//------------------------------//
// Rendezvous with Destiny 
// Story: Bronies in Arms: Road to Hill 30 
// by BlazingAngel 
//------------------------------//

 
Date:	June 6,
0115 hours



Location: Somewhere over Normanedy


Clouds departs in the sky, showing a C-47 transport plane flying high all by itself. Soon, as it climb out of the embankment, other transport planes appeared on either side of it. 
All of them are flying close together as it getting ready to drop paraponies behind enemy line as part of Operation Overload, an recognition for D-Day.
Half of those planes carry paraponies from the 502nd Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division.
In plane Number 17, laying on either side of the belly of the plane is thirteen paraponies waiting for the signal to stand up and prepare to jump. 
Most of them are dozing off after taking those anti-airsickness pills that were given to them before.

Baker- I never asked to be squad leader, but I had no choice. Now I've got thirteen soldiers under my command. Thirteen men depending on me to make the right decisions and not get them killed. Thirteen families relying on me to bring their husbands and sons home. Thirteen. Thirteen is not a lucky number.

Waking up from his sleep while sitting on the plane seat is Sergeant Frost Baker of 3rd squad, F Company, 502nd Inf. His face is smeared with paint as did all the other paraponies did for this night drop. Baker look at his squad that are sitting on either side of him. 
Way before any of this ever started, their home country, Equestria, had discovered a type of technology which will allow them to have an easy lives and economy. But when they show this to the whole world, they did the same but it turn into violent and one of those nation, Germaney, allies themselves with the Changelings and causes a massive world war; in the 40’s style. Equestria was then involved after a surprise attack at Canterlot and use a powerful spell that wipe out all magic, just to play fair in this war. Equestria then jumpstarted their military to become the strongest in the war. One of those time, they decided to perform an experiment on a military unit that will jump behind enemy line, capture vital locations, sabotage and the most favorite part, and raise hell on the enemy. Thus, the airborne was born. This is an all-volunteer unit and was now consider the best of the best. Baker and his men are one of them but Baker likes to think more about his squad:    
They are young but are capable to fight as paraponies and are discipline, hard-working young ponies that are willing to fight for his country. They came from all over the kingdom, being from rural Appleloosa to urban and crowded Manehatten.

Baker is the only one from his squad that came from the village of Ponyville. He has heard of the magic of friendship that was going around in town but he didn`t take noticed of it, since he very soft-spoken to people and doesn`t hang around with ponies that much.
Baker came from a family where one member comes and goes. 
His father is in the Royal Equestrian Military and Frost never get to see him that much because his dad been traveling around so much. 
His mother, on the other-hand, came from a wealthy family and military life did not suite her. 
After much argument about Frost`s future, his parent divorced when Frost was only eight years old. Kinda sucks for him when his family about him or anywhere else.
After hearing that his father died at Pearl Harbor, Frost immediately join the army and volunteered to become a parapony. But one thing that he didn`t expected to fight is to lead a squad that he was totally unprepared for. 

Across the aisle from where Baker is sitting is Corporal Lionheart looking Baker and he said to him, "Glad you could wake up Frost. We were about to jump without you!"

Corporal "Red" Lionheart is Baker close friend and has meet him during jump training. Before the war, Lionheart worked at a father`s ranch in Appleloosa. As a youth, he was wild and rebellious and gained a large scar during a bar fight with what he describes as "an angry lumberjack". 
When he join the army, he married a mare named, Erma, and they were going to have a child when he was at basic training. When he join 3rd squad, everyone give him a nickname, "Red", because of his red coat and mane. Mainly for Red, he wanted to get this war over with so he can go home and see his family again.

Next to Lionheart, Corporal Corrion threw up his breakfast on the floor and moan gruffly as the pills screwed up somehow.

"Goddamn it, Sam! Haven`t you been taking that pills lately?" Lionheart exclaimed as Corrion wiped his mouth with his combat sleeve.

"What do you think?" says Corrion, looking at Lionheart, "The damn thing didn`t work after all. Should`ve eat those D-ration instead."

