Chapter 11: So it Begins
Vigilant Watch sat at his station in the Dawn Shield HQ, one of many in the large room designated as the “analysis room”, just as he had done for the three months since his retirement from the guard. Though not an actual member of the prestigious organization, he was happy that he was able to at least work with Dawn Shield.
The nearly-crippled earth pony was severely injured during an incident in Fillydelphia. A unicorn, enraged after losing his job at a local biological research lab, for using corporate resources for illegal research, let one of his experiments go when the guard attempted to arrest him. Unfortunately for Vigilant, he was one of the guards.
Truth be told, Vigilant was lucky. Two of his friends lost their lives to that... thing. All he lost was half his left foreleg. Lucky for him, some eccentric inventor from Tigeria and his wife had been delving into advanced prosthetics, and asked him to be a test subject for a new design that allowed some basic movement and channeling magic to allow one to grasp with their natural contact-telekinesis.
His injuries were enough to force his retirement, but Colonel Midnight Star understood Vigilant's desire to serve his country in any way he could. Now, here he was, working with the same ponies that dispatched the monster that took his leg with such ease. Sure, it was a desk job, but at least he was doing something important... of course, that didn't mean it was exciting.
Vigilant let out a yawn, his head leaning on the cold metal of his left hoof as he watched his monitor, scanning the Everfree for spikes in magical energy, especially temporal energy. Like all the civilian and third-party workers, he didn't technically have the clearance to know why he was watching for it, but he knew the princesses were taking a personal interest in it. That alone was enough for him.
Once again, he straightened up and began moving his hooves across the keyboard. He hated the thing, with its tiny buttons that required special hoof coverings with a short rod to push buttons. He wished they would make it more pony friendly, but he soldiered on.
Initiating the scan, he read off the readings out loud, boredom in his voice. “Section K-67; negative. Section K-68; negative. Section K-69; negative. Section K-70; positive. Section... Wait, what?” He looked back up the list. “Positive?”
The former guard selected section K-70 and initiated a secondary scan. Sure enough, there was a massive spike of temporal magic in the area. With a few more commands, he sent a drone to the area. This would mark the very first time one had been sent out to actually investigate something since they were built by the human, Jacob Corban. After he confirmed the drone's deployment, he moved to the communicator and hit the red button on the side. After a few moments, a dark blue face appeared on the screen.
“Sir,” Vigilant stated with a salute, “we have a possible contact.”
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
Midnight, Twilight, and the rest of the bearers watched the video feed being sent from the drone, on the large display in the front of the analysis room. The image showed a rather large group of bipedal beings, and a large number of machines of varying shapes and sizes gathering around massive orb of pale blue light.
“So, this is it,” Twilight said, a touch of trepidation in her voice. “This is what we've been training for.”
Midnight nodded and replied, “Yeah. That's the Kordan army, alright. I recognize the Drega-class,” He indicated a quadrupedal machine that resembled a pony without a head, sporting a turret on top with four massive guns, “and Herring-class mechs,” These looked more like minotaurs, standing on two legs with a large, burly chest and huge hands, “and the lancers there in the front.” Small, agile looking vehicles sped in front, smaller than the Roadrunner, with a pair of machine guns on a turret on top. “Those are new, though.”
“They've been in service for about four years, now,” Jacob said, examining the newest armored war machine in the Kordan army, and the only tank at the moment. “It's called a Storm Tank. Basically, it shoots high-current lightning. Nasty things, hit like a hammer, but can't really take it. The gun's too heavy to allow thick armor.”
“So, we just hit them hard and they're done,” Midnight said, nodding. “Bloom, you and the tigers are going to be targeting those first.”
“Got'cha.”
“Rarity, I want you to target the lancers first. Take out their most mobile unit, aim for the front, slightly to the right, just forward of the front wheel. That's the mana battery. Then target anyone who looks like a major threat. Virgil, you’re her spotter.”
“Very well”
“Fluttershy, Blue, medic support. Retrieve wounded and protect our medics.”
“Will do.”
“Sweetie, sync your MagiTool to a couple drones and observe the battlefield. Feed important intel to the our guys and direct Shy and Blue to any wounded.”
“Yes sir.”
Midnight looked at his second. “Applejack, Pinkie, Rainbow, Scoots, make yourselves interesting. Do as much damage as you can and make them come after you.”
“Ah think we can handle that.”
“Wait,” Twilight interrupted. “Shouldn't I be with them? My shields and teleportation would make me threatening.”
“That is true, but you and I have a far more dangerous and important mission.” Midnight looked at his wife, his face serious. “We're going to sneak through the portal to the gate facility and destroy the archive therein, then destroy the gate. Your knowledge of unicorn magic will be invaluable. Besides, I found an old, torn black bodysuit in a box in the library basement.” Midnight shot her a knowing smirk.
“Oh, hehe, that...” Twilight smiled sheepishly, her cheeks practically glowing red.
“I had Rarity fix it. It'll help. We aren't sneaking into a library you have full access to, so you'll need every edge you can get to stay hidden,” Midnight explained.
They spent the next hour discussing strategy. The only new machines brought through in that time were a pair of heavy anti-air tanks that wouldn't be any threat to the small, nimble pegasi, and three aerial gunships called Yunin Attack Aircraft. Rainbow was tasked with dealing with those.
“Other than that, everything is just how we’ve planned. Alright, let's move,” Midnight ordered. “We have to get there before they finish coming through. Remember, as long as you don't approach the gate, they won't have reason to close it.”
