As the forces were charging, they split into groups of divisions as they ran, they all heard a faint sounds of the air being chopped as it got louder and louder. They then saw the little dot in the sky approach faster as it got bigger. Ember then yelled out as she stopped in front of their forces to halt their advance. "Wait! What is that?" She yelled. They all looked at the flying object which had it's undeniable shape and sound, it was a human machine. "Finally! Some humans to fight!" A soldier yelled in the crowd as the rest cheered. "No! It looks like it's stopping!" Ember yelled.
Just as Ember said, the OH-6 Littlebird moved upwards to slow it's speed and it has two large speakers attached to it's sides. As it leveled itself, the speakers came to life yelling, "HALT! YOU ARE ENTERING THE TERRITORY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. TURN AROUND, TRESPASSING INTO OUR TERRITORY WILL BE CONSIDERED AN ACT OF WAR." It warned.
The entire crowd laughed as Grampa Gruff ordered, "Attack that flying thing!" The crowd fired their magic horns, the helicopter turned around and flew back. As it turned around, the helicopter was hit with hundreds of magic bolts, causing it's tail to break completely off and the glass to be pierced. The speakers were still turned on and the pilot was still yelling in pain as he got hit by dozens upon dozens of magic bolts, "Shit! Fucking shit! We're going down, I'm hit, co-pilot's fucking dead!" He said as he turned to the co-pilot who had a crack in his visor, bleeding, with a hole leading to his right eye. He then looked downwards to his torso which was all red with many similar holes to bullet holes.
The bird crashed into the ground, the pilot was still alive but the entire craft was destroyed, and he unbuckled and grabbed a hooked MP5 under his seat. He climbed out of the helicopter and dragged himself in the open, making him able to see the coming horde converge on his position. He raised his gun and said, "Come at me you bastards!" He fired his weapon as he bled out. Many of their troops fell down as he fired his weapon, but not enough to stop them all. As his magazine ran out, he tried his best to get up and run. The horde was catching up to him but a big push on his back knocked him down to the ground. He was pushed by one of the pony troops to the ground and he got stampeded. His helmet and head was crushed, with the glass falling around his now crushed body, causing some of the pony troops hooves to be injured by glass that was pushed deep into them. Many of them fell down, causing a cascade of more of their troops tripping.
"Sarge! The bird's down!" The Lance-Corporal yelled.
"Prepare for siege!" The Sergeant yelled as the Private on the M113 turret cocked the M2 Browning .50 Cal. The Corporal and Private First Class riflemen ran out of the M113 and into the trench their squad has been digging and aimed their weapons at the coming horde. The 7 man infantry squad all aimed their weapons on their horde and awaited for their Sergeant to yell... "Open fire you leathernecks!" As he yelled, they unleashed hell onto the horde.
The horde was within 2 miles from them and closing in fast, "Take some you mutated horses!" the MG gunner screamed as he fired his M60. But as they unleashed hell, they've at least killed a thousand at this point, causing their morale to rise.
"They're nothing but diversions! Take a group of 100 to take them down!" Ember ordered. A splinter group then ran towards the trench as the main force went around them.
"Fuck! They're splitting! Keep hitting them hard Marines!" The Sergeant yelled. But as the M113's .50 cal ran out of ammunition, the squad was now relying on their own small arms, were frantically yelling for the MG gunner to reload as they're guns aren't enough. But as they were yelling, the force that was sent to deal with them finally arrived in front of their trench, after losing about 70 of their own troops to reach them. "Shit!" A private yelled as he was tackled down by a pony soldier. As he was knocked down, the Lance Corporal fired his gun at the pony that brought down the private, and he also hit a pony with his stock that was charging at him. The squad was now in hand-to-hand fighting, using bayonets, fists, and their sidearms to hold the pony force off. A pony guard tackled the Lance Corporal to the ground and used his spear to stab the LCPL's throat. His throat was bleeding with massive amounts of blood coming out, covering his face and the stab wound, making the soldier that stabbed him to be in shock as he isn't used to killing humans, or killing at all since they're only conscripts. Not only did the spear make the LCPL bleed, his own blood was now drowning him. The private that was previously saved by the LCPL used his attached bayonet on his M16 to charge and stab the pony.