Corporal "Sam" Corrion is one of the oldest member in 3rd squad. Back in basic training, he and Baker were Corporal together until their original squad later broke a leg during jump practice, thus making Baker promoted to Sergeant which he is now. Before the war, Corrion was a tough textile worker living in a rural town outside of Vanhoover. Corrion was fluent to both Equestrian and Germane small arms and could easily tell between what right and what wrong. 

Across from Corrion is Private Moonshadow Meadow who tossed him a pills as he explain to Corrion, "Well, maybe you should stock up as much as you can. Like I did."

Private Moonshadow Meadow is by far, in the squad opinion, the most annoying person there was in the army. Coming from Fillydelphia, Meadow irritates the majority of the squad with his somewhat arrogant attitude and talkative manner. When the war started, he was desperate to join so he lied about his age and join the paraponies.
He joined 3rd squad and became good friends to everyone.

Corrion catches the pill and his made a remark to Meadow, "You know, sometime I wish we could use you and your annoying manner and use to against the Germane. They will sure as hell run away from you."

Sitting on the other side of Corrion is Private Arrow laughing at what Corrion said to Meadow. "Hell, that was a good one." Arrow giggled, which make Meadow frustrated. 

Across from Arrow is Private Dare, who happened to agree with Arrow about the remark. "It sure was." Dare nodded.

Private Wild Arrow and Private Nickel Dare were in fact, like brothers. Both coming from a rural area, Arrow and Dare wanted to see some action so they both joined the army after finishing high school without being drafted. 
They first met each other in boot camp and created an unbreakable friendship, thank to you know who, and they rarely been seen apart. In quite amazing who they ended up in a same squad and are going to fight together. They always had a shy and sarcastic remark for every situation and seem to pride themselves on that fact. 

Sitting next to Dare is PFC Stanzan, who shook his head at the two idiot, "Could you guys ever stop?"

Private First Class Rune Stanzan is 3rd squad radio operator, since that he have to carry around a large radio on his back. 
Stanzan came from the Crystal Empire and often read poems that his father read to him when he was a child. 

His dad often read him his favorite poem, “I understand the large hearts of heroes, the courage of present times... It amazes me that something so beautiful could be a part of something so ugly."  

At the age of 21, he join the army and was qualified to become a radio operator in the 101st Airborne. While in service,  Stanzan was fond of quoting obscure poetry and felt that all stories should have happy endings; he began to realize however, that in war, the story often ends differently. 
But there are two person that Stanzan really dislike, and that Arrow and Dare are their stupid humor. They still going to dislike each other, even if they have to fight alongside if they want to see Equestria again.

The plane rocked, sending Stanzan`s spec flying out if his face and into Corrion pool of vomit, which ignited a roar of laughter from Arrow and Dare. 

Feeling embarrass, Stanzan reaches down to the floor, picked up his spec and began wiping it off on his sleeve before putting it back in place on his face.

Sitting next to Dare is PFC Silverjay, who is also laughing at Stanzan`s embarrassment, "Man, Kevin, do you need some duct tape to stick your thing on your face? Cause I got plenty of them!"

Private First Class "Zano" Silverjay is the oldest living soldier in 3rd squad and the lucky one. Silverjay came from a Czech family and ran away from home at the age of sixteen to join the French Foreign Legion. 
Having fought the Nazis for a year, he was evacuated with the rest of the unit at Dunkirk to Equestria. After he was told to get out of the army, he wanted to continue his fight so he join the Equestrian Army and eventually became part of the 101st Airborne. 

After Silverjay made his suggestion, Stanzan just look at him and ignore him. Why everyone is being so mean to him? Everyone except Baker, of course, which he trusted him the most to keep him alive.

Sitting next to Silverjay is Private Blithe who is busying checking and re-checking his reserve chute and making sure the pin that will pull the chute canopy cover open is still in place.

Finding it highly annoying while watching Blithe fiddling around with his reserve across the aisle from him, PFC Bristle thought how long he has to be in the plane with this asshole. He hoped that once they get into a firefight, he`ll use Blithe as a target to make sure his rifle is not on safety, just to be on the safe side.

