//------------------------------// // Chapter 11: The Battle Begins // Story: Equestria Wars Episode I: Fall of the New Lunar Republic // by sonicdash123 //------------------------------// Everyone outside has started boarding their transports and fighters to fly up to their cruisers and flagship. The soldiers were wearing white body armor and a helmet with a visor that looks like a letter "T." Rainbow Dash was walking with Charming Thunder as they headed to their ships. He boarded his starfighter as she boarded a starfighter. Rainbow flew to a Venator cruiser as Charming Thunder flew to the flagship. After he landed in the flagship, he contacted the pilot of the flagship on his comlink and said, "Get us as close to Canterlot as you can and try not to get us detected." "Yes, sir," the pilot replied. The flagship, Venators, and Acclamators then plotted their course to Canterlot. Charming Thunder entered the bridge of the flagship and walked to the window to view the direction to Canterlot. Applebloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle snuck on board with him without knowing. "Hi," Sweetie Belle said. Charming Thunder turned around to see them and said, "What are you three doing here? Its too dangerous for what we are doing." "We wanted to help," Applebloom said. "And what can you possibly to do to help?" The crusaders then just stood there in silent. "I read a manual on how to drive a walker," Scootaloo said. "Every last word from the book." "Fine. You three can come but when the time is right if the enemy has any walkers, try to hijack one. Even if somepony is driving it." "Sir, yes, sir!!" The crusaders said. Charming Thunder then looked back at the window to look for any sign of trouble. --------------------- Luna was at the window overseeing the Death Star. She giggled to herself and said, "Soon when the Death Star is operational, the New Lunar Republic will be unstoppable." She then did an evil laugh unlike when she was Nightmare Moon. A knock was heard on the door and a Magnaguard entered the room. "Your highness," it said. "I just received word that that the rebels are heading this way." "Sound the alarm, get the crew to their fighters, tell the cruisers to move to the enemy fleet, and tell the ground troops to get into position." "Yes, your highness." The droid then left the room to do as it asked and Luna looked out of the window and sees a flagship and a ton of cruisers heading their way. --------------------- The flagship and cruisers deployed the LAAT/i and LAAT/c transports to send down their ground forces. The LAAT/c was similar looking to the LAAT/i but it was carrying a walker. When the carrier dropped the walker it started to move straight to the Canterlot gate. The other transports deployed the white armored troops as Charming Thunder, Twilight, Applejack, Rarity, and the Cutie Mark Crusaders departed from their transport. Applejack was wearing the armor similar to the soldiers but the armor had orange decal and her helmet had an antenna, two gray stripes, and a visor. The dark troopers also departed from the transport carrying its weapon with two hands. It then started flying towards the gate and landed in front of it. They blasted the gate down and proceeded through the gate along with the troops. "Stay close, you three," Charming Thunder said to the crusaders. --------------------- The fighters have been deployed from the cruisers and flagship as they flew to the armored station. "All wings report in," Cheerilee said to the console. "Red leader standing by," Big Mac in the ARC-170 Starfighter said. "Gold leader standing by," the pilot in the V-Wing said. "Blue leader standing by," Rainbow Dash in her Z-95 Headhunter said. "Lock s-foils in attack positions," red leader said as he flipped a switch. The wings of the ARC-170's and V-Wing's then extended out as they continued flying. "We're passing through the magnetic field," Rainbow Dash said. "Hold tight." The ships then started to shake as they passed through the magnetic field. They then stopped shaking and proceeded to the station. Half of the squadron then splits up to take care of the cruisers that were heading towards the fleet. "Look at the size of that thing." "Cut the chatter, Rainbow," Cheerilee said. "Accelerate to attack speed." When the fighters reached the surface, the turrets on the station started firing at the incoming fighters. The fighters maneuvered over the lasers as the others blew up. --------------------- A royal guard entered Luna's throne room a lot shocked about the situation. "We count thirty rebel ships at the Death Star, your highness," he said. "But they are so small they are avoiding the turbo lasers." "We have to destroy them ship to ship," Luna said. "Tell the crew on that station to get to their fighters." "Yes, your highness." --------------------- The ground forces proceeded through the town as the enemy soldiers started firing at them. The soldiers took cover in the corners of a building. Charming Thunder hid in the corner of a tall building with the Cutie Mark Crusaders and said, "Stay here." He then got out of the corner and started firing his blaster at the enemy. A big laser blast came out of nowhere as an enemy walker entered the battle. "CHICKEN WALKER!!" Applejack shouted. "TAKE COVER!!" The walker continued to fire at the ground troops as the soldiers were on the roof throwing rocks at it. The walker rotated its head and fired at the roof. The soldiers took cover to avoid its blast. Charming Thunder headed straight towards the castle gate and crossed the draw bridge to the castle. Two pony guards blasted him as he blocked the bolts. One of the blaster bolts he blocked hits the wall as the others hit the soldiers that were firing at him. He then proceeded up the stairs to the entrance and placed a charge on the door. He took cover on the left side of the door. The door exploded and he threw a stun grenade inside the door. The explosion hits four guards and Charming Thunder entered the room and blasted them to the ground. Once the room was clear, he proceeded down the hall to Luna's throne room to confront his aunt and end the New Lunar Republic for good. --------------------- Back at the surface of the Death Star, Cheerilee was shooting down some of the stations defense turrets as she said, "Watch yourself! There's a lot of fire coming from the right side of that deflection tower." "I'm on it," a pilot responded. "I'm going in," Rainbow said. "Cover me, Blue 7." "I'm right with you, Blue Leader," Blue 7 replied. Rainbow and her wing mate were shooting at a deflection tower which was protected by some turrets. A turrets laser hit Blue 7's wing as he said, "I got a problem here." "Eject." "I can hold it." "PULL UP!!" "No, I'm all—Aargh!" The ship then exploded due to the impact of the turrets laser fire. "All units, we are detecting multiple signals. Enemy fighters coming your way." "My scopes are negative," Rainbow said. "I don't see anything." "Pick up your visual scanning. Here they come!" A dozen of TIE Fighters including a squad of TIE Interceptors came flying to attack the rebels. "Watch it!" Cheerilee shouted. "You've got one on your tail." The interceptor was behind an ARC-170 as its tail gunner started shooting at it. The gunner shot down the interceptor and it then exploded. "If you've picked one up, watch it!" "I can't see it," a pilot in a V-Wing said. The TIE Fighter was on her tail and she couldn't get it off her tail. "He's got me tight. I can't shake him." The fighter fired at the V-Wing but missed the shot. "I'll be right there," Rainbow said as she flew behind the fighter and waited for her target to center in place so she can shoot it down. The target locked and she opened fire at the fighter. It then exploded and Rainbow Dash flew through the explosion. The battle for freedom is going well for both Canterlot and the Death Star. They might actually win this battle.