//------------------------------// // Chapter 4 - Why we Fight // Story: BLITZ // by The Commandant //------------------------------// "So, I am getting my request for a replacement accepted?" I asked. "Yes sergeant, you are, and he'll be here in the evening, fresh from basic." Johnny replied. "Thanks." I said. "No problem." Johnny replied. "Well, I have to attend a Company meeting. Take care, Sergeant." "You as well." I replied, giving a quick salute. I left the command tent and walked over to my tent, which was a quarter mile away. The Officer pony stared at me as I walked by the "POW Pen", and looked away when I turned towards her. It was kind of odd. After an uneventful six minutes, I finally arrived at my tent. I walked in and found all my things where they were left, which was good. I went to my cot, and found the bottle of root beer next to my pack. "I wonder if it still tastes good?" I asked myself, as I picked up the bottle. "Only one way to find out." I put the edge of the bottle to my lips and poured it into my mouth. I let the soda sit in my mouth for a bit, then I swallowed it. Not half bad. I put the bottle down and picked up my book, titled Citizen Soldiers by Stephen E. Ambrose. It is a great book to read, especially in the middle of a war. I read the book for what seemed like hours, until I heard the call for dinner. I marked my spot with a piece of tape, closed my book, and got up out of the tent. I walked into the mess hall, which was next to the command tent, and sat next to my squad, located fairly close to the door. I left the table to grab my meal, thankfully the line wasn't too long this time. I sat down next to Anthony, my backup sergeant, and had a interesting conversation about ponies and how technologically inferior they are to us. It was getting darker now, and the weather patterns seemed to suggest some rain later on. Maybe a storm. I wanted to get back to my book, so I finished my meal and headed out. The ERA Officer looked miserably bored when I walked past her, as she was laying on the ground and sticking her hoof in the dirt. I made it back to my tent, but I found a note on my cot, titled 'urgent'. I opened it up, and I was a little less than pleased from what it said. Urgent. For Sergeant Mathew, 6.5.9.4.1.2.10 Upon receiving this letter, you have been ordered to report to your platoon officer, effective immediately. Company Command This is a sack of bullshit, since they could've come to me during dinner and told me to report to Johnny, instead of making me walk half a mile to and from. Then again, maybe the note was put here a few moments ago, before I got back. I don't know. I walked back to the command tent, and found nine other Squad leaders. Next to them were trucks full of infantry. I guessed that these infantry were probably the replacements, and I guess they do come by the truck loads. We were told to form a line and wait to take our replacements back to our squads. I waited in line for what felt like an hour, and it was already beginning to rain, but finally I was in the front of the line. "Grade and Name." An officer asked. "Sergeant Mathew, sir." I replied. "Alright... Mathew, your replacement is here, I just need you to sign this paper so we can keep a record of how many squad leaders received their replacements." The Officer said. "Yes sir." I replied, taking a pencil and writing on the sheet of paper. I handed the sheet to the officer. "Thank you. Your replacement is in the last truck to the left." He said, taking the paper. I gave a salute and headed to the truck, and there the newbie sat, looking as lonely as ever. I walked over to him. "Private, get over here!" I said "Yes sir!" The Private replied, jumping out of the truck and stood at attention in front of me. "Sir!" He said, giving a salute. "At ease." I said, returning the salute. "Walk with me, no formalities." "Yes sir." He replied. "I just said 'no formalities' Private." I said. "Uh... Alright." He responded, and began to walk with me. "So Private, what's your name?" I asked. "Zachary." He replied. "I'm Mathew, obviously your new squad leader." I said. "Alright." Zachary replied, buttoning up his jacket. "I'm just glad I'm out of basic." "I would rather stay in basic than be here." I replied. "What? Why?" He asked. "Basic is ten times better than this hell." I replied. "Hell?" He asked. "Hell." I replied. "Now I don't want to be here." He said. "You and me both." I replied. We continued walking to the squad tent, when Zachary brought up an interesting question. "Sir?" Zachary said. "Yeah, Private?" I said. "Well... How did the war start?" He asked. "They didn't tell you in basic?" I replied. "No, they only yelled at us. I guess they told you?" He asked. "That was the first thing they did. They must've changed it up." I replied. "Well, if I can remember what they spoon fed me, we can start." "Alright," He said. "I think I got it." I said, trying to recall what history I could. "It was around 2016, four years before I was around, when humanity ended up here. Over the course of two years, we found clever ways to survive this world, and even defend ourselves from it. But we weren't ready for something of an entirely new level; another sentient species, called the Equestrians, was discovered in 2018." "You mean the Equestrians we're fighting now?" Zachary asked. "Yes. As I was saying, when we found the Equestrians, we were anxious to form relations with them as soon as possible, so we sent out an ambassador of sorts to meet up with the Equestrians. But, when the ambassador ended up dead, along with the rest of the convoy, we didn't know what to make of it. We didn't assume the worst of the Equestrians, so we sent another ambassador out there." I said. "Only a few men came back alive, and said that the Equestrians had attacked them! We were upset with this discovery, but we tried again a third time, this time the convoy was heavily armed. When they all came back, they said the Equestrians tried to kill them, but they held them off. That threw us over the line." "What did we do?" Zachary asked. "Well, we retaliated in force using "Protecters" as soldiers to attack the nearest Equestrian settlement. We managed to take the town and hold it, but the attack plan was poorly executed, and the Protectors weren't really soldiers, so we were never ready for a counter attack by the Equestrians. We were pushed back to our home base, which was surrounded by all sides. We had realized that we were in the Equestrian main land, called Equestria. We ultimately had to give up the fight, and surrendered. When they talked to our leader, they only told us to leave Equestria and never return. So we did." "Wait, so we left just like that?" Zachary asked, looking confused. "No, that's the more simpler way of explaining what happened." I replied. "When we left to find another land to settle, we were still very bitter. The bitterness against Equestria has remained, and has obviously worsened, this war being a sign of that. But when the Zebras attacked Antonia, that was enough for us to declare war against everything sentient on this planet. Basically we're saying that every sentient species we meet is a threat to our existence. That's why we're fighting against the Equestrians." "I see, thanks sir." Zachary said. "Anytime." I replied, smiling and patting Zachary on the back. "So, how did the DAF form?" Zachary asked, looking at me. "That's a story for another time, Private. We're here." I replied, walking towards the squad tent. "This, Private, is where you'll be sleeping tonight. You should settle in before getting to know everyone." "Alright, thanks again sir." He said. "Don't mention it." I replied "Now, go get settled in." "Yes sir!" He said, giving a quick salute and walked into the tent. "Whoa, a replacement?" I heard Dylan call out from the tent. I chuckled a bit at the thought of the poor kid being put on the spot like that, especially at the hands of Corporal Dylan. I walk into my tent and landed on my cot, pulling the book out of my backpack, which lay next to me. I found where I left off before, and continued to read. After a while, I began to feel drowsy, my eyes trying to close by themselves. I gave in and closed my eyes, and eventually fell asleep.