Private Michael Blithe also came Fillydelpia and has three passion in his life: fighting the Germanes, playing baseball, and Italian food. When he join the war, he became close friend with Lionheart in training, sharing stories of bar fights. 
Blithe spent his 20th birthday on a boat in the middle of the ocean, and was known to be complacent even in the face of death. The only thing he ever wanted to is to get out of the army and hoped that someday he will take his family`s Italian restaurant from his father.

Private First Class Steel Bristle is another one of those soldiers who came from Nazi occupied territories. Bristle came from a long way from Poland just to fight the Nazi. 
Once they get out of action in France, he hoped he will see his parent again, is they survive the Nazi`s occupation. Since they both almost came from the same place, Bristle and Silverjay became good friends and often talk about fudge cakes and other foreign foods, as long if it European, and tell each other their future if they want to stay another day in Europe.

Sitting next to Bristle is Private Course, staring down at a black-and-white photo of a young colt wearing a baseball hat and seem to be smiling.

Private Black Course is one of those people who seem to be interested of playing sports more than fighting a war. Course came from the city of Baltimare and enjoys playing baseball in his free time. He even told everyone that someday he would be a professional baseball player - the catcher for the Baltimare Red Colt. 

"In your dreams." some of them will says but the hot-headed Course would keep his mouth shut after he learned that Baker used to played baseball so he went from there.

Sitting next to Course is Private Rivas, sketching and drawing out a plane on his sketchbook. 
Course notice this and said to him, "Hell, Rivas, you could be carrying pencils more than ammunition. I mean, who does that?"

Private Rivas came from Dodge Junction and art is his favorite things to do. 
He was always seen by his comrades holding his sketchbook and pencil; he drew whatever was around him. 
Rivas said many times that he'd jump with more pencils than ammo so he would always remember what he saw around him. Art was his passion, and he had an extraordinary talent for drawing. He said that once they get into combat and finishes a firefight, he will draw all the memorable experience as he fight together with his friends.

After drawing out a wing for the plane, Rivas look up at Course and replied with a smile, "Artist, obviously."

Sitting next to Rivas and hating to be the last one to jump out of the plane is Private Darkly Mustang. 
No one knows what Mustang actually do in life or where he came from. Let just say that he join because he wanted to serve His Majesty and his country so he could go home and rest in peace. For once in everyone account, Mustang got the Princesses pissed off after he tried to blow up their castle back at Canterlot. Surely no one knows this is what Mustang actually do or lives. 
Though he is a good friend of Meadow. 

Back to the front of the plane, Baker stared out of the opening of the plane when, across from him, is a voice, "Careful, Frost, you don`t want to be close to the door or you`ll fall out! You father won`t be happy with you once you hit the ground and die early once the fight started."

Baker turn to see who said it. He smiled as soon as he found out that voice came from Baker`s platoon sergeant, Mac.
Platoon Sergeant "Mac" Boundmask is the longtime family friend for Baker family. 

Having served in the army before the war, Mac has been a friend to Baker father when they were together at basic training. 
He is dedicated, committed and an expert with all infantry weapons and a superb 'lead by example' Platoon sergeant.
Mac will not let his men in his platoon down. He is very proud to be a paratrooper and the 101st and his 3rd platoon. 
When Mac was a rifle and machine gun man instructor at the infantry school and he and Colonel Baker were instructors of infantry tactics. Baker's father saved Mac's life in a demolitions training exercise at Fort Luna. As a result, Mac respects Baker's father and looks at Frost as a leader with potential and to carry on in his father's footsteps. Now, it Mac job to make sure Frost will carry out his father wishes. 

Further yet, Mac is not part of 3rd squad.

As you can see, there are twelve ponies, plus Baker which make it thirteen, in the squad, commonly known as "Baker's Dozen" by the men. There are three team that make up 3rd squad; Assault Team, Fire Team and Scout Team. 

The Assault team has Course, Stanzan, Blithe, Meadow and Meadow, led by Corrion. Their mission is to flank the enemy and suppress [if necessary] to continue on to their objectives.

The Fire Team consisted a tasks of keeping the enemy down while suppressing them while the Assault Team is flanking them and they also has to make sure that the enemy's fire to becoming  less accurate and frequent. The job is laid down to Wildarrow, Silverjay, Dare and Bristle as they were being led by Lionheart.  

