//------------------------------// // 2. Ambush // Story: Battalion of Harmony // by mcb893 //------------------------------// "Ambush!" Moore shouted as he turned, firing his weapon in the way of the gunfire. He already knew what he was fighting. The aliens. They were here. Somehow, those monstrosities had made it to Equestria, but they sure as heck weren't going to make a mess of it like they did Earth. Sparks of orange flew past his face as the hostiles fire back, and Moore rushed behind a tree. "Jack, help set up a perimeter! We need to find out where these guys are!" He shouted as he pressed his back against the tree, just as a bullet whizzed by. The SAS operator, Predator, instantly took action, ducking behind a tree. "Apex! Get a flashbang out 'there! We need ta' buy us some time!" He shouted as he popped from the side of the tree. Firing his weapon, Moore looked over to the one Predator had called Apex, seeing him sprint from tree to tree, easily avoiding gunfire as though it were traveling slowly. Apex placed his weapon aside a moment, messing with something in his hands. Moore recognized it as a flashbang, and turned his head away. Hearing a loud burst, along with some loud screeches, he looked over, seeing several alien forms rearing back in pain. The ones that hadn't been hit fell back behind cover, instead of still firing. Moore growled in anger as he came to recognition. It had been a long time since he had fought something that was smart. Other than reality training with the SRTF, he hadn't gone up against a smart creature that actually was experienced with war for quite some time now, so this would be a hard fight. One of the SAS operators, Swift, instantly took cover behind a tree, and started firing as well. Frank quickly mounted up his LMG and readied himself, getting into a steady position as Jacob followed Moore's lead. "Frank, give us some cover, we need to gain as much ground as we can!" Moore shouted as he dropped an empty mag, instantly slamming in a new one. Predator looked over to Moore, as did Moore to him. He covers his head as an explosion sent bark and debris flying past them. A piece of bark dug into his hand, which was still covered by his combat gloves, therefore only getting a slight rip of the fabric. Predator groaned, and ordered Swift to move up and provide cover for Apex. "These bloody yanks have been following us for three days now!" He said as he covered his head from another explosion. Turning his head backwards, he points to one of his men. "Kestrel! Get Bloodhound out of here! Archer, grab his MP7 and get the heck out here!" He shouts as he pops out and fires his weapon again. Moore reaches to his side, and grabs one of his grenades, pulling the pin. As it gives out it's clinking noise, Moore throws the grenade down, past the SAS operators. "Frag out!" He shouts. Just as quickly as Moore threw his grenade, another bullet whizzes by him, nearly hitting him. Backing away, he slammed his back against the tree, breathing heavily as he made sure that he wasn't hit. He heard Rainbow barking out orders to her team, seeming to be anxious to join in this fight. If only she knew what she was in for this time. As opposed to the Rangers, they had never fought anything that was intelligent, save for their ancestors long ago. "Rainbow, don't engage them head on! I need you to sneak around and flank them! Jacob cover 'em!" He shouted as he popped back out, firing more rounds before the alien fire forced him back behind the tree. "Will do sir!" Jacob said as he made his way over to Rainbow's squad, firing in short bursts as he went. Moore quickly popped back out, rushing forward to the next few trees. Rushing the enemy would force them to give up territory, or at the very least, make them more weary of their opponent. To his right, Swift was firing away with what looked like an SMG, before pulling back behind the tree again. Another explosion went off in front of them, throwing dirt over them. "Do these dirt bags ever run out of grenades?" Swift shouted angrily as he shook his head. Ignoring his comment, Moore popped out from behind the tree again, firing away. A distinct clicking noise filled his ears, informing him of his empty magazine. Mumbling, he took cover behind the tree again, before dropping it out of his weapon. "John, I'm seeing two... no three more waves of aliens moving in on your position!" He heard Derek shout into his radio, followed by a shout of someone needing cover due to reloading. Moore grit his teeth as he slammed a fresh magazine into his weapon, then replied to Derek's shout. "Are you kidding me? How can there already be so many here?" He shouted as another explosion rocked the ground, making Moore off balance. Behind him, he could see Predator moving up with Apex, Kestrel, and Frank. Archer, on the other hand, was positioning his sniper on top of a rock, aiming down the battlefield. The sudden kick from his weapon gave the impression that he had fired. "Jack, Jacob, where's that ambush?" Moore asked with irritation in his voice. Popping back out, he fired three shots, then ducked back behind the tree. Soon after, Moore got his response. "These guys are everywhere! It's like a new one shows up the second we take one down!" The radio blared as someone cries out for cover. Looking back to the fight, Moore saw Frank reloading, with Predator and Apex each firing their respective weapons. "Tossing smoke!" Apex shouted, pulling the pin from a canister. He chucked it far down into the forest, where it burst into a large grey puff. "Counterattack into the smoke! Push! Push! Push!" Predator shouted as he abandoned his cover, firing his weapon into it. Moore ducked behind the tree one more time, making sure he had a bullet in his chamber. Once he did, he looked over to Frank, ordering him to move up. "Team we're moving up, watch your fire!" Moore shouted into his radio, firing steady three round bursts in a steady walk. He began to hear various grunts and mixed speech, most likely from the aliens. It sounded panicked, as though they were overwhelmed. "They're retreating keep going!" Moore shouted as a steady clicking noise warned him of the condition of his magazine. With a press of the button, it dropped to the ground, which was quickly drowned out by the other noises around them. "WOOHOO! PONY POWER!" He heard in a familiar voice, knowing that it was close by. Moore couldn't suppress a smile. As the smoke steadily cleared, the images of the aliens falling back grew clearer, and Moore ordered his troops to stand down. Despite some hesitance, Predator ultimately called off his troops as well. "Fight's over, anyone hit?" Moore asked as he lowered his weapon. "I took a shot to the shoulder, but it should be fine." Jack said with a groan of pain. Blood was slowly dripping down his combat attire, despite his efforts to cover it up with his hand. To the right, Rainbow was pumping her hoof in the air victoriously, whooping out loud as her troops gave out their battle cry. Frank had taken a bullet in the shoulder as well, but it wasn't serious. "Guess that was why you were so on edge?" Moore asked as he rested his gun on his shoulder. The SAS leader looked over to him, nodding as he patted one of his men on the shoulder. The one he had called Kestrel was bleeding from his arm, although the wound wasn't large enough to be a bullet wound. More likely, it was a piece of debris that had cut his arm. "You could say that, bloody yanks nearly killed one of my guys. Would have to if I hadn't stepped in." He said as he stood. "John, there were way too many aliens for that to be a first time squad, they've been here before. I don't know how long ago, but there's definitely more that came here before those ones." Derek said into the radio, making Moore freeze. What? That couldn't be right, how would the aliens have been in Equestria without the Princesses or him finding out?