Both the human and ponies were losing most of their troops. From 30-7, 15-5, 7-3.. they were losing their men, and the M2 gunner finally reloaded his 50 cal but a dragon towered over the M113, causing the gunner to look upwards at it's face, it's mouth opened and it seems that fire is coming from within it's throat. The Sergeant killed another pony by using his fists to tackle it down and using his fingers to pierce into and open the pinned pony's throat as it tried it's best to push him away while screaming. After killing it, he looked to the M113, he saw the dragon, and at the next moment, the dragon unleashed it's fiery breath on the M113. The APC melted with the gunner screaming as he melted with the M113. "Retreat!" he called out as what remained of his squad ran out of the trench and towards Fort Liberty. "Where the fuck are our reinforceme-" The private yelled as he was cut off by explosions and helicopter blades cutting the air.
They looked upwards and found Hueys, Sea Stallions, and little birds that were heavily armed with machine guns, turrets, rockets, any thing a marine would think of as fire support was attached to these helicopters. The sounds that were gunshots, explosions, screaming, or the helicopter blades, the iconic song of "Paint it black" was playing from the helicopters as they provided air support. But just as the squad stopped in awe, a CH-53 turned to it's side towards the squad and it's side MG and opened fire. The squad fell down to the ground as they covered their heads, they looked back behind them and saw that the helicopter were shooting not at them, but the remaining pony survivors that were fighting the squad. "Get in!" The gunner yelled out as the helicopter lowered itself and opened it's back to allow the remaining troops in.
The squad sprinted into the CH-53 and it lifted off as they got in. "You leathernecks lost of something? And also, Artillery is about to hit the ground in 10 seconds, so brace yourselves!" The gunner yelled back to the infantry. "So what's our plan here exactly?" The Private asked. "Air cav, arty, and ground forces to mop up! Ground units are now engaging the scouts of the enemy. They'll engage the main force soon." The gunner explained. The private looked out of the small windows on the helicopter and saw the artillery hit, with the sounds of explosions coming a few moments after. One of the artillery shells hit the dragon that burnt the M113, causing what remains of the squad to cheer.
And just as the helo gunner said, human ground forces were now fighting the main enemy force. Tanks in the middle followed by APC's and IFV's with Infantry on the side in lines that are slowly advancing as they shoot whatever is left of the enemy. And what used to be clear quiet skies near Tartarus, is now lit up by tracers from small-arms and M163 anti-air vehicles aimed at dragons and pegusi trying to flee or carelessly charging at the human lines.
Back in Fort Liberty, many civilians were watching behind the Fort's fences and checkpoints to see the battle go on. They were cheering, and so we're the border guards. Two border guards began talking to each other, "Hey Tim! Bet you that they'll be surrendering in 10 minutes." Charles chuckled as he holstered his M14.
"I'll place my bets in 20, our guys are going to make them think they're safe, but just at the last moment they sweep in the clear the rest." Tim responded.
"So, what's the wager? 500?" Charles asked.
"Yeah sure." Tim answered. But as they were watching the battle, they were just in as much awe as the civilians were cheering. But the cheering was cut off by loud explosions near them in perfect synchronization, it was the artillery batteries firing on the ponies.
Meanwhile at the front, Ember was scared to death, all she could do is watch her forces and her friends fall down into the sky, with most of their bodies not being intact. She looks like to the right and sees a steel colossus cast explosions to a group of ponies and griffons without even using magic or charging it's breathe, it's like their not alive she thought. She looked to the left and saw another steel beast, but it was casting smaller but still deadly breathes of fire as it mowed down a large group of pony soldiers. She looked up and saw the birds of steel casting hell onto them, "Do they have no bounds?!" She thought as explosions erupted all across the battlefield on her troops.