The Scout Team is the team that normally just scout out the enemy positions and gather information of their whereabouts. This is being performed by Rivas and Mustang.

The most important things that the squad need to have and to know is their determination and training. Especially for training. While in basic training back in Equestria, Baker teaches his squad on basic maneuvers and a military tactic called the Four F's. Find, Fix, Flank and Finish.

Find: You locate the enemy.

Fix: you get into positions and harass them with fix field of fire.

Flank: once the enemy is pinned down, you carefully go to their side where they will most likely expose themselves to you.

Finish: you kill them all by shooting at their expose positions.

Whenever they get into a tough firefight, Baker and his man will use the Four F's and take out the enemy much faster so they can get to their objectives much faster.

With all that done, it time to go back to the plane scenario.

After many sarcastic remarks among the men and some prep talks, they all fell silence and begin to think what will happen to them and their comrades-in-arms once they get into combat.

After a moment of silence, a red light on the side of the door flicker on, signaling them to prepare for the jump.

As soon as Baker had time to notice the light, Mac is the first one to stand up and begin to give everyone on the plane the preparatory commands, "Stand up!"

Everyone got up from their seat and begin single first while facing the door. Baker stand on next to the door so he could see what going on outside of his plane.

Mac shouted the next command, "Hook up!"

Grabbing hold of their parachute clip that attaches to that back of their parachute canopy, they clip it to the static line that run down the ceiling of the plane toward the door that way when they jump out, the cord that attracted to their parachute will yank the canopy off and the parachute will deploy. If that failed, they will the pin that attaches to their reserve chute. If that failed, God knows what will happen to that unlucky bastard.

"Check your equipment!"

Each soldier check his own equipment's to make sure everything is in place.

After every soldiers check their equipment's, Mac shouted out the final order, “Remember! This squad sticks together! Once you hit the ground, find Baker! Sound off!"

The last man in the plane will shout out "Number Fourteen OK!"

When they got to number nine, their plane was hit by shells as it tore through and make holes on the side of their plane, it also disable one of the plane engines which burst into flames.

But the shell also sent in jagged pieces of shrapnel into their plane. One of the pieces hit Corrion in the shoulder, sending him to the ground.

"Corrion hit!" Lionheart shouted as soon as Corrion hit the floor.

Right when he said this, it seem like the whole world erupted with shells and bullets as the Germanes on the ground is shooting everything they have at the armada.

"Let get the hell out of here!" Dare yelled, urging forward of wanting to get out of the plane if they get shot down with them in it.

"We gotta jump Sarge!" Wildarrow shouted when they could hear bullets ripping through the metal of their plane.

"We wait for the green light!" Mac said as they were struggling to get back on their hooves.

Wildarrow snapped back with excitement, "We wait any longer, there won't be a fucking green light!"

Meanwhile, Baker stand so close to the opening of the door that Mac notices this and shout at him, "Baker! Stand in the door! "

As he was backing up into the plane, Baker looks out and sees tracer bullets hitting other C-47s and paraponies dropping from them. 

Baker- I never asked to be squad leader.

When he step back into the plane, another shell hit the plane wing. 

Baker fell out of the plane and his parachute opens, feeling the jerk from it and Baker happen to see that his musettes bag that contained all of his weapons break free from his leg and fall toward the ground. There goes his stuffs. 
After what seems like a very long time flying in the air, Baker looks down and realized he is going to land so prepare for impact!
But then, his parachute was caught on a tree which allows Baker to land on the branches. 
Then, the parachute tore free of the tree and Baker fell to the ground back-first. 

After he recovered from the fall, he got up, took off his parachute and begin to check if he have everything with him, except for his weapons. Now he unarmed. The next thing Baker need to do is to find his squad. Learning for the proper way to gather up a squad in fast time in a time like this in training, Baker look up the sky to see where the C-47s is going. They are heading north so that mean that if Baker is the first man out, he has to go the direction of the C-47s to find his squad.

After where he need to go, Baker found a cobblestone path and begin to take its course northward. 

After a few minutes of walking, he found a farmhouse. He cautiously walks up to it without thinking about his safety when, out of nowhere, a figure appeared next to the house.

