Princess Luna when she was still in exile as Nightmare Moon. An intricate enchantment allowed the rifle to be aimed and fired as if it were part of it's wielder's body so ponies could move freely and fire at the same time.
Kneeling, she rested the barrel of her rifle on the stone in front of her and waited. All eyes were on the approaching swarm. Sweat beaded on Applejack's forehead. The heat of daytime was just beginning to wane, but the rocks had been baking all day. The warmth they gave off was enough make the ponies uncomfortable, but nopony would break the silence to complain. Hours past. The sun crawled lower and lower until it touched the horizon, casting a red light across the sand.
Something was wrong. Finally, Star Gazer gave voice to question on everypony's mind. "Why are they moving so slow?"
"Could be they're waiting for nightfall," Autumn said.
"Maybe," Applejack replied with a frown. Something about the situation nagged at her. She dug her binoculars out of her saddlebag to take a closer look. The changelings were flying in a tight formation, so close together that they created a solid wall of chitin and fangs. It was a strange tactic. Usually they approached in a loose formation, making the ponies' explosives and bullets less effective. "They're up to somethin'. Stay sharp everypony."
Movement to the south of the swarm caught Applejack's eye. With her binoculars, she could see that the pegasi squadrons were launching. The battle was underway. Machine guns flashed, their chatter muffled by the distance. Applejack watched as black specks tumbled off the swarm. A few groups of changelings broke off to engage their attackers, slinging beams of green energy at the ponies, but the pegasi clearly had the advantage. The bulk of the swarm changed course, moving straight towards the rocks where the earth ponies waited.
"They're almost in range. Get those cannons ready!" Applejack called over her shoulder.
"What are they doing now?" Star Gazer said.
Applejack turned back to see the swarm descending rapidly. About twenty meters from the ground, the swarm split and a gigantic black thing emerged like a maggot hatching from an egg. It resembled a four-legged spider with a long abdomen which it held up, towering over its grotesque, insectoid head. A long, jagged horn protruded above seven multifaceted, green eyes and two sets of gigantic wings churned the air as it descended. It's clawed feet impacted the ground with a dull thud, sending a tremor through the ground.
"What in tarnation is that!?" Dusty shouted.
"That's a big problem," Star Gazer replied weakly.
Another squadron of pegasi swooped down toward the monstrosity, guns blazing. It's thick exoskeleton didn't seem phased by the ponie's bullets, but it's massive head swiveled to track the pegasi. It's horn began to glow green and suddenly, a huge gout of flame spewed out with a roar to engulf the flying ponies.
"Woah!" Lancer shouted with evident shock.
Applejack turned to her brother, "Big Mac, is that thing in range?"
"Eeyup!"
"Okay, ya'll know what to do."
Applejack covered her ears as the heavy weapons squad opened fire. The cannons' bright yellow, glowing projectiles arced toward the changeling beast. Other squads up and down the line must have had the same idea. An impressive volley of cannon rounds erupted from the rock formation. At the apex of their arc, each round split into five smaller ones, filling the sky with brilliant trails of light. Some of the projectiles detonated on the surrounding swarm but most impacted directly on the giant changeling. Applejack had to turn away from the intense, flashing explosions. Their muffled thunder followed after a brief lag. The earth pony looked back, expecting to find a crater where the creature had been. Instead, the changeling stood completely unscathed.
For a minute, Applejack just stared, dumbfounded. That thing had just eaten the most destructive force that the earth ponies could throw and it didn't even look like it had noticed. It's mass made it seem like it moved in slow motion as it lifted one of its legs to take a step toward Appaloosa.
"What should we do sarge?" Star Gazer's question shook Applejack back into her commander's mindset.
"There's nothing we can do to stop that thing. The unicorns might be able to stop it, but we have to keep the rest of that swarm occupied." Her squad mates nodded, but they were shaken by the monstrosity's apparent invulnerability. If they were going to survive, Applejack had to snap them out of it. "Hey! Focus! The pegasi are pushing the changelings this way and we gotta job to do. Dusty and Lancer, aim for groups and hit them before they split up. Glitter and Star, you take any who get in close. Autumn, you watch our back, keep an escape rout open."