As Dawn Shield began their march toward the Everfree, Jacob caught up to his brother. “Are you sure you don't want me coming with you?”
“No, your information will be enough to find the archives, and Twilight's cloak spell can't cover three. Besides, you're going to be needed here. Who else can operate my new golem?”
Jacob's eyes widened in shock. “Really? You're letting me use it?”
“I can't use it, it's huge and mine is a stealth mission.”
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
Further back, Applejack said to Rainbow, “Ya know... Ah'm scared.”
Rainbow looked at her friend is surprise. She never would have thought she would have ever heard her say that. “Yeah, well... Me too.”
“This is good thing,” came the thick accent of Zhatka. “Fear will keep you alive. Just not let it consume you.”
“Thanks, Z,” Applejack said with a smile. “Oh, and... Watch out for Applebloom for me, will ya?”
“With my life,” he returned with a smile as he jogged off to rejoin his squad.
“Ooo, already on pet names, huh?” Rainbow teased.
“Shaddup,” AJ said with a laugh. “You know dern well we're just friends... even if he is good in the sack.”
“Oh-ho-ho. Do tell. When's the wedding?”
The farmer bumped her friend's flank with her own, playfully. “He just helped me out with mah heat the other week.”
Rainbow took note of the hint of disappointment in her friend's voice. “Hey, come on, AJ. You'll find some big strong stallion that can wrestle you to the ground... One that's looking to settle down.”
“Ah know. And hey, maybe if Ah do, we can share'em.”
“Why Applejack, are coming on to me?”
“Oh hush.”
The two friends shared a much needed laugh.
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
Fluttershy desperately tried to shrink into her mane, disliking not only the crowd, but the destination. Sure, she had killed before. Other than Midnight and possibly Jacob, she had the most experience, hunting and killing diseased animals to end their suffering and prevent an outbreak, but that was always a mercy. Even the griffin Midnight had her kill was easier knowing she was sparing him a worse fate in the arena. Now, though, she was marching to war against an army. She knew it was necessary, but she couldn't help but wonder how many good people she was going to kill. After all, Midnight and Jacob were both part of the same army, but they were good people.
“I know how you feel,” Sweetie said as she came up beside her squad mate. It wasn't hard to figure out what was going through the buttery mare's mind. They were all thinking the same thing. “I hate it too, but the only other option is to let them ravage our world. I don't hate those we're fighting, I hate those that sent them to fight. Don't blame yourself for defending a billion souls from a few hundred.”
“Thank you, Sweetie,” Fluttershy said with a sorrowful smile, “But that doesn't mean I shouldn't hate having to do it. I'll always hate killing.
“So have you decided on a wedding date?” Fluttershy asked, changing the subject.
“Yes, we're going to give ourselves a few months to recover after this, and have it in November.”
“That's lovely,” Fluttershy said. I just hope we’re all alive to see it..
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
Forty-two ponies, five tigers, a diamond dog, and a human stood, silently observing the massing army gathering in a huge clearing that was once filled with trees and brush. The only ones whose trepidation didn't show was Midnight, the tigers, and a few of the former veteran guards, though they still felt it.
“Alright, switch on your communicators,” Midnight ordered. One by one, the devices attached to each ear clicked on. “Okay, good. Zhatka, get your team into position and await my signal.” A nod from the tiger. “Applebloom, I'm placing you under his command. He has experience and has proven himself on battlefields across the world so he won’t lead you astray. Zhatka, I'm trusting her to you.”
“I shall protect her as if she were my own cub.”
“Rarity, stay in the trees. They'll provide you with cover and elevation. Jacob, over here.”
Midnight lead his little brother a short distance away, and with a subtle glow, opened his pocket dimension, retrieving a massive capsule, five times the height of a man. “Take care of him. I haven't had a lot of time to play, yet.”
Another glow, and Jacob felt the golem as an extension of himself. “Thanks, David. And... good luck out there.”
“You too, Jacob.”
With that, Midnight hurried back to his wife.
“You ready?” he asked.
“As ready as I'll ever be.”
Twilight's horn glowed with magic, the effect hidden by a dimming spell, cast by one of the other unicorns. The spell wrapped around Midnight and Twilight and in a blink of an eye, they vanished.
“Alright, it worked,” Twilight's disembodied voice said, happy with her accomplishment.
“We'll give you the signal when we're in position,” Midnight said. “Let's go.”
Twilight had woven the spells with a kind of 'link' spell that allowed them to 'know' where the other was at all times. That way they wouldn't get separated.
They stepped into the clearing and hurried toward their destination. Soon enough, they were within range of the auto turrets. Midnight held his breath as the killing machines scanned the field. The sensor suites on these killers were some of the best you could find, and one way or another, getting past them would be the last test of the cloaking spell's effectiveness.
The gun barrel turned toward the two ponies, Midnight's heart stopping mid thump. For an instant, he was staring down the barrel, staring death in the eye... and then he was starring at its side as it passed by. In an instant, his heart and breath started again, adrenaline flowing through his veins.
“I really wish we had more time to prepare,” Twilight whispered, not wanting to really put the silence spells to the test just yet.
“If we waited, they would have sent everyone through and closed the gate. It had to be fast.”
Sneaking through the rapidly building base was much more difficult, but eventually, they arrived at their destination.
“Alright, we're in position,” Midnight said into his communicator. “On my mark. Three... Two... One... Engage.”
Mere seconds passed before the air reverberated with the first explosions. The sound of rapidly expanding air roused the base in a brief moment of panic. During the chaos, the two ponies took a deep breath, and leaped through the portal.