//------------------------------// // Chapter 2: The first ambush of the FSC // Story: Book 2: Operation Black Abyss // by efug25g //------------------------------// Outside of Willis' battlecruiser, huge squads of UFF fighters are seen zeroing in from the background as they opened fire with their lasers and missiles at the enemy spacecraft coming out of an enemy FSC cruiser. Most of the UFF fighters are coming out of the 3 other UFF battlecruisers escorting Willis'. The enemy carrier is seen right in front of the small UFF Fleet that Willis' ship is in. The FSC Cruiser is seen as a huge ship of about 100 meters long and 80 meters wide, armed with three laser turrets in two columns seen on top of its upper and lower hull. On the side of the carrier, dozens of FSC jet-fighters are launching out into space as they are swarming Willis' ship, shooting rapid-fire laser guns all over the battlecruiser's hull. The battlecruiser retaliated by shooting back with its laser gun turrets on its side and upper hulls. As the shooting intensifies between the UFF and the FSC, 5 more FSC ships appeared from hyperspace next to the enemy cruiser. They all happened to be FSC battleships accompanying the FSC Cruiser, which is similar to that of the Sectanium Battleship. Unlike before, the FSC battleship is armed with a powerful ion cannon mounted on the top exterior hull in front of the ship's command bridge in addition to the rest of their armaments. Most of the FSC ships are seen to have a banner waving on top of their command bridges. Apart from the insignia of the Sectanium Empire, their banner has dark-brown colors with a black eye in the middle of the huge fabric. Additionally, the black eye has a blue-green planet encased inside. The planet also has a black sword stabbing through it with the blade coming out from the bottom. As the Sectanium Cruiser approaches Willis' battlecruiser, several of the UFF fighters are fighting desperately to keep the ship distracted with their weapons as if it were to be a swarm of angry hornets defending their hive against invaders. With the space battle starting, explosions and laser blasts are happening in-between the two warring ships. From inside the corridors of Willis' battlecruiser, Captain Willis and Luster Dawn are making their way down the hangar only to stumble into the starboard gun battery where they hear loud explosions and loud blasts coming from the cannons as they are targeting a nearby FSC cruiser looming from space 20 meters and closing. The cannons that Willis' crew is using happened to be huge bombard cannons where their gun muzzles pointing directly towards the space from both the starboard and port sides of the ship they're in. They are being manned by one UFF gunner as they are seen sitting on their seats while aiming at the FSC ships in his sights, they also use an interface that notifies them if the gun is loading before they fire their huge plasma payload. With every shot, the bombard cannons spew out huge, blue-lighting shells at the encroaching FSC cruiser. *BOOM!!* *BOOM!!* *BOOM!!* In middle of the chaotic space battle, Luster arms herself with the blaster she is equipped with. She still remembered during her 12 days in space that Fleet Admiral Zeck taught her how to use these weapons for awhile. It may not be part of what she learned from Twilight's School of Magic but if she were to survive in a place that isn't part of Equestria, Luster does need to adapt to the adventures taking place in space. *BLAM!!* *BLAM!!* In one explosion, one of the bombard cannons in Willis' gun battery gets hit, forcing the huge weapon barrel to get toppled over, nearly crushing Luster before she used her magic shield to block it. When the damaged barrel hit Luster's shield, she grunted as it gave her a headache before lifting the barrel away from her before it landed several feet in front of the unicorn. *THUD!!!* For Willis' he jumped backwards behind a group of nearby munition crates, trying to avoid getting crushed by the sheer weight of the toppling gun barrel. As Luster teleported herself behind Willis, she reappeared readying her gun while holding it with her magic. "It seems that they're getting close now. Brace yourself, everyone!! They're coming!!!" Willis' barked out orders as he pulled out his gun too. "Luster, go protect the alien weapon artifact. They're probably after it!!!" "Understood, sir!!" Luster replied as she teleported herself away from the starboard gun-battery. As Luster disappeared in a flash, Willis gets out from the munition crates as he leads a group of UFF marines to defend the hangar of his ship. Inside the storage room, Luster appeared right outside in the corridors at its front as Captain Blaze Stars makes an appearance with a group of 30 Royal unicorn guards clad in purple and blue guard armor. The storage room is seen as an area of 30 by 30 feet square with a metal fence reaching up to the ceiling, separating the alien artifact from any creature's reach. In front of the fence while facing the entrance outside of the storage room, all of the guards lit up their horns as they are readying themselves for another battle with the FSC. For Blaze Stars, he was seen wearing orange guard armor with red linings. Underneath his armor, he happens to be a unicorn that has a yellow coat with a red mane and tail, who bears the cutie mark of a fireball with three yellow stars surrounding it. He also has a red cape attached to the back of his armor bearing Queen Twilight's cutie mark. As he hit up his horn in a glowing, red hue, Blaze Stars gives out orders to his guards, shouting them out with his deep voice. "Every pony, I want the alien artifact protected at all costs. Any enemy creature coming through that door, you