The ponies regained a degree of confidence once they had their orders. Satisfied, Applejack settled back against her rock and watched the pegasi drive the changelings toward them. The swarm-busters were firing in earnest now, lobbing round after round into the swarm. Changelings tumbled out of the sky, crippled by shrapnel or shockwave, but there were always more to come. It only took a few minutes before they had pushed far enough that Applejack had to start taking shots at them. She relaxed into the recoil of her weapon, squeezing off three round bursts, each time leading her target with a practiced eye. She didn't keep count of her kills, but it seemed like she was reloading too often.
For the first few minutes of the battle, the changelings were primarily concerned with the pegasi, but they couldn't ignore the volley's of missiles forever. A small group of the creatures broke off from the aerial battle to descend on the earth ponies.
"Lancer!" Applejack called.
"I see em, sarge!"
Gunshots thundered against Applejack's ears as Dusty and Lancer opened fire on the approaching squadron. Two went down in splashes of green gore, but at least ten were still screaming toward the ponies. Applejack took three shots at the leading changeling, missing each time. Why was it always harder to hit an enemy that was flying straight at you? Finally, the earth pony was able to clip her target, sending it tumbling into the desert sands. More gunshots rang out as Glitter and Star Gazer added their bullets to the volley. Five more changelings were felled, but there was no time to finish the few that were still coming. Brilliant green coronas materialized in front of them and for a heart-stopping moment Applejack thought they would detonate, but they must have been planning to land and overwhelm the ponies with numbers. The tactic might have worked if more of them had made it through the ponies' barrage. As it was, only four came crashing down atop the rock formation.
Applejack shrugged against the small hunks of stone that pelted out from the nearest impact. Before the air could clear, the pony sergeant leaped into the nearest changeling's crater. Changelings were always stunned momentarily after a hard insertion like that, providing a small opportunity to attack. The pony sergeant landed, twisted her body in the familiar motion, raised her hind legs and struck the changeling as it was staggering to its feet. There was a click as the mechanism of her hoof knives activated, snapping the blades forward to puncture the creature's chitinous hide. The creature made a sound somewhere between a growl and a gurgle then fell silent as it crumpled to the ground.
The dust to her left swirled in a blur of motion as another changeling rocketed toward her. Applejack wrenched every muscle in her back as she reared up and twisted out of the way, narrowly avoiding the creature's jagged horn. In a moment of poor judgment, the changeling drone skidded to a stop, sending pieces of gravel cascading over the edge of the rock face. It spun quickly, it's green eyes flashing strangely in the red glow of sunset until it's head exploded, sending globs of sticky blood in every direction. Two more gunshots followed the one that had coincided with the changelings death. A quick glance showed the pony sergeant that her squad had dealt with the last two enemies. A similar scene was playing out up and down the front line as the swarm fled from the pegasi squadrons. Green fireballs streaked past, a few of them detonating and blowing chunks of stone off of the labyrinth's walls. The din of battle rose up from below as the other squads sprung the trap.
"Incoming!"
Applejack wasn't sure which of her squadmates had shouted the warning, but that didn't keep her from throwing herself flat as a meteorite bomb slammed into their outcropping. It wasn't a direct hit, luckily, but the blast was deafening. The ponies covered their heads as rocky shrapnel rained down.
"Everypony okay?!" Applejack shouted over the ringing in her ears. There were a few grunts in the affirmative, and no screams of pain. That would have to be good enough. "The swarm busters aren't gonna do any more good here. Let's get them down where there's some cover. Star, Glitter, you two take point. The rest o' y'all stay close to the heavies. I've got the rear. Ya ready to move Big Mac?" She looked over to where her brother was struggling back to his feet. The big stallion nodded and they moved out.
