Chapter 4
Cornelius ran toward the front of his ship, anxious to see what his pilot had. The clank of his hooves on the metal floor was the only sound that could be heard in the hallway. He passed by communications, startling Sweetie Bell. He approached the cockpit and prepared for the worst. He opened the door and looked out the window. He saw four ships, roughly the size of his own, and many of the smaller ships, like the ones that had attacked them earlier. He knew the smaller ones wouldn't be much of a threat, but the four larger ones would be a huge challenge. there was no guarantee that they would survive the encounter.
"Cornelius, do you think they're down there?"
"Only one way to find out." He turned and picked up the intercom, speaking orders to his crew. "Sweetie Bell, radio Maelstrom, we'll need backup as soon as possible. Scoots, get to your fighter, and be ready to fly in five. Zach, get ready on the guns, I'll meet you down there. Bloom, brace yourself."
"Wait, we aren't, going down there. Are we?"
"Yes, Get us as close as you can to the bigger ones first. Keep our front to them, that's where our armor is strongest. You think you can handle that Pip?"
"No, but we've come this far, why not just keep going?"
"That's the spirit!" He turned and left the cockpit, leaving Pipsqueak alone. Pip turned and began flying the ship at the enemy, readying himself for whatever happened next.
"Even if it is a suicide mission." He muttered to himself.
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Cornelius once again ran through the halls of his ship. This time, for not as long. If Pip did manage to keep the front to the enemy, then the rear gun would be almost useless. Instead, he went to their front-right mounted gun, spinning it up and bracing for a fight. He notice Zach climb into the gun on his left and spin it up as well. He took aim at the nearest of the lager ships, and waited for Pip to bring them in range. The enemy began to turn their ships toward his, and he noticed they began to take aim as well. He also noticed that on the foremost ship, stood a unicorn with his horn glowing.Now what could he be doing?
"Attention unidentified airship. You are in a restricted area. Turn back, or we will be forced to see you as an enemy to the Empire. And we will not hesitate to shoot you down." Cornelius set his horn alight, and cast a voice-amplification spell on himself. He opened the nearby escape hatch, and began to speak.
"Listen up, Blublood's 'Empire' is nothing more than a fragile dream at power. As soon as we destroy you and return the princesses to their thrones, this whole thing will be over. And Blueblood will be locked away, or banished, or locked away in the place he is banished to. So I suggest you back down before I make you back down. And my way involves you plummeting in a fireball."
"You are going to stop us? You and what army?" Cornelius waited for a moment. This would have been a perfect time for Cloudsdale's reinforcements to arrive. However, Coudsdale was far away, and it would be another hour or so before help arrived. With no witty remark to respond with, he stayed quiet.
"Just as I thought. Now, prepare yourself for battle!" The unicorn went back inside his ship as the small Imperial fleet turned towards his lone ship. He had a long and hard fight ahead of him. He shut the window and dispelled his magic. His ship started forward, and he prepared to fire. He waited, the suspense hung in the air, so thin it could be cut with a knife. He waited, the only sounds were his ships engines whirring behind him. The enemy came in range, and he knew that he could possibly die in the near future. Better to go out fighting. His and Zach's guns blazed to life, a steady flow of bullets flowing out at the enemy ships. Just then, the Imperial ships returned fire, and rounds were sent streaking past the small glass dome he was encased in. Zach had already felled two of the smaller ships, his expert aim allowing him to hit hardpoints with ease. Cornelius was working on one of the larger ships, the bullets not doing much damage. He noticed that Scootaloo had taken flight in her small fighter plane. Buzzing around the larger ships, taunting them. He noticed one of her stray bullets rip through the balloon of a smaller ship, sending air pouring out. Cornelius realized with great pleasure that his enemy had failed to reinforce their balloons, making them easy to puncture. He turned his gun upward, and began to fire on the balloon of what appeared to be the lead ship. As the rounds made contact, dozens of hole sprung up along the surface of the air-bag, making it lose air at an exponential rate. Zach had figured out the weakness as well, and was dropping ships left and right. Scootaloo seemed to have caught on, and was targeting the air-bags as well.
The last of the ships fell, and Cornelius let go of the gun, and unbuckled himself from the harness. Scootaloo was heading back as he turned to leave the gunner's seat. He climbed out of the turret, and walked back towards the cockpit, Zach right behind him. As he walked into the cockpit, a couple ships with Cloudsdale's symbol on their hull arrived. A pegasus showed up at the nearby boarding door, and knocked. Cornelius walked over and opened it, letting him in.
"Well, we're here. Where's the threat?"
"Check the bottom of the valley. You missed all the action. Though I would appreciate it if you and your boys stuck