kill them without hesitation. SHOW THEM NO MERCY!!!!" "YES SIR!!!" All 20 unicorn guards replied in unison, heeding Blaze Stars' orders at once. When the guards went into position, Luster stood behind the formation while aiming her blaster at the door with her magic. The other royal guards onboard this ship are mostly on deck, are giving the UFF gun crews supporting fire with their lighting crossbows, zapping and blasting away most of the FSC soldiers that they see from the gun ports of their battleship. They're lead by General Ironwings, who is seen to be a black pegasus with a silver mane and tail, bearing the cutie mark of an anvil with a small, white feathery wings. He is wearing Equestrian Royal Guard Armor painted in black with purple linings, with a silver cape attached to its back. For the capes that most of the Equestrian Guard officers wear, they are hoofprinted with Queen Twilight's cutie mark which symbolizes their loyalty to her current reign. In his career, he attended the Wonderbolts Academy to improve his flying abilities to the extreme before switching roles into the Pegasus Military School in Cloudsdale for 5 months before being sent by the Queen to intercept the Sectanium Empire forces, 3 years before the peace treaty is signed as Sacreus. During the war against the alien empire, he specializes in multiple heavy aerial strikes that sends Equestria's enemies totally disoriented and outgunned. Ironwings earned his recognition by the UFF as star fighting alongside Daring Do including the campaign that took place in Kulverthnad, a neutral planet conquered by the Sectanium Empire 500 lightyears east from Sacreus. As of now, Ironwings makes use of his aid onboard Willis' Battlecruiser to protect the hangar from the FSC. "All Equestrain Forces, no matter what enemy creature boards this ship you will stand your ground to your last breath!!" Ironwings bellowed as he unfurled his wings protruding from his armored back. Behind Ironwings, his pegasus regiment ready their spears and javelins while they face the oncoming FSC cruiser charging straight at them in UFF ship's starboard hangar. As the black pegasus general glared at the enemy ship, he takes out his lance with his right hoof and holds up to the ceiling of the ship before pointing it towards his front. *CRASH!!!* *RUMBLE!!!* Upon impact, the FSC cruiser breached into the hangar with its bow at the front jutting through the blast doors before they collapse on the floors of the UFF ship. With the resulting collision, the guard ponies and the UFF marines struggled to maintain their balance as they feel the violent vibration caused by the boarding FSC ship. In just a few minutes of standing in their respective formations, both sides of the FSC cruiser opened up their flaps only for FSC soldiers to start pouring out. Upon seeing them, the enemy soldiers readied their rifles and opened fire upon the ship's defenders. *PEW!! PEW!! PEW!! PEW!! PEW!!* *WHOOOOOSH!!!* Just when the FSC tried to shoot at the UFF Marines and the Pegasus guard regiments, Ironwings and his men took flight as they zeroed towards the FSC soldiers in high speed, aiming their spears and lances at the them. "ATTACK!!!!" Ironwings roared as he dive-bombed a group of FSC soldiers with his lance. *BOOM!!!!* *WHACK!!!* The moment Ironwings struck into the heart of the FSC boarders, he caused a small blast of metal and rubble that sent a group of FSC soldiers flying in all directions, while the rest lost their aim at him with their guns. The next thing they knew, Ironwings swung his huge lance at one FSC soldier in the face, breaking the alien's cheekbone and making his face bleed before collapsing onto the creature's side. After the injured Sectanium fell flat dead on the hangar floors, Ironwings continue to swing and stab the other FSC soldiers that are very close to him, knocking the guns off their hands before whacking several more in the face and impaling the latter in their armored torsos. With Ironwings lashing at the Sectaniums in such fast movement with his lance, they weren't able to get away from the brutal pegasus guard officer in time. As for the pegasus guards, they dodged most of the laser shots coming from the weapons of the FSC soldiers before they descended from above. The moment the pegasus guards got up close and person, they stabbed some of the FSC soldiers in their stomachs with their spears, pushing them to the ground as they landed on all fours. In the next move, they flew up again and lunged at the FSC soldiers before they had a chance to retaliate with their swords. The Sectaniums are once again struggling to keep their guard up as they are attempting to knock the pegasus guards away from them with their punches, kicks, their laser blades, and with the butts of their guns. For the UFF marines, they fired back at the FSC soldiers with their blaster rifles while giving covering fire for the charging Equestrian Royal Guards. Back at the corridors, outside of the storage area, Luster Dawn, Captain Blaze Stars, and his unicorn guard regiments are all standing by for engagement. While readying their weapons, Luster could hear a lot of banging, shouts, and explosions coming from the end of the corridors on her left. At the same time, she could hear the UFF marines clamoring while firing their weapons from somewhere beyond the hallways. She felt a bit tense to think about what will the enemy creatures do to get past her and her fellow ponies. Just before Luster could see it coming, she sees a big explosion blast through the corridors a several feet away from the pink unicorn much to her startled expression. *BOOM!!!