There was no shortage of enemies down in the labyrinth, but the close quarters restricted their movement, making them relatively easy pickings for the saddle rifles. The battle was well under way now. The ponies waded through the carnage gunning down most of their targets before they had a chance to engage. Occasionally, a meteorite bomb would strike worryingly close, but the rocks prevented them from getting a good angle. The shrapnel from the explosions was still dangerous though, as one of the heavy gunners discovered as he was struck on the shoulder by a good-sized piece. His limping slowed them down slightly, but they eventually made it to an area near the labyrinth's edge where the rock formations were lower. It was the perfect place to set up the swarm busters, but it was already swirling with a knot of struggling ponies and changelings.
The battle was going poorly as most of the pony squads were pikeponies. Their heavy armor and long spears made them perfect for guarding narrow passes and stopping charges, but out in the open like they were, the swift and agile drones had the advantage. They would dart in past the menacing tips of the ponies' pikes to sink their horns or fangs into the armor gaps. The ponies needed help, and fast.
"Pick your targets, but be careful of the friendlies!" Applejack ordered. Her squad opened fire, taking the changelings by surprise. She watched one after another fall before her iron sights, soaking the sand in green blood. A number of them took flight, buzzing in a semicircle to come at the squad from the side. Applejack drew a bead on one that seemed to be gunning for her in particular. She waited until it was only about ten feet away before taking the shot. Just as she urged her rifle to fire, the flying creature gave a quick downward stroke of its wings, propelling it upward in the blink of an eye. Even as Applejack's bullet whizzed harmlessly under it, the changeling drove down at the pony sergeant, hooves first. Applejack winced away from the attack, managing to take it on her shoulder instead of her head. Pain erupted in the joint as the impact smashed her down into the sand. Before she could fight back, her opponent brought one hoof arcing over to strike her across the jaw. The blow might have broken her neck if the ground hadn't been there to stop her head. Any thought of defending herself was consumed by pain and disorientation. She knew she should move her legs but couldn't remember how. She could see the leering face of the changeling standing triumphantly above her. It leaned down, lowering it's razor sharp fangs to her neck. Primal fear rose up in Applejack's chest as she watched death close in.
So this was it. She'd finally run out of luck. She considered closing her eyes, but decided she wanted to use them as long as she could. Then, just as the tip of the pointed teeth touched her skin, a shadow passed over her face as something collided with the changeling. Her would-be killer was flung backwards, propelled by a powerful kick. Then Big Mac lunged over her toward the drone. It tried to scuttle away, but wasn't fast enough as the stallion stalked forward. His face was the image of rage as he reared onto his hind legs. He brought his front hooves down with all his weight, crushing the changeling with a squishy crack.
Then Autumn was standing over her. Applejack was sure the medic was trying to be gentle as she turned her head from side to side, but the movement brought on a wave of excruciating pain.
"No concussion," she said, "But her jaw might be fractured."
"Ah'm fine, ah'm fine," Applejack said, fighting not to slur her words. Despite her bodies protests, she sat up, took a moment for the world to stop spinning, then came to her feet. The rest of the changelings must have fled. One of the pikeponies trotted up to them.
"I thought we were done. We owe you one sergeant," he said, saluting with his spear.
"It's nothin'" Applejack replied, "Ya'll woulda done the same fer me. We'd be much obliged if ya'll could help us defend this heavy squad. We could--" BZZZZZZZZAAAAAHHHHHH
The noise that interrupted her was somewhere between a roar and a buzz and so loud the ponies all dropped, clamping their hooves to their ears. It didn't take long to identify the source of the noise. During the battle, the giant changeling monstrosity had moved up on the labyrinth. There was no sign of the pegasi that had been harassing it. They'd either been recalled or shot down. All at once, the changeling swarm took flight in a flurry of wings and chitin leaving the ponies standing in absolute silence.
"I thought that thing was heading toward Appaloosa," Star Gazer said in a hushed tone.
As her words trailed off, the monster's horn began to glow.