While she was daydreaming, Grampa Gruff who was running back to the treeline stopped in front of her and yelled go her, "Call a retreat! We can't win this!" He yelled as he started to use his wings to fly back. This got Ember back into her senses and she yelled, "Retreat!" The forces from New Mareland troops, Dragons, and the Griffons together were fleeing the battlefield as they ran for their lives.
Meanwhile in Canterlot...
Luna and Celestia were having breakfast on a long table as they are Celestia's homemade breakfast and pancakes. "It's been a long time since we had eaten together, isn't that right?" Celestia stated.
"Yeah, it's been very busy lately, with the whole human thing. I've been seeing some of their dreams and-" Luna was cut off.
"Not right now sister, it's time to relax while we still have the time to. But on other news, wasn't there something going on with New Mareland?" Celestia asked.
"Uhm.. yeah, the dragons, Griffons, and New Mareland troops were heading near Tartarus, I don't know why, but we've been getting reports of Human activity there. Might be their so called 'Fort Liberty', and also more human sightings in our castle. They might be watching us." Luna responded.
"Well, I wouldn't put it past them, we didn't get much out of them but it sounds like this 'Cold War' they got through was through a lot of spies and paranoia. Must've been hard for them. But I think these humans are just ones who were left behind, or they're here to actually.. SPY ON US!" Celestia yelled as she turned around and fired a magic beam onto the door's hinge, making it fall down. And what came onto the falling door, was an American and Portuguese soldier with an M16 and a FNFAL. The two looked towards the towering Princesses who walked up to them and the American soldier gave an awkward smile as the Portuguese soldier got up and smacked the American behind his helmet, "Idiota."
"They're on the run! Move in to mop them up, only a few we should capture." A voice from the radio ordered.
"Copy." The helicopter squadron said in unison as they turned their helicopters to face the retreating troops. Firing their mighty mouse rockets, M134 miniguns, and some small arms from the pilots and accompanying infantry on the helos.
But as they unleashed hell on the enemy, nothing but cheers and hurrahs came from the radio. But on the other side, it was a different story.
Platoons worth of infantry were being shredded by explosions and bullets by the second, what once was known as indestructible dragons now littered in the battlefield. "It's not even a war, it's a massacre." Jet said as he appeared within the treeline, approaching Ember and Gruff.
"Where were you?! Did you just watch our people die in a massacre while you're sitting here drinking tea?!" Ember screamed as what remained of a strong coalition of 100,000 soldiers, reduced to only 500.
"No.. but that's not the point. What is important now is that we can't beat these creatures, and if we return back, Equestria may not even consider ourselves as allies. I guess I now know what Chrysalis was trying to warn us about.." jet said as he rubbed his chin to think.
"You think?! We just lost over more than half of our troops! And you're saying we couldn't win now?! What's wrong with you!" Ember yelled.
"Nothing.. I just overestimated their strength, but for now. I cannot return back, you guys can go, I'll stay and watch until-" Jet was cut off as almost immediately the trees around them began moving as if there was a storm, but it was from the human made blades on a helicopter. Everyone looked up in shock and most of them were thinking about their families and their fallen comrades as this may be the last time they'll be alive.
"Surrender, or we will use lethal force.. again." The speaker from a Huey said as more Huey's dropped off infantry. "Move move move!" The squad leader said as his squad dropped off of the helicopter in a clearing, they saw the brightly colored ponies and other creatures staring at them in shock as his squad rapidly approached them, weapons raised.
"Stand the fuck down or we will shoot!" The squad lead said. As ordered, the remaining troops dropped their weapons and stood still. Then a soldier in officer's uniform came out from behind the squad and pulled out a clipboard and looked at it.
"Jet Set, Ember, and... Gruff?" He questioned as he laughed. "Yeah, y'all are going onto the helicopter on the left. The rest of you will walk to the Fort you tried to besiege, we're taking you as prisoners of war."
A unicorn soldier was brave enough to start charging his horn and charging at the humans who just landed yelling, "Come on! We can take these humans in revenge to our falle-" he was cut off by a loud gunshot and his body falling to the floor.
