Rainbow Dash had always loved flying, and now was no exception. She loved soaring through the blue Equestrian skies with her squadmates, she loved rifle drill and seeing who had the sharpest eye and she even reserved a secret soft spot in her heart for drill practice. However upon arrival in the Crystal Empire she was greeted with a much different reality.
She checked into the mirror looking into a pair of magenta eyes, the eyes that had once been filled with so much enthusiasm and zeal now looked more like they belonged to an old decrypt rock farmer rather than a young mare in service of Celestia. She gave a small wink to herself in the mirror.
"Still lookin' as good as ever Dashie," she joked dryly to herself, her voice barely registering as a croak.
She finally straightened out her uniform and placed her cloth cap on. It proudly bore the badge of the 6th Cloudsdale Aerial Reconnaissance regiment. She had been proud to answer the call, along with many other Pegasi in Ponyville, however the only interesting postings for a village pegasi would be in an infantry regiment but even the notion of serving on the ground with no hope of escaping to the skies, made her feel nauseous.
She grabbed her carbine and left the tavern. The owner of the small establishment was born and bred in Baltimare so felt it was his obligation to provide housing for the passing Equestrian convoys. The convoy her platoon had been providing support for was a large contingent of auxiliaries and automobiles, however they were also complemented by something Dash felt was unusual-Crystal Ponies.
They weren't the Crystal Ponies who had volunteered for service in Northern regiments but rather they were civilians taken from the southern regions of the Crystal Empire. Her commanding officers said that they had sold their land to new Equestrian owners and were now to be moved to the Crystal City, however Rainbow Dash couldn't help noticing that they all looked miserable and half-starved.
As she moved into the street she noted the first steps being taken to disassemble the tent city that lay just outside the tavern, those who weren't lucky enough to get into the tavern had to sleep out with the Crystal Ponies. She searched for her squadron, eventually finding them in the commanding officer's tent. As she made her way in, she saw that there were easily forty to fifty pegasi crammed around a single table.
"You're late," teased her newest friend and colleague Thunder Lane, "wouldn't want to miss the commander's inspiring speech."
The convoy's leader was a colonel from Canterlot named Lightning Lance. He was generally a stoic commander and fine officer however the long trek North had dissolved all enthusiasm he had reducing his normally inspiring battle plans to monotone sermons. Rainbow Dash only finally began to listen when she heard him address her squadron.
"Finally, twelfth squadron will fly advance ahead of the convoy with seventeenth squadron. Fly in a spearhead formation and watch the roads for any insurgent activity, we've had reports of a small patrol of auxiliaries going dark near a river crossing about two kilometers following the North-West road from this village," with the long checklist of the day's orders complete, the large group of pegasi left the tent.
As Rainbow Dash's squadron began to move to the armoury she was approached by Night Glider, one of the few pegasi whom Rainbow Dash knew before joining was now commander of Rainbow Dash's squadron, "Before you go, the CO told me to give you these."
She held out a small parcel of letters bound together by a small purple bow. She shoved the parcel into her uniform and after giving thanks to Night Glider the pair began to depart with their squadron.
The departure from the camp had been largely uneventful, however the sight of the sheer amount of Crystal Ponies from an aerial perspective was astounding. They were beginning to wake up, many of them young, infirm or old. Dash harboured doubts that they may not even make it to the Crystal City.
They soared through the air until Rainbow Dash saw a massive black plume of smoke, arising from one of the many smaller roads. They began to descend to the location of the fire, only to bear witness of one of the most horrific sights many of the newer recruits had ever seen.
The vehicle in question that was emitting the smoke was a wrecked automobile, the front compartment was ablaze, while the rear was little better. The corpse of an auxiliary officer was slumped over the mounted machine gun, the only way the pegasi could tell this was due to his blood-stained beret the rest of his body was shredded by shrapnel. The bodies of multiple auxiliaries were littered around the crash site, each one in a worse state of dismemberment than the last.
Rainbow Dash could see members of her squadron leaning against trees regurgitating their breakfast onto nearby plants, however it wasn't her comrades reaction that worried but rather the body of a female auxiliary. She was leaning against the side of a blood stained oak tree, her rifle laying next to her and shell casings covering the ground beside her. As Rainbow Dash inspected the body further she could see that the mare was roughly the same age as Rainbow Dash, she even had a similar coat albeit with no rainbow mane.