Baker froze and eyed the figure. The figure saw him and, before Baker had time to run, exclaimed, "Baker!" Baker looked at the figure and realized it was Mac.

Mac walk over to him and was happy to see Baker alive, even after he fell out of the plane. Mac said to him, "What the hell happened to your gear?"

"It fell off me when I fell out." Baker replied.

Mac shook his head, "Well shit... here take my .45 and shoot anything that is wearing greys." He handed Baker his pistol and Baker took it. 

Baker couldn't remember the last time he hold a pistol like this, since he don't have one right now.

"Come on, we got to move." said Mac and he led Baker to the side of the house to the opening of the wall. 

"Shh!" Mac put his hoof to his lip as to tell Baker to keep quiet when on the other side of the wall is two Germane soldiers checking a dead parapony that is hanging from a tree.

"Ich glaube, um den brauchen wir uns keine Sorgen mehr zu machen." said one Germane soldier after they checked the body.

"Ich glaube, um den brauchen wir uns keine Sorgen mehr zu machen?" said another, unconcern about the dropping that is happening all around them.

When they about to walk away, Mac shouted, "Now!" He and Baker lit up their gun at the two surprised Germanes and kill them both.

After they`re dead, Mac and Baker walk up to the dead parapony.

"There a couple of houses here," says Mac, taking out a map that has the whole area that they are in, "I`m trying to figure out where the hell we are."

While Mac is looking at the map, Baker first at the dead Germanes soldiers sprawling across the ground then at the dead parapony. 

After looking at his map for a few times, Mac look around him then finally said to Baker, "I don't where the hell we are, but I`m sure as shit don't want to stay here with all these krauts  about." He put his map away and said to Baker, "Let's move Baker."

Mac led Baker out of the courtyard to the side of the house when there was a paved road that runs parallel of the house front yard.

Hiding behind an abandoned wagon, Mac order Baker to cover him so he could cross the road to the other side. When Mac crosses it and got behind an old water fountain, a new voice called out, "Flash!"

Mac looked at Baker behind him to see if he said it, but Baker only shrugged. 

Mac had no choice but to reply with a countersign, "Thunder! Who's there?"

Behind another abandoned wagon, an arm was raised in the air and waved them over.
Mac and Baker walks into a front of the house when Stanzan came into view and greeted them with happiness, "Oh shit! Mac and Baker! I thought I was lost!"

"Quiet!" said another voice, which belong to Colonel Dale Sole, commander of the 502nd. He stand up and look at Stanzan in a whisper, "Keep your voice down or the whole goddamn Germane army will show up. They'll be plenty of time to reminisce later."

"Anypony know where we are?" Mac asked.

"No idea." said Stanzan.

"I`ll find out." says Sole and he walks up to the door of the house and knock on it. Moment later, they all could hear muffled voices and the sound of running inside the house.

“Hello. Je suis American." Sole said in french, after the sound of running stopped. 

Moment later, a mare voice called out from inside of the house, "S'il vous plaît, laissez-nous en paix." (Please leave us in peace.) 

"AMERICANS. What town is this?" said Sole, frustrated.

"S'il vous plaît, partez d'ici."(Please, leave.) 

Sole acted like he'd given up then turn to the three soldiers standing behind him, “Any of y'all know French? I can't understand a goddamn word she's jabbering."

Stanzan raised his hoof as he peeped out, "I speak a bit, sir."

"Then get your ass over here, son." 

Stanzan walks up to the door standing next to Sole and called out at the house, "Pouvez-vous nous dire où nous sommes?”(Can you tell us where we are?) 

This time, instead of cooperating with Sole, the mare seem relaxed and speak confidently to Stanzan, "Juste au nord-est de Sainte Mère Eglise."(Just northeast of St. Mère Eglise.) 

Stanzan translate this to Sole, "She says we're just northeast of St. Mere Eglise. "

"Dammit. Well, we're headed in the wrong direction. I'm going to see if I can gather some more guys. Y'all head that way through the gate and link up with anyone else you find as you head east. Stay alive. That's an order." Sole said to the three stallions and gallop down toward the road and disappeared.