"Get down!" Applejack shrieked as the changeling projected a beam of green fire down onto the battlefield. Rock was blown apart and melted to slag under the intensity of the blast. Screams of fear and pain shattered the stillness. The beam swept across the labyrinth, leaving a rift of destruction in its wake.
"Orders sarge?" came Dusty's voice.
Applejack glanced from the beam, which was plowing toward them at a steady rate, to the open desert between them and Appaloosa. They'd have no cover out there, but it didn't look like that would matter anyway.
"Get back to the town! With any luck the unicorns might have a way to stop that thing!" The other ponies hesitated at the prospect of running across so much open terrain. "It's our only chance! Get a move on!"
Glitter was the first one to start running and the others followed quickly. Big Mac simply hauled the wounded member of his squad onto his back next to his swarm buster cannon and then took off across the desert. Applejack followed behind them. Her injuries made the run a living hell. Every stride sent a lance of pain through her shoulder and her head throbbed in rhythm with her gait. As the sun dwindled behind the horizon, it was easier to make out the gentle, green pulsing of other magically tagged ponies fleeing the terrible power of the giant changeling. There didn't seem to be very many. An explosion of green blossomed to Applejack's left, then another, closer on the other side. The changeling drones were bombing the retreating ponies. Applejack gritted her teeth and tried to put on more speed. She could see the barricade, but it might as well have been a hundred miles away. Another explosion, this one close enough to shower her with stinging sand. Her breath echoed in her ears and everything else seemed to be muted. Lancer swerved to avoid another meteorite bomb. The impact almost threw him off balance, but he managed to recover. They were almost there. Tiny points of light rose up from the town's fortifications as swarm buster missiles streaked toward the circling changelings. Almost there.
A flash of green burst in front of Applejack's eyes and and a shock wave shuddered through her body, rattling every bone on the way through. Then she was weightless. Looking down, she saw the clear, desert sky beyond her hooves. The only sound was the wind rushing past her ears. Her muscles relaxed. It would have been peaceful, but some nagging detail told her that everything was all wrong. Then the ground came out of nowhere, slamming into injured shoulder and everything went black.
The pain was the first thing to return. Then voices, fading and coming back like she was being repeatedly dunked under water.
"--an't just leave her!"
"No choi--."
"Autumn, gi-- me somethi--"
"--e's alive but --ot breathing. --arge! Sergeant! APPLEJACK!!"
She gasped, drawing air painfully through her raw throat. Even her lungs were soar. She opened her eyes, but everything was a double image. Slowly, she managed to force her eyes to focus. Autumn's amber eyes were huge, filled with worry. And something else.
"Why are you lookin' at me like that, private?" the pony sergeant asked.
Tears spilled down the other pony's cheeks. "Sarge, your leg."
Applejack leaned her head to the side so she could look down. There was a lot of blood. Was all that hers? It took a moment for her to comprehend what she was looking at but it slowly became clear.
A sort of grim humor washed through her. "What're ya talkin' about? There's no leg there."
From somewhere came a loud sob. Applejack looked around. Her squad was all there, standing over here. Star Gazer was crying.
"Where's Big Mac?"
"Ah'm here," Relief swelled as she heard her brother's deep, comforting voice. As he limped into view, she saw that his swarm buster was mangled but still attached to his back. He was no longer carrying the injured squadmate. Somehow, Applejack knew he was dead.
BZZZZZZZZAAAAAHHHHHH
Applejack cringed and looked back the way they had come. The monster changeling was almost in range, moving with ponderous, inevitable steps. The remainder of the swarm was landing, coalescing around the monster's heels. Steel crept into the earth pony's spine as she realized what she had to do.
"Dusty," she called without taking her gaze off the approaching changeling.
"Sarge?"
"You're in charge now. Get everypony back to town."
"You're coming too," Dusty said defiantly, "Big Mac can carry you."
"That'll just make the bleeding worse. Ah'm not gonna make it."
"Then we'll take it slow," her squad mate's voice broke as he suppressed a sob.
