//------------------------------// // Project: Harmony, chapter three // Story: Project Harmony: Alpha Squad // by wubwave //------------------------------// Project: Alicorn Chapter 3 Shining Star sat among her peers enjoying a well-made salad. Despite the stress of working with military personnel and having the leaders of your home country directly supervising your work the job did come with the benefits of good food, a luxury that made the last few years of teaching and training more bearable. Doctor Star had also grown to enjoy her company, even growing to call them friends after the months and years they have worked together on Project: Alicorn. Due to the busy schedule of the students and in turn the busy schedule of their teachers, dinner became the only time when all of the instructors could meet at once turning the late night dining hall into a conference room. “Lollipop, how have the students been progressing?” Shining asked her pink companion as she continued eating her dandelion and lily laden plate of food. Sergeant Lollipop had already finished his meal but stayed to continue the unofficial meeting out of respect and Shining guessed stayed for friendly faces as well. Doctor Star didn’t envy the aging drill instructor, his job required him to be hated by his students but they would hate him as a group and work together to a single goal which benefitted the foals but must have taken a lot out of him emotionally. “Very well ma’am, with the new paving on the road to the training ground we can get the morning run in to and from the practice field without worrying about twisted ankles or cracked hooves like we were getting from the old dirt road. Also Ironwing and I have been coordinating on a project, sir?” Lollipop gestured to the black pegasus who had his mouth full of food to see if the senior officer wanted to finish the presentation. Ironwing waved Lollipop on to continue and finish the presentation for him while he quickly consumed his evening meal. “The SkyNavy Lightning Bolts will be preparing a special ambush drill during the morning trot tomorrow to put the students through their paces and test their reactions to a surprise attack.” “Do you think they will prepared?” Shining asked, not overly concerned due to the fact there was little actual danger involved. The only injury Shining could foresee would be a scrapes and bruises if the stun rounds hit a student while they were at full gallop and they fell unconscious while still on their hooves. “No ma’am, but that’s the point. However they will learn quickly, the oldest one, Sapphire, has taken up the role as team leader from what I can tell. She has been leading in marches and drills even barking out cadences like a regular ground-pounding earth pony soldier. She has been helping train the other students during workouts since she always seems to finish her exercise quotas first,” Lollipop said with pride in his star pupil. “Well she was the only athlete here, junior rodeo champion 3 years in a row,” Shining said, still memorizing each cadet’s personal file. “Also Crystal got her cutie mark today at the firing range,” Lollipop added. Shining smiled at the news, glad that her students could at least experience one adolescent milestone in a pony’s life, “really? What is it of?” “The girl has a big ol’ bulls eye on her flank,’ Lollipop said excitedly, ‘she isn’t much of flier from what I can tell, or at least doesn’t try and cheat the runs by flying like Cloudsoar does, but damn that little filly has some of the keenest eyes I’ve seen and knows her way around a rifle. I don’t think I’ve seen her without a gun saddle since we started weapons training.” “Now that only leaves Luna to get her mark,’ Shining turned her attention to Darkbeak who was the only one at the table eating meat, “how is your combat class going?” “Very well Doctor,” the Griffon said, ‘Luna has quite a kick, and I’ve been doing everything I can to toughen her up. She has spent her life protected by her big sis, and if they are to be the soldiers you need them to be we can’t have Luna calling for help at every obstacle. Same goes for Celestia, many times she has interrupted my training of Luna when she thought I was being too hard on the foal, she needs to learn to step back and let Luna fight for herself.” Shining gave a sigh and the familiar stomach ache of guilt hit her once again, “I know, but it just seems like….I’m not even sure to tell you the truth.” Darkbeak gave a sympathizing nod, “I have a few chicks of my own back at Cloudsdale and a sister back in the griffon lands, and I would die to protect them. But it would be even crueler to not push these ponies, and then throw them into a situation they can’t handle where their lives depended on it.” Shining however replaced her sorrow with anger as she remembered what she wanted to talk about and turned her attention to Ironwing who just finished his meal. “That reminds me, what’s this I hear about the bomber chariot