"Anyone else?" The squad leader said after lowering his gun. They all nodded no and the squad leader restated, "Ember, Gruff, Jet, move to the helicopters or we're going to pluck your forces one by one to capture you!" He screamed as the door gunner on the Huey started revving his mounted mini-gun.
Ember sighed and Gruff grunted, "We can't do anything else, we must go hand ourselves in." Ember said as she walked towards the humans, followed by Gruff. Gruff looked behind and signalled Jet to come but Jet nodded no, so Gruff kept going with Ember.
"So you're... Ember. And you must be Gruff, welcome aboard. Now, where's Jet?" The officer asked as he put his clipboard away.
Gruff answered, "He... He didn't want to come. I don't know why."
The officer scoffed and said, "Oh, well, I know what'll motivate him." The officer quickly pulled out his M1911, aimed it at Gruff, and at this point, Gruff's eyes were wide open in shock and so we're Ember's. The officer shot his pistol, instantly killing Gruff. Ember tried to tackle the officer but one of the soldiers hit her in the head with his rifle and kicked her just for good measure.
"That's enough gentlemen, we'll make him feel safe until our units in New Mareland arrest him, then we'll let the CIA interrogate him." The officer ordered.
Two soldiers picked up Ember and carried her to the Huey, as the squad leader dragged Gruff's body into a bush. The Huey began to lift off as everyone got in. The officer grabbed onto a pair of headphones and reported, "This is 2-4, targets have been acquired but one had resisted, target 'Bravo' has been terminated. Target 'Charlie' is M.I.A. and we'll give SF the chance to capture him.."
"Understood, return back to base. Over and out." A voice from the radio responded.
The officer got up and tapped the pilot's shoulder, signalling the pilot to return to base.
Two MP's we're following General Shepard as he entered a laboratory. The three were shocked as how big the size of the room was, but also the inventions and contraptions within the room. "Schmidt? Mind explaining what's happeni-...." Shepard paused as he looked at a big blueprint labeled "OPERATION OVERWATCH". What the blueprint had on it was a sketch plan of a launch shuttle and a sort of tube building, with a large satellite with rods that hinted it would be launched from said satellite.
"Ah! General, I've been working on my plans and requests from the President and your Army Council. Some of them will take a while.. although still possible. Anyways, what do I owe the pleasure?" Schmidt said as he walked up to Shepard, wiping his hands on paper towel from working with machines.
"Uhm... Was just coming to check up on you but.. wait, what the hell is that?" Shepard asked as he looked behind Schmidt and saw Nazi symbols, flags, weaponry, maps of German operations and construction plans in 1943-1945, helmets, equipment, a scientist coat, documents, and old blueprints of experimental technology.
"Oh that? I'm trying to figure out a mystery of-" he was cut off by Shepard.
"Yeah, how he disappeared and how nobody found any remains. Look, he probably died in '44 with the reds taking Poland, but there isn't anythi-" Shepard was cut off.
"Then explain this." Schmidt pulled out a document from 1946 reading:
Daily Report
May 5th 1946, we believe the war is still at a standstill, and our activation efforts of Project HK-42 has not been working, all we've got is a spark. But still, the SS is becoming worried that the Soviets may find us before the Americans. We're still at full strength, an 15 divisions worth of troops, tanks, and supplies because we're supposed to defend Hitler's relocation through HK-42, a waste of resources, but we are still safe to continue our studies. We still await further instructions from Berlin, we hope the war comes to an end with the destruction of the Soviet Union, so I can surrender to the Americans than die in gulags. - Signed, Hoffman Schmidt.
"Where did you get this?" Shepard said as he grabbed the paper.
"Found it from a former contact of mine in the Lithuanian SSR." Schmidt answered.
"So, I'm guessing your father isn't a Nazi sympathizer?" Shepard asked.
"Nein, never. He only worked for them to provide for our family, until he was dragged by the SS. Last I saw of him was since I was a child. But I still like to think he's still alive, and these technologies and blueprints, they're amazing." Schmidt answered.
"Okay doc, just don't overdo it, okay?"
"Ja, ja. Just don't knock down the box near the door." Schmidt said as he walked back into his workshop.