"Ah'm not arguin' with you!" Applejack shouted. "Look, the swarm's on the ground now. They're gonna march right up to Appaloosa and there's nothing the pegasi can do about it. They'll kill anypony left out here. I've spent this war keepin' ya'll alive, and I will NOT have you die on account o' me. Besides, they're gonna need your help with the defense. Now get a move on! Go!"
Dusty fell silent, and clamped his eyes shut. Still, a few tears managed to leak out over his muzzle. It looked like he might protest again, but he checked himself. Then, slowly, he turned saying "It's been an honor sarge."
Star Gazer looked like she would argue too but Applejack caught her eye and shook her head gently. It was a simple gesture, more of a request than an order. She knew her squad would respect her wishes, no matter how much it hurt.
The younger mare dropped her gaze, tears wetting the sand beneath her face. "G'bye Buck Sergeant."
"Okay ponies," Dusty said, adding the edge of command to his voice, "Let's go."
Then, with a patter of hooves on sand, they were gone, heading for safety. Applejack leaned back, resting her head on the ground and gazing up at the stars. There was a heavy thump as Big Mac plopped down next to her.
"You should go with 'em."
"Nope."
Applejack couldn't help but smile. Her brother, stubborn to the very end. Well, hopefully it wouldn't be his end. If she wasn't gone before the horde of changelings caught up with them, she'd make him leave. He might be stubborn, but he wouldn't throw his life away. He'd have a chance to get back to the town. Maybe even make it through the rest of the war and start a family. Heck, there was no reason he couldn't rebuild Sweet Apple Acres. Applejack wasn't sure what the chances for any of that were, but she was dying. She deserved to indulge in comforting thoughts. Another idea floated to the front of her mind.
"Big Mac," she said.
"Uh huh?"
"Come back for me after the battle. . . And. . . get me back to the farm. Ya know, someday when this war is over. Put me in the Apple Orchard, by Mom and Dad."
The gentle weight of Big Mac's hoof pressed against her own.
"Yup," he said.
With a contentedness she hadn't felt since the war began, Applejack closed her eyes and drifted. For a while, she was back in Sweet Apple Acres amidst the fragrant trees that were her pride and joy. Soft, fertile soil mixed with hard packed dirt under her hooves. Wind sighed through the leaves and sunlight broke through the foliage, dappling the ground in swaying patterns of light and shadow. Everything was familiar and comforting and peaceful. Perfect.
A nudge against her injured shoulder brought her out of her reverie, back to the broken body that was lying in the middle of the desert. Her leg hurt. Confusion racked her mind as she remembered that she didn't have that leg anymore. How could she still feel pain there?
Big Mac nudged her again.
"What're ya doing that fer?" she asked, almost irritably.
In response, her brother pointed back toward Appaloosa. Applejack looked up to see a group of green, pulsing lights headed toward them. More tagged ponies. But why would they be running toward the giant changeling? As they drew nearer, Big Mac waved.
"Cousin!" Braeburn exclaimed. "What're you doing out-- oh no." The Appaloosan skidded to a stop, spraying sand over Applejack. It was irritating, but she was too tired to say anything. "Hey!" Braeburn shouted, "We need help over here! Tell me one of you knows some healing magic." Applejack's thoughts stirred sluggishly, like cold molasses. Magic? That meant unicorns.
Somepony else trotted up.
"Dear Celestia," they said in an unfamiliar voice.
"Can you help her?" Braeburn asked.
"I think so, hold her still."
Applejack closed her eyes against a white glow. A sudden tingling in her leg nearly made her yelp. It was like a thousand ants were crawling over her thigh, and then inside her leg. She let out an involuntary moan as the strange sensation engulfed the limb. Then the tingling evolved into a sharp ache that quickly receded along with the glow. The earth pony looked down. The blood was still there, but the ragged edges of torn muscle and bone had been replaced with a smooth stump. Sudden weariness overwhelmed her and she sank back down, letting her vision blur.
