//------------------------------//
// Assault on Mount Talladega-Infiltration 
// Story: Legends of Equestria: Hesturland 
// by The Blue EM2 
//------------------------------//

The very next, extremely cold morning (although nobody had any real idea as to why this morning was suddenly so cold for no good and no readily obvious reason), Rockhoof had given an order for the Hayseed Swamp Native Guard to assemble in front of the town square, rather than in it for some reason. He was readying to give them a speech in preparation for the day's events, and also to run through the plan to get into the enemy base, which would be a long and difficult endeavour to say the least.

"Listen up!" he called, as the Guardsponies stood to attention as best they could, their heavy rifles starting to tip over. "I know it's cold, and that you all want to go back to bed, but we have an important duty. Only yesterday, we received news of a very dangerous threat, one that could well easily destroy us all if we're not prepared to face it down with steel and courage. This intel confirms that our enemies, the ones whom we have been fighting for the last few weeks, have a major military facility not far from here. They undoubtedly know where we are, and therefore we need to take the fight to them before they find us."

"What are the contents of the base, sir?" asked one of the ponies, looking up as best he could, although his helmet was rather heavy.

"Temperature scans have confirmed that the base has nuclear capability, and that their missiles are ready to fire at any time. This gives Project 722 the ability to destroy several cities in a single launch, which would cripple the middle United States and kill millions. We cannot allow this to happen, as if those weapons land, the radiation will drift across the country, and eventually to us. That'll be us wiped off the map."

"It sounds dire," another soldier said. "What sort of support are we getting on this op?"

"We're coming with you," Rockhoof said. "Myself, Stygian, and Meadowbrook will assist in the operation to infiltrate their base. In addition, there are hopes that my own unit will be available for combat duties as well, but I can neither confirm nor deny at this point in time. If neccessary, we will have to be the ones to carry out this mission on our own. Our objectives are thus; infiltrate the enemy base, shut down the power systems and facilities that enable them to maintain their operations, and cut off power and fuel to the missiles, thereby preventing them from launching. Do we have any questions?"

"What are our odds of coming back?" asked one. "This outfit started life as a defensive force, not a guerilla unit. I may want to say goodbye to my family in case I don't come back."

"Sometimes, a strong offense is the best defence," Rockhoof replied. "But yes, if you feel you must, I would advise telling your loved ones that you may not be coming home. But if that base is allowed to stand, we won't be around for much longer."

Suddenly, and absolutely completely spontaneously, the troops started to sing, in full, multi part harmony.

"Of all the money that e'er I had;

I spent it in good company.

And all the harm I've ever done;

Alas it was to none but me.

And all I've done for want of wit

To mem'ry now I can't recall;

So fill to me the parting glass 

Good night and joy be to you all!"



"So fill to me the parting glass 

And drink a health whate’er befall, 

And gently rise and softly call 

Good night and joy be to you all!"



"Of all the comrades that e'er I had;

They're sorry for my going away!

And all the sweethearts that e'er I had;

They'd wish me one more day to stay!

But since it falls unto my lot,

That I should rise and you should not;

I gently rise and softly call-

Good night and joy be to you all!"



"So fill to me the parting glass 

And drink a health whate’er befall, 

And gently rise and softly call 

Good night and joy be to you all!"

Rockhoof nodded in approval. "I always liked that one," he said. "No go, and collect all that you need. Transport will be arriving shortly, so there will be no going back for supplies. Good luck troops, and steady yourselves."

Rockhoof watched as they dispersed to collect other supplies. Now was the time to strike back.





Getting into the Mount Talladega facility had been easier than any of them had anticipated. Whilst the front entrance was extremely heavily guarded (there was nobody around for miles to suspect anything, and anybody who did stumble into the area was rapidly turned away), one place that could have done with beefed up security was the rocket building and the laundry chute. The laundry access was to the rear of the base, if we count the entrance as the front, and finding it proved to be very easy with the holographic map (or, as the men dubbed it, 'the magic coffee table'). In order to effect an entrance into the facility, they had decided to hide inside laundry bins packed to the top with towels and other clothing items. As stereotypical as this plan may seem, it seemed to have worked, as the ponies, hiding inside several of them and being sure not to make a sound either with their voices or their equipment, soon felt the wheeled trollies moving, inside the base, based on the movement of light and rock above them. Their eyes soon adjusted to the darkness as the world continued to roll past them. Eventually, the objects stopped moving. They were quickly pushed into another room, where the janitor left them and went somewhere else. Presumably the staff would deal with them later. Once they were certain that the janitor was gone and nobody was in the room, the ponies all clambered out of their boxes and stood on the floor.

"I'm glad to be out of that!" said one guardspony. "We were squashed in like sardines there!"

"Where did you learn that handy trick?" Stygian asked. "In all my tactical acumen and experience, I would never have thought of that one!"

"It's a handy trick for getting into and out of places. It's the one thing nobody thinks to check," Rockhoof said, spotting Meadowbrook clambering out of another bin. She looked a bit of a mess. "Looks like you got the dirty laundry!"

"The state of mah clothes is of no concern," Meadowbrook replied, dusting off her hooves. "What matters is stopping the launch."

"Speaking of which," Rockhoof interrupted, "our objectives are thus; infiltrate the enemy base, shut down the power systems and facilities that enable them to maintain their operations, and cut off power and fuel to the missiles, thereby preventing them from launching. Do we have any questions?"

"Yes, actually," said one. "Which way are we supposed to be going?"

"This way!" Stygian replied, and opened the door. They quickly scrambled and headed for the door, and opened it. They pattered down corridors and past pipes spewing steam (this section looked to be poorly maintained), before finding themselves at a set of stairs. "We need to go up to access the next part of the base. That is where the command and administration happens before anything else. We will also find the launch controls there. I want half of you to go to the bottom level. Rockhoof, Meadowbrook, and the other half, follow me upwards to the upper levels."

"Sir!" said half, and off they went, down to where the core silos were. As the other half went upstairs, they suddenly heard something playing over a speaker.

"There's an inn of old renown where they brew a beer so brown
Hurricane came rolling down the hill one Wodnsday night to drink his fill!

"On a three-stringed cello there played the Owner's pat so fair
The hornèd cow that night was seen to dance a jig upon the green;
Called by the fiddle to the middle of the muddle, where the cow with a caper sent the small dog squealing;
Hurricane in a fuddle went to huddle by the griddle, but he slipped in a puddle and the world went reeling!

"Downsides went up- hey! Outsides went wide!
As the fiddle played a twiddle and Hurricane slept till Sonnertag!
Upsides went west- hey! Broadsides went boom!
With a twiddle on the fiddle in the middle by the griddle and Hurricane slept till Sonnertag!"

"Why are they playing my songs?" Stygian asked, worried. "Should we add copyright infringement to the very long list?"

Their work was short lived, as an enemy agent suddenly spotted them, seeing them with infra red and head vision goggles. (I am aware that they are not the same thing). "We've been infiltrated!" he radioed to high command. "All assets! Red alert! Start the launch sequence!"