Laying in her lap was a small golden chain connected to a small simulacrum of a heart, Rainbow Dash picked it up, opening the locket. inside was the image of the mare in a bridal dress embracing a suited male pegasi. Closing the locket Rainbow Dash vowed to return it to whomever it's rightful owner may be.
As Rainbow Dash rose to her feet, a great bang lept into the air. It was followed by a storm of lead tearing through the air. It shredded through whatever meagre cover the pegasi could get too. Rainbow Dash herself was fortunate when a bullet came only a few inches from hitting her. A few of the stronger flyers in the group tried their luck when they began to ascend into the skies but a hail of bullets coming from a newly positioned machine gun put an end to any hopes of aerial escape, as the carcasses slowly fell to ground, hitting the soft soil with a light thud.
As she looked at the embankment where the shots were originating from, a thin line of Crystal ponies began to descend down the hill and onto the road. The machine gun emplacements on the hill were producing a constant stream of fire, forcing the ponies to keep their heads down.
Picking up her carbine and begging Celestia for a quick end Rainbow Dash began to peek over the log she had gone to ground behind. Taking a large gulp of air she levelled the sights between the head of one of the rebels advancing towards her squadmates who had taken cover behind the ruined automobile.
Come on Dashie, you can do this. You've trained for this and I'll be damned if Cloudsdale's finest gives up the ghost now! She thought to herself as the heavy rifle sights began to swing around the rebel.
Composing herself, closing her eyes and giving a count to three, she pulled her finger back on the carbine's iron trigger. Her head was thrown back by the recoil, however the bullet found its mark and the advancing rebel was stained a crimson shade of red before collapsing in a heap next to his shocked comrades.
As the rebels turned their attention to the lone mare, Rainbow Dash was on the verge of giving in and hoping that there may be some quarter for the Equestrian soldiers, her spirits were lifted however when she saw a cluster of small but unmistakable shapes appearing on the horizon.
As the dots on the horizon screamed through the air towards her position they released their payload, the warheads tearing the rebels on the hill apart with ruthless efficiency. The incendiary warheads began to light the surrounding forest on ablaze. The pegasi taking cover behind the automobile began to leap out from cover and swarm the remaining rebels, the screams of agony coming from the machine gun emplacements only serving to drive the Equestrians ever onward disregarding their heavy casualties.
As the last of the rebels were skewered on Equestrian bayonets the squadrons saviours made their descent. The pegasi were shocked to discover that their savours were none other than the fabled Wonderbolts, their imposing figures met with cheers from the remaining Pegasi.
The leader of the group slung his weapon over his shoulder before moving over to Rainbow Dash, "we were in the neighbourhood and heard you needed a hoof."
"We only saved some for you Soarin," Rainbow Dash retorted, trying not to seem affected by the carnage that surrounded her.
After the Wonderbolts had hastily returned to their daily duties, the ragged group of soldiers began to round up the few rebels that had managed to scurry away deeper into the forest and survive the attack.
Rainbow Dashed reached into her pocket drawing the small parcel and began to unravel the purple bow holding the paper together, this must be rarity's handiwork she thought to herself, a brief smile flickering across her face. However her recollections of home were rudely interrupted by Night Glider.
"Pack up Dash, command wants us to move out," she said as the first waves of Auxiliaries began to move in and secure the area. Rainbow Dash lazily picked herself up and departed with the rest of the group. Leaving the wounded for the field surgeon and the dead behind for the coroner.
The familiar group of Crystal Ponies were lined along the many fading walls of the Strong Stallion Inn, but this time it wasn't a meeting of a few friends made rebels, now the once-abandoned tavern was brimming with every assortment of soldier. With every passing moment more and more Crystal Ponies were drawn into the tavern escaping the constant flurry of the late Winter snows.
Steel Defiance surveyed each and every newcomer as he leaned against the bar a tankard of a bitter draught taken from one of few still full kegs remaining in the cellar. However the refreshments were not the only things the rebels had stored down in the cold basement. Firearms of all calibers lined the four walls of the basement, stacked alongside countless boxes of ammunition.
