//------------------------------//
// Chapter 3-Touchdown 
// Story: Eight days under the Zebrican sun 
// by The Cheeser 
//------------------------------//

The flight had been long, but they were finally landing somewhere in Hippogriffia. After they had landed and unloaded they had been escorted to their temporary barracks. An officer walked in and said

"Don't get too comfortable. You all will be flying for Zebrica proper in a few days once the planes arrive."

"Only a few days?" Swift Glaze repeated in his head. The officer continued

"You will be briefed at 0800 tomorrow." Various groans were heard as the officer left the barracks.

After making his bed and locking his stuff in one of the many lockers Swift Glaze decided to take a nap. It was only 1700 and there was plenty of time left in the day.

The next morning Swift Glaze woke up at 0300. Not being able to leave his rack due to the watch, Swift Glaze lay there in silence for the next three hours. Though if he were back in Equestria this might've been a bad thing, as the boredom would've driven him crazy normally. But ever since he landed in Hippogriffia Swift Glaze had no time to think as he was always moving. But finally, while laying in his rack at 0300 in the morning, Swift glaze thought to himself "What have I gotten myself into?"

Finally, reveille was sounded at 0600 and Swift Glaze pulls himself out of bed.

After a few minutes, Swift Glaze managed to pull on his uniform and goes for breakfast. Usually, the Equestrian military wasn't known for their food. Serving canned foods as "fresh". But this was Hippogriffia and many of the locals volunteered to help cook, and some even donated food.

This all ended up with Swift Glaze grabbing some fresh carrot soup, along with some toast with jam on it. After breakfast, he headed to a gymnasium that was attached to the main complex of the base. The Equestrian air forces were using it as a briefing room due to the large number of airponies. When Swift Glaze arrived he took a seat on one of many fold-up chairs in the gym. He sat nearer to the front. Those seats were still available since he arrived about 45 minutes early.

Finally, after some time, all of the seats were filled and officers started moving to the front

Though it was about time for the brief, everypony was excitedly chatting about future air battles. Swift Glaze, however, was getting more nervous by the minute. He had just been allowed to fly a plane alone and now, before he could even get a feel for the new airplanes he was headed off to war. What was he thinking? Shoving these thoughts down into his mind, he started to look around. Many ponies had volunteered for this mission. Some, like him, were nervously looking down. While others were starting competitions to see who could take out the most airships.

All of a sudden, breaking Swift Glaze out of his pondering was a loud whistle coming from the Commanding Officer. (CO)

"Good morning everypony" the CO said, loudly.

"Good morning sir!" responded the airponies. Some even shouted

"Today you will learn where and what you are fighting. You all will be divided up into groups of 6. Each of these groups will have a flight lieutenant. I will now let first lieutenant Crashing Mobility speak."

A well-dressed, yet nervous lieutenant stepped up and started his brief. When he started several enlisted airmen let out long sighs, for which they were glared at by the officers.

A few hours later the brief was almost over. Swift Glaze, who originally was nervous had settled down. These airships were very vulnerable to attack due to their lack of mobility. Though their firepower was unmatched by anything in the Equestrian military. Swift Glaze, however, hadn't listened to the second part of the brief, preferring to twiddle away with a ball of paper in his hooves. Soon enough the Lieutenant was giving ending remarks when something caught Swift Glaze's ear

"Since you are flying over the Eastern deserts of Zebrica, you all will be given survival packs in case of emergency. However, you will go over those in your assigned groups." Lieutenant Mobility remarked.

Finally, the CO came back up and dismissed all of the Airponies for lunch.

Swift Glaze, along with pretty much everypony else went to see who they were assigned with.

Swift Glaze found out he was in Squadron 27. "What a boring name," he thought, before seeing who he was assigned with.