drill?” she said scolding the stallion. “You signed off on it, teach the trainees how to work as a group, pegasi piloted it, unicorns maintained the needed weightlessness for the foals to pull it, and the earth ponies loaded the dummy bombs,” Ironwing replied in surprise. “Yes, but I didn’t sign off on you having Lightning Bolts firing live rounds at them while they were doing it.” “I told them to aim for non–critical parts, which didn’t matter anyway your magic students got a shield up before a single round hit. Plus Cloudsoar was able to perform the advanced evasive maneuvers he has been studying in his down time and lost the attack squad in the cloud cover. No harm no foul.” The others at the table shared an amused glace. “We will not be able to keep pace, so we will give you two your space,” Deja mused as the others left the two of them to argue. “What’s that supposed to mean?” Shining asked defensively. “I want you two to kiss and make up afterwards, just not in the pegasi barracks again, wouldn’t want you to lose focus for your floaty spell and fall,” Darkbeak laughed as she flew off from the table. Shining and Ironwing were a poorly kept secret and a quickly growing joke between the others, especially Darkbeak who was the one to first catch Shining in the SkyNavy cloud barracks on one of her and Ironwing’s nights away from the facility. More like Loudbeak, Shining thought, that griffon couldn’t keep a secret if her life depended on it. That dark griffon snuck about the base like a grey feather covered cat, well she is part lion afterall. Shining was slightly glad for the griffon’s tendency for gossip when Darkbeak brought news the growing bond between the two pegasus students to her, she wasn’t prepared to step in just yet, so far it hadn’t caused any trouble but eventually the two would need to be told that they can’t become too attached to each other. ------- “Are you ready sis?” Celestia asked eyeing the various ponies that stood on the elevated platform above the warehouse floor. The giant freight elevator was turned into a makeshift fort with crates for cover and was suspended on the four large pillars that carried it to from the surface. The practical lesson of today’s combat class was teamwork, get the flag in the center of full grown soldier ponies and get back to where you started with it. Every one of the fillies and one colt took their positions and planned their next move from the long shadows cast by the open freight door on the roof that connected the warehouse to the keep’s courtyard. Victory was a must or else they would all be attending Darkbeak’s “private training lessons” that were the consequence of failure. From what Luna, a regular attendee of these sessions told her sister it was mostly an excuse for Darkbeak to buck your horseshoes off, and judging by the bandaged cuts on Luna’s chest, an excuse to test her talons as well. “Absolutely sister,” Luna said, locking eyes with Darkbeak who joined the opposite team of Lightning Bolt special forces. Darkbeak was hated by everyone, even Lollipop had one fan and that was Sapphire who spent most of her time training with him. Celestia grew to hate Darkbeak like everypony else, but no pony hated and resented Darkbeak as much as Luna. Celestia did have to admit she was glad Luna toughened up, she loved her sister and would always protect her, but it was nice to know that filly can protect herself if need be. Crystal and Cloudsoar flew overhead, and would help keep the other pegasi from dive bombing the group. Each pony had a job that they were unofficially assigned based on skills and interest. Every night before bed the foals got “free time” to study what they wanted, Sapphire trained with Lollipop out on the practice field, Crystal would join them and flutter off to the firing range, Celestia and Candice would head to magic class and study spells and potions with Deja and Shining Star, while Cloudsoar would fly aerial patrol for the night shift under the command of Ironwing. Luna was the only one who didn’t have a teacher to mentor her; she would spend her time alone practicing on the bucking bag and staying out of sight of the wrathful griffon that would patrol about the warehouse. “Alright, Celestia use that sunshine spell that got you your cutie mark to blind ‘em,’ Sapphire ordered, ‘Crystal, look for any surprises, if Darkbeak thinks half like Lollipop she’ll have something special planned,” she said remembering the many early morning jogs that turned into dodging the stunning bullets of enchanted weaponry from hidden snipers along their route. “Luna, while yall’s sis distracts ‘em you sneak in and grab the flag with your levitation. Cloudsoar you’re the fastest, when she gets the flag she’ll hand it off to you and you can fly back before they know what hit ‘em. Candice, you and me charge ‘em head on, show them pegasi how we do it the earth pony way.” The miniature battle began as Crystal gave a shout, “get down!” Celestia