However the basement's arsenal was naught when compared to the superweapon Steel Defiance had hidden a lead lockbox buried deep underneath the decaying wooden flooring of the tavern. Steel and two other rebels had lowered it into the pit all taking oaths of secrecy to ensure that the weapon's location would be kept secret at any cost.
Steel Defiance heard the faint flutter of Pegasi wings and the muted hum of an engine from outside, the small noises of Equestria interrupting the early morning quiet. Steel Defiance had become adept at gauging the distance of any suspect noises, he began to rest his head upon the worn bar's counter. He could almost feel the relaxing presence of sleep coming to wash over him.
However his brief moment of bliss was cut short as the more well-rested ponies in the bar began to let out cheers upon the arrival of Emerald Impact. He was flanked by two of his fellow rebel ponies all of them were carrying wooden crates from which the barrels of rifles, support weapons and even a few of the stolen multi-barrelled anti-pegasi weapon systems.
The massively increased deployment of Equestrian forces to the Crystal Empire came with the bonus of meaning more weapons for the rebels to plunder. Despite the fact that the rebel's arsenal still was not big enough to arm their entire force, he was confident that with multiple well timed surgical strikes they could hold the city in their grasp.
Steel Defiance moved over to a group of Crystal Ponies poring over a map of the Crystal Empire. Steel Defiance moved over to the highest ranked of them, A Crystal Pony with the name of Silver Mane, his name had been given to him by his parents due to his pure white locks of hair, every strand perfectly sculpted to meet whatever new fashion had cropped up in what remained of the high society of the Crystal Empire. Upon the Pony's breast was emblazoned a golden stripe which indicated the rank of Second Lieutenant.
"Sir," The Pony said in a well rehearsed tone as Steel Defiance moved towards him, "We have established contact with the other cells, they say they're ready and awaiting the command."
"Well Done Second Lieutenant," Steel Defiance drew in a heavy breath through his teeth, "Tell your men to form up outside, it's time."
A grin painted itself across Silver Mane's face despite his best attempts to stifle it, he attempted to hide it by raising his hoof up in salute to his forehead, "Yes sir, it's been a long time coming."
"That it has second Lieutenant, that it has," Steel murmured as he retired back to behind the bar.
As he passed by the many rows of empty bottles he eventually came to a rusted lockbox, the padlock long missing, in which contained his trust revolver. He drew the pistol from the box and slowly placed it in his coat his hoof shaking all the while. As almost every other pony in the bar rushed out, all array of weapons in their grasp, Steel Defiance stalked over to the familiar booth where he had pledged his life to the liberation of his homeland.
He felt his head recline as he saw Emerald Impact shove a flask down on the table, judging from the metallic clank it made it was a safe assumption to say that it was nearly empty. Steel turned his head toward him, eyes lowered and mouth sagging. His eyes were becoming painstakingly reflective.
"By Sombra Steel don't lose your composure now!" Emerald Impact chided his commanding officer.
"Last time we had any uprising of this scale we lost, ponies died and I lost my brother," Steel couldn't do anything but sigh and drag his head into his hands, "Now I've finally lost him and I'm about to lose all those young ponies out there as well. I can't do this anymore."
"It's okay Steel, I understand if you want to go," Emerald took a large swig from the flask before dropping it to the floor, "but if there is one stallion in the whole of the Crystal Empire that can make sure all those ponies out there make it home in one piece it's you. Without you we could have never gotten anywhere near this far."
With that Emerald Impact left the tavern to join the others forming into ranks in the streets. The sun was rising on the city, the first light barely penetrating the faded curtains covering the grimy windows of the tavern . Steel Defiance pulled himself out of the booth and with a deep breath he slowly opened the door, almost immediately being blinded by the early morning sun rising over the hills.
He was greeted by the sight of a small army in marching order formed outside the tavern. All wearing mismatching homemade uniforms, some of the younger or married Stallion's who had mares in their lives and veterans of the resistance to Sombra's reign were able to have traditional Crystal Empire military uniforms of a dark grey. However many of the ponies couldn't afford such extravagances and as such were united with their uniformed brethren by a simple armband depicting a shattered blue crystal of the oppressed ponies in the Crystal Empire upon a field of red to show the blood spilled in the endless war for liberation.