"She's still lost a lot of blood. You should get her back to the medical station," the unfamiliar voice continued.
"Eeyup." Applejack felt her brother's gentle strength as he pulled her onto his back. It was an uncomfortable position. It took more effort than she had expected, but the pony sergeant finally managed to push herself up so that her front legs hung around Big Mac's thick neck. The big stallion started toward the barricade at a steady trot.
"It's a good thing we found you." Braeburn said, matching pace with them. His voice had an edge of excitement to it.
Applejack grunted in agreement with as much enthusiasm as she could manage. "What're ya'll doin' out here anyways?"
Her cousin gave a wolfish grin as they trotted along. "The unicorns think they can combine their spells into something powerful enough to take out that giant changeling. Me and a couple other Appaloosans went along to make sure none of the drones got any ideas." Here, the stallion tilted his head toward the battered-looking saddle rifle he wore. Applejack didn't ask how he'd gotten the weapon. The ponies had brought a few spares, but it was entirely possible Braeburn's had come from a casualty. "Looks like that won't be a problem though, the bugs are sticking to that thing like flies to honey." Applejack twisted her neck, ignoring the accompanying pain, to see that the swarm had indeed gathered completely around their gigantic counterpart. A few drones buzzed around the thing's towering abdomen, but most clustered at it's feet.
"Not sure why they don't just fly over and attack now," Braeburn concluded.
"The drones ain't a match for the pegasi, so they're coming in on the ground," Applejack replied, "But they have to wait until the big one takes down the town's defenses."
"Shoot cuz, you oughta be some kind of strategist or somthing. Anywho, I'm just glad they're not bombing us anymore. Hey, they're startin'!" the Appaloosan halted in his tracks to look back where a brilliant orb of white light was gathering in front of the unicorn squad. As the orb grew, sparks began to arc across its surface. The air hummed with the raw power that the ponies were conjuring. This could work., Applejack thought.
But the display had drawn the changeling's notice as well. It's insectoid head swiveled, pointing its wicked horn directly at the threat. Applejack's heart hammered in her chest as she watched both ponies and changeling gather power. "Come on, come on," she growled.
What happened next took place in the blink of an eye. The beam of flame issued from the changeling's horn, illuminating the night with a green glow. Applejack thought it was over when the beam struck the ground in front of the ponies, but somehow they managed to complete the spell. A pulse of energy sent a shockwave bubbling through the air as the orb of white-hot power shot forth. It seemed to be moving in slow motion as it devoured the space between it and the changeling. Then it erupted in a flash that would put Celestia's midday sun to shame. For an instant everything was silence, then a crack of super-heated air expanding sent Applejack and her family members sprawling. The mare tumbled from her brother's back. She tried to catch herself, but she wasn't used to having only three legs and she crashed face first into the sand.
She didn't pass out again, but it was a close call. With eyes clenched shut against the pain in her head, she rolled to a sitting position. Once she was stable she opened her eyes. Big Mac and Braeburn were in a similar state nearby. There was no sound. She brought one hoof up to rub at her ear, but it came away with a few drops of blood. A ruptured eardrum. Applejack couldn't worry about that now. She looked up, expecting to find the charred remains of a giant changeling. Instead, there was a scene of absolute chaos.
The unicorn's blast hadn't hit directly. One of the monstrosity's legs had been blown off and it currently lay, struggling on its side. The swarm was in disarray, running and flying in every direction. A blackened crater scarred the desert where the unicorns had been. A few tattered bodies were scattered around the crater. Applejack doubted they would rise again.
BZZZZZZZZAAAAAHHHHHH The changeling's roar was more pitiful than intimidating now that it was lying in a rapidly spreading pool of it's own blood.
"Is that it then?" Braeburns voice was faint, but accompanied by various other noises as Applejack's hearing returned. As if to spite the stallion's hopeful question, the changeling dug one of its remaining legs into the sand and dragged its massive body closer to the Apples and Appaloosa.