* After the explosion occurred, it tore a huge hole that leads straight into the corridor that Luster and her fellow ponies are at. "Get ready lassies!!! They're coming!!!" Blaze Stars shouted out loud to fellow guard ponies as he lit up his horn to the fullest. As Captain Blaze gets into an aggressive stance while aiming his horn towards the huge ripped out hole. For Luster, she glared profusely before aiming her blaster rifle at the same direction. In just one minute later, a squad of FSC soldiers entered the corridors and opened fire at the unicorns with their blaster rifles. *PEW!! PEW!! PEW!!! PEW!!! PEW!!!* "FIRE!!!" Blaze shouted at the top of his lungs as he started shooting out rapid firebolts at the advancing FSC Soldiers. *SHOOOM!!!* *KA-BLAM!!* The moment Blaze's spells exploded in front of 3 enemy soldiers, they screamed in agony as a spray of fire started to burn away their flesh alive. In excruciating burning pain, the FSC soldiers that were set ablaze immediately dropped their guns before they are flailing their arms around hopelessly before they got shot by Luster's blaster rifle next. With every shot that Luster makes with her weapon, she puts the hostile creatures out of their misery. For the unicorn guards, several of them are raising their small magic shield barriers while the rest of their returned fire by unleashing a volley of magic arrows at the FSC soldiers. *BLAM!!* *BLAM!!* *BLAM!!* *SHOOM!!* *SHOOM!!* *SHOOM!!* With all firing shots and magic spells hitting their targets, most of the FSC soldiers got blasted apart before several unicorn guards took severe casualties. Just when the FSC soldiers are coming through one wrecked opening in the corridor, another group of them barged through the door on Luster's right. As much as she felt outgunned and overwhelmed, Luster cannot hold back since she is Queen Twilight's protege student. In fact, Luster already gave her majesty her word to aid the UFF in defending all of Equestria from the enemies that threatened her beloved ruler many years ago. So the moment Luster puts her gun back into her holster, her horn lit up as she raised a huge shield barrier that blocked the entire corridor on her right before slamming it straight into the FSC soldiers. Upon impact, the FSC soldiers coming from the doorway had little time to brace themselves as they were sent flying out of the corridors by Luster's huge defensive spell. With the full brunt of Luster's shield barrier, most of the FSC soldiers were all knocked out cold. Once Luster disengages her shield spell, Captain Blaze moved past her and used his magic to close the door and sealed it shut with a lock spell. By doing so, Blaze can assure that the enemy creatures will not come through that door again. *RUMBLE!!* *RUMBLE!!* *BAM!! BAM!!* Behind Luster and Blaze, more FSC soldiers continue to pour out of the breached corridors as they are slowly overwhelming the unicorn guards near the storage room. Upon seeing this, Blaze had another idea up his sleeves. "Luster on the count of three, we both move in to push them out of here and seal that breach up!!" Blaze said, giving out orders to Luster Dawn. "Are you ready for it?!" "Let's do it!!" Luster smirked with determination. As two FSC soldiers grabbed a unicorn guard by the headlock and by its stomach, it struggled and wriggled when trying to break free from the two creatures that are a couple of feet taller than him. At the same time, three more unicorn guards intervened as two pounced the one FSC soldier holding the unicorn's stomach while the third guard rammed the second FSC soldier in the legs, making him trip over to his side. "ONE!!" Another FSC soldier shoots a unicorn guard in the face, making the guard pony fall to his side before blacking out. Before he knew it, another guard unicorn pony showered him with a taser spell that made the FSC soldier scream in agony before collapsing on his back. "TWO!!" While the unicorn guards started shooting rapid-fire beams at the FSC soldiers, Luster's horn and Blaze's horn are both lighting up in bright pink and red hues, getting ready to cast their spells. Just when three FSC soldiers aimed their guns at Luster and Blaze, both unicorns opened their eyes as they unleashed their combined spells at them. "THREE!!!!" In a blinding flash, all of the FSC soldiers that breached into the corridor Luster, Blaze, and his guards are at were slammed head on by a massive, square-like shield barrier that knocked them all out cold, making their noses bleed out before they collapsed on their backs. In an instant, Luster jumped forward to the ripped out hole and summoned a massive concrete that sealed the breach leading from outside of the corridor. Once Luster is done, Blaze lets loose a water spraying spell coming out of his horn, aiming it at the concrete that just appeared. As the water showered at the concrete seal left and right, Blaze was able to Luster ensure that the concrete stays hardened immediately during the assault on Willis' ship. However, just when Blaze's guards are at ease after Luster and the unicorn Captain succeeded in securing the corridors, they all hear more blasts and rumbling coming outside of the corridors. Before any pony could make another move, Luster's communicator started beeping again. This time, she hears Captain Willis' voice speaking out from her ear. "Luster, I need you to help me with the gun batteries. They are desperate in firing back at the boarding FSC cruiser!!" After hearing Willis' request, Luster turns to Captain Blaze for permission to help you the UFF Captain. Before Luster could ask, Blaze acknowledges Willis' request. "Go help out Willis, Luster. I'll take it from here!!" Seeing it as Blaze's permission granted, Luster lights up her horn, engulfs herself with her magic before teleporting away from the corridors instantly.