hit the floor as a stun bolt from a magical rifle shot passed over their heads. The platform began to descendsignalling the test has begun. Celestia moved quickly as her horn flashed with a brilliant light, soft at first but grew to blinding as the rest of the team charged with their backs to it keeping the guards from getting a good shot in. Celestia couldn’t see the battle as she shut her eyes to keep from blinding herself, but she could still hear the shouts of her opponents and from what she could tell it was all going to plan. “Where the fuck are they-” one of the soldiers began to yell as a combat scream from Sapphire and the sound of her colliding with her full force into the pony cut him off. The sound of trotting ponies stomping on the hard concrete floor from both sides mixed with the staccato of gunfire was all she could hear. However her magical trance was interrupted by a hard stinging thud against her fore hoof. “The spell is down!” one of the military ponies guarding the flag yelled as he got a lucky shot in. Celestia opened her eyes and began to move to a safer position only to trip over her own limp leg. Celestia stumbled to her knees, looking down she could see the blue dust the magical stun rounds left on their targets. A second round hit the floor a foot away from her, telling her she could no longer sit and collect her thoughts as the battle went on. Celestia caught sight of a dark figure moving about behind enemy lines. Luna! Celestia thought looking for Darkbeak who sure enough noticed the stealthy filly. That griffon is designed to single out Luna like a damned bloodhound. Celestia used the last of her concentration to cast a stunning bolt of magic from her horn that slashed across the room, sending the now unconscious griffon skidding to a halt in front of Luna who starred at her sleeping figure in surprise. Celestia felt another impact against her chest, and her vision became a tunnel, with the sight of Luna bucking a guard and capturing the flag growing farther and farther away. Celestia saw Cloudsoar successfully grab the levitated flag in his mouth as he passed over before she finally passed out. ------- Celestia awoke in the dorm room the foals shared. “Uh, here comes the stun round headache,’ Celestia said to herself. She rolled over in her bed and jumped as she saw Luna standing by her bedside completely silent. Celestia gasped in surprise, ‘Luna, don’t do that, one of these days I will have to put a bell on you, or you could always just tell me when you’re there.” “Good, you’re awake I was growing concerned,” Luna said indignantly with an air of irritability and anger. Celestia knew her sister well enough by now to know she was pissed and not just regular pissed, if you can tell she’s upset it means Luna was already on the verge of bucking you in the muzzle. “Look, I’m sorry I was hit, but the plan worked….at least I think so.” “Yes the plan went perfectly,’ she said sincerely but still clearly upset, ‘Doctor Star treated us with a cake, which Lollipop made us run off afterwards, I saved some for you by the way, just don’t let the Sergeant find out you ate it.” “Well then what’s wrong?” “She was mine…” Luna finally let out with a growl of frustration. “What?-“ “Darkbeak, she was supposed to be mine I was supposed to take her out. Damn it Celestia! She was mine.” “Luna…what about the rest of the team, they couldn’t have you being beaten by Darkbeak-” “What makes you think I would have lost? What, you’re the only one capable of fighting for me?” Luna yelled. It became clear to Celestia that she had taken her sister’s new stoic attitude for granted, and that below her calm exterior was the same filly that would be on the edge of tears at the slightest provocation. Celestia sighed, “Luna, I’m sorry I know what-“ “You have no damn idea what she is! She deserves worse than just a stun spell!” Luna was beginning to push the boundaries of Celestia’s patience. The tall filly sat up in her bunk, “That’s enough Luna! She is still your superior, and I will net let you put the team at risk for a personal vendetta that you have, especially one you have against a comrade.” Luna steamed with those last words, Comrade, “…fuck you, sister,” she said simply as she stomped out no longer willing to convince Celestia she was right. -------- The rest of the week was a session of “mid-terms” as Doctor Star put it, which Celestia still didn’t quite understand the meaning of the word. Each class challenged the group with a test, Ironwing had the foals giving orders and guidance to the crew of The Hearts and Hooves from the control tower at the airfield, Deja sent the class out to gather ingredients for potions out in the forest, and Doctor Star had a written exam, the most boring part of the entire week. The only one left was Lollipop, Celestia judged that since they were all being carried out over the Everfree Forest by a sky chariot transport that this test was going to be the most difficult. “How many of you remember the way back home?’ Lollipop asked the group in the middle of a forest clearing where they had landed, ‘no one? Good,” he said as he trotted back into the sky chariot. “You have until morning of tomorrow to get back, 9 AM specifically before we come searching for you,” and that was the last thing he said as he left the group in the middle of nowhere. “Fan-bucking-tastic,’ Cloudsoar complained as the rain started coming down, ‘why aren’t the sky clearing teams controlling the weather. “I don’t like this,” Crystal said looking to the sky. “No one likes this,” the blue Pegasus replied as he flew under the tree tops trying to stay dry. “No I mean I don’t like it because they are controlling weather.” “Come again?” Cloudsoar asked. “ Do you remember Ironwing’s presentation on pegasus cloud snipers?” Oh course he remembers, Celestia thought, his cutie mark is the Lightning Bolt badge for heaven’s sake, which Celestia wondered if got it from mastering the Immelmare turns and Split Horseshoe maneuvers of the combat flyers, or if his special talent was kissing Ironwing’s flank during every flight exercise and presentation. “Yeah, oh…” Cloudsoar got the picture as he dropped to his hooves to try and stay hidden. “Did you see any low level cloud nests for a sniper up there?” Celestia wasn’t overly concerned, the forest would prove as much of challenge to a sniper as the sniper would be to them. The only way a pegasus could get a shot off would be to have scouts flying over, none of which were spotted by the team. However Celestia knew that the overly paranoid Crystal would be hiding under trees and bushes the whole way there and nagging Cloudsoar to stay on the ground. "No, but that’s the point. With the overcast it would take forever to see one. So you shouldn’t be flying around.” “Fine, I’ll just stay on the ground here with you,” Cloudsoar said smiling at her. Celestia decided to step in before the two of them made her sick, “we might be able to draw a sniper out though, and get a weapon to use.” “Do you think we’ll need one?” Crystal asked growing even more concerned. Sapphire decided to step in, “…it’s Sergeant Lollipop he would probably mark us down for not taking everything possible. Remember when he marked you down for not wanting to eat the bone marrow from that animal skeleton? ‘Wasting the carcass’ as he called it.” ----------------------------- Celestia focused her magic and soon a blinding flash escaped her horn, one bright enough to illuminate the clouds overhead like a bolt of pink lightning. Celestia ran for the cover of the trees once again and waited to see what Crystal found. “Anything yet?” Celestia asked. “I didn’t see a scope flash or a cloud nest for a sniper….oh, here comes the scouts,’ she said happily as she spotted a formation of fliers coming in, ‘but there’s sniper nearby for sure.” “Alright, while they’re distracted with us Cloudsoar will be flying about looking for the nest.” “Are you sure he’ll be alright?” Crystal asked nervously from her spot in the trees, her green coat blending in perfectly with the foliage. Celestia sighed, “don’t worry your boyfriend will be back with a nice rifle for you to use,” she mocked. “He’s not….. A boyfriend,” she said meekly. Celestia was growing concerned along with the rest of the team about Crystal’s relationship with Cloudsoar. Celestia obviously knew why Crystal was doing it, most of the group was going through the growth spurts and other changes that came with becoming mares and stallions, however from what she was told by Doctor Star they would be members of the military for many years to come, and during that time they would live a life unlike their parents, family, and the other soldiers around them. Celestia didn’t know exactly what that meant, but she had come to accept challenges and it would certainly be one. -------------------------------- After hours of hiking and the small engagement with the sniper who was now lying unconscious on a cloud somewhere, the group finally reached the road that lead to the facility. They laid down in the drainage ditch on the side of the road that sliced through the forrest like a deep wound, and watched as armed war chariots pulled and manned by pony soldiers went by. “Are you sure they will be hostile to us?” Luna asked Sapphire. “No doubt, a hike through the woods wouldn’t be much of a test, even if it was the Everfree,” Sapphire responded looking at her timer to count the time in between patrols. “Plus,’ Crystal whispered, ‘those Chariots had stun weapons, and why would they be using those unless they were going after us? We should go around and take the river bed to the south.” “But…’ Cloudsoar proclaimed, ‘one of those would make the trip back a lot easier.” The group looked at each other and smiled back and forth. “I’ll be in the clouds,” Crystal said as she flew off to set up her new rifle in the overcast storm cover. “I’ll go with you!” added Cloudsoar as he flew off after her. Sapphire sighed, “Them two are more obvious than the Commander and Doctor Star.” The remaining fillies shared a laugh. “Wait, Doctor Star and Ironwing?’ Luna asked naively, ‘but that’s against military regulations.” “So’s sneaking into the mess hall to steal extra food rations,’ quipped Celestia, ‘didn’t stop you now did it?” “None of you were complaining when I got back to the bunks.” Luna replied proud of her theft. ------------- The chariot was easy to commandeer once the soldier pulling it hit the ground unconscious from the stun round fired from the clouds by Crystal. After a few hours of trading off pulling the cart they reached the outer edges of the fortress they called home. As night fell, it became clear that the troops that guarded the place were on the look-out and were prepared to tranquilize the foals the first chance they got. “Any plans?” Sapphire asked “I can snipe them,” Crystal called out excitedly. “Nah, as soon as the first one drops they will be on us in an instant. If we do someth’n, we need to do it quickly and powerfully, shock and awe,” Sapphire responded stomping a hoof to emphasize her plan. Celestia unscrewed the bolts holding the stun round loaded machine gun onto the chariot they rode in on. She levitated the heavy weapon to her side, “this might help” Sapphire smiled, “I reckon it would, but we still face the problem of them counter attacking.” “What if,’ Luna said finally speaking up, ‘when you are attacking I sneak in and help disable as many as possible?” Celestia gave a worried look to Sapphire, hoping she wouldn’t agree to such a dangerous plan. Sapphire considered, “Well, you are the only one who can do it, an’ I spose if Crystal gave you covering fire….” Before Celestia could think of a reason to not let her sister be put in danger the plan was in motion. Cloudsoar swooped from above drawing their fire while Celestia sent a hail of suppressing fire at the guards in the form of the stun round machine gun and bolts of magical energy from her horn. Crystal took pot shots at the lights around the gate house, and Candice bucked smoke bombs she had time to make during the cart ride from the ingredients she learned from Deja and gathered while stuck out in the rain. Sapphire had given herself the job of securing their flank, and judging by the sound of gunfire and hoof strikes from the trees around them she was doing a fine job. The gate around the complex went dark from the lights having bullet imbedded in them and the smoke that filled the air. Luna crawled forward and soon was in the middle of the blinded soldiers. “Shit, Cupcake get the backup lights on!....Cupcake where the fuck-“ The soldier was cut off as a heavy hoof struck his head. Another soldier cried out as his screams were replaced by the sound of a bone cracking. A good deal of the soldiers had fallen to the stun rounds, but those that were left felt the wrath of Luna who crept through the darkness felling full grown stallions and mares with her hooves alone. Finally, after a few long minutes for Celestia, her sister called out, “all clear,” Luna shouted happily as Celestia let out a sigh of relief. --------- The foals found Sergeant Lollipop waiting for them in the courtyard as they entered the facility. Many of the foals, Celestia included readied their weapons, expecting Lollipop to surprise them with a garrison of additional troops. But instead he surprised them another way. “Fantastic work, all of you,” he said, showing them a smile for the first time. Ironwing landed next to him from his position high above, and beamed with pride, “I can proudly say, that you have all passed your final test before becoming a full-fledged SkyNavy unit. I am planning on informing the admiral of your progress and my recommendation that you all become an official enlistee of the SNI combat brigades. You are no longer cadets, you are now full-fledged soldiers,’ Ironwing looked to the large silver earth pony, ‘I am also recommending that you, Sapphire be promoted to Sergeant” “Me sir? A NCO?” she asked unbelieving. “That’s the proper rank for team leader, yes.” The entire group beamed with happiness and relief. Cloudsoar gave the biggest smile Celestia had ever seen by receiving the approval from his commander. Celestia looked to Luna who appeared to be physically and mentally exhausted from the day. Luna sat on her haunches trying to wipe off a few spots of crimson blood staining her coat. Celestia noted another strange stain on Luna’s flank that she hadn’t notice. Wait, that’s not a stain at all, Celestia thought and smiled herself. “Luna!” Celestia shouted. “What is it sister?” Luna asked concerned. Celestia nodded to the black mark on Luna’s rear. Luna looked down and noticed the black symbol emblazoned on her side. A dark night sky accented by a moon showed the filly what her talent was. Luna gave a bright smile and let out strange squeaking sound in glee as she finally got her cutie mark in stealth warfare.