A sudden wave of hopelessness washed through Applejack, compounding her fatigue. With a groan, she sank down, resting her chin in the grit. "There's just no stopin' it."
"Ah can do it."
Both Applejack and Braeburn turned to Big Mac without comprehension. There had a been a note of finality in the big stallion's words that scared Applejack.
"What do ya mean you can do it?" the orange mare asked with trepidation.
"Ah'll stop it."
"And just how're ya gonna do that?" Applejack said, her fear bringing a angry edge to her voice. There was something in her brother's eyes. Sadness, but determination. She'd never seen him look quite like that and for some reason it was terrifying.
With a toss of his head, Big Mac indicated his mangled swarm buster cannon. "You know that ain't gonna work," Applejack continued, "It's so beat up all the missiles'll are likely to explode--" Her voice trailed off as Big Mac locked his emerald eyes with hers. Horrible understanding dawned as she looked into her brother's face. "No," she said weakly, "No, you can't do that. We'll think of something else."
The only argument Big Mac gave was a slight shake of his head. He was right. The swarm was disrupted for now, but they'd soon return to the giant changeling and it wasn't likely they would allow another strike. If something was to be done, it would have to be now.
"Ya just can't--" her throat constricted on the last words. Suddenly, the big stallion pulled Applejack into a crushing embrace. Her vision swam as tears began flowing uncontrollably down her cheeks. She squeezed him back, desperately, burying her face in his soft, red hide. "This ain't the way it's supposed to be," she said, her whole body convulsing with sobs.
"Nope," Big Mac said quietly. Then he gently extricated himself, saying "Braeburn."
The other stallion sniffed and nodded. "I'll get her back. Don't worry."
With a grunt, Big Mac turned back to his sister one last time. "Love you."
The words broke Applejack's heart. It took all of her will, but she managed to steady her voice long enough to say, "Love you too."
With his signature, peaceful smile he turned toward the lamed changeling and sprinted. Applejack had never seen him run so fast. It must have been nearly two hundred yards to where the monstrosity lay. It didn't seem to be aware of him at all until he was only a few strides from it's face. The thing growled, but it was already too late. Big Mac disappeared under the thing's head lodging the dysfunctional cannon up against it's flexible neck. For a moment, nothing happened. Briefly, Applejack hoped the cannon just hadn't worked and she'd see her brother crawl out and come running back.
But then the orange flash of an explosion shattered her hopes. Green blood splattered up against the changeling's carapace. A second later, the dull thud of detonation reached Applejack and Braeburn, followed by a second thud as the monster's head dropped to the ground. It's whole form went limp and it seemed to sink a bit into the sand.
Big Macintosh was gone, but grief would have to wait as the swarm roared to life and charged straight at Appaloosa in a last ditch effort to overwhelm the city. Most of the drones were on the ground and thundering directly at the two ponies still caught in the no-man's land.
"We gotta move!" Braeburn shouted, yanking Applejack's front leg up over his shoulder. They got maybe ten paces before Applejack tripped, dragging them both down. They both looked over their shoulders, watching as certain death closed in on them. The thundering of hooves grew louder and louder. But Applejack noticed it was coming from the wrong direction. Spinning around, she was just in time to see Little Strongheart and Chief Thunderhooves at the head of a hoard of charging buffalo.
Applejack let out an involuntary cry of surprise. The young, female buffalo noticed and veered toward them. "Stay still!" she commanded as she came skidding to a halt next to the ponies. Then they were surrounded in a mass of brown, woolly fur and hammering hooves. Dust filled Applejack's nose and throat until Braeburn pressed a bandanna to her face. And then everything was quiet. Opening her eyes, Applejack saw that the buffalo tribe was decimating the remaining drones, crushing them beneath their heavy bodies or goring them with their sturdy horns. Above them, a few squadrons of pegasi were mopping up any of the creatures that were foolish enough to take wing. The enemy was routed within minutes and they fled back to the east. The battle was over.
. . .
The next morning, Applejack was out by the remains of the giant changeling. The nurses had nearly strapped her to the bed to keep her from moving, but, with some help from her squad, she'd managed to slip away. The temporary prosthetic strapped to her stump was ungainly, but she was getting used to it. The changeling's blood had dried into a crusty, brown-green stain on the sand. Applejack wandered back and forth over the site, vaguely aware of other ponies moving about her, collecting the dead from both sides to be disposed of.
Her task was only slightly different. The heat and force of the explosion hadn't left much behind, only a few pieces of shrapnel from the cannon. But Applejack was driven to find something, anything left of her brother that she could take home. In the end, all she could find was his dog tags. They were warped by the explosion and one half of the metal tag had been ripped off leaving the stallion's name abbreviated 'Big Mac.' Applejack found that that suited her just fine and she laced the tag onto the chain where her own hung.
"He did what he had to to protect the family," Braeburn said as he limped gingerly up to stand beside his cousin.
"Eeyup," Applejack said in her best imitation of her brother's inflection.
"What are ya gonna do now?"
Applejack thought for a minute. The grief hadn't really set in yet and for now she was drifting in numbness. "They're sending two more units to garrison the town. My unit is slated for R and R. I guess I'll go and tell Granny Smith and Applebloom in person." A strange mixture of emotions came in response to that thought. The thought of telling her family that Big Mac was gone was almost too much to bear, but at the same time, it would be good to have others to share her grief.
"That's for the best. This kinda news shouldn't come in a letter," Braeburn said.
Applejack grunted and asked, "What about you?"
Her cousin let out a bitter chuckle, "Your captain offered me a position in the unit, but I turned him down." Applejack was happy to hear that. It didn't seem right having another Apple family member in her unit after this tragedy. Braeburn continued, "They're gonna need me here. But you should stop by and visit some more. It's always nice to see family." A small part of Applejack's heart warmed and she smiled at her cousin.
The rest of the week before they left, Applejack spent in the military medical facility where she underwent the delicate process of attaching a permanent, mechanical prosthetic. She was constantly being measured and prodded and fussed over by doctors and engineers alike. Cadance was a frequent visitor and when the time came to bind the replacement limb, the princess insisted on casting the enchantment herself. The finished product was a marvel. It had all the strength and flexibility of her real leg, but it lacked any sense of touch. It didn't take long before she could move around on her own, but it would be a long time before she was fully used to it. After her leave, she was supposed to undergo more rehabilitation, but she would see if there were any string she could pull to get her back into the war with her squad.
Finally, the time came for them to board another armored train bound for Canterlot. Braeburn gave his farewell at the station in the form of a long hug. Applejack promised to visit when she could and then climbed into the train after her squad. The numbness she'd felt after the battle was fading, and she knew she would have to face the grief soon, but she could put it off for the duration of the trip. As the train pulled away, Applejack waved back at her cousin, watching him disappear into the distance. Then she sat back, swaying with the peaceful motion as the tracks rumbled by beneath her.
"Sarge?" Star Gazer broke the silence hesitantly, "Can I ask you something?"
"O'course private," Applejack said.
After a pause, the younger mare said, "You tried sacrificing yourself to save us and your brother. And then he. . ." She looked up at her commanding officer, suddenly unsure if she should continue. Applejack gave her a small nod and motioned for her to keep talking. "He didn't make it. And still probably wouldn't have even if you'd died. So what's the point to all of this? Why all the sacrifices?"
For a moment, Applejack was dumbstruck. The answer to her was so obvious, it had never occurred to her that anypony could have such a wonder. But it made sense. Star Gazer had always given everything a little too much thought than was good for her.
"Well it's simple, Star," the sergeant said, "Ya'll are my family. Maybe not in blood, but yer family all the same." She looked around at the faces of her squadmates and was surprised at the ferocity of the affection she felt for them. This wasn't just a pep talk, it was the truth. A fiery smile lit Applejacks face in response to the simple honesty of the words. "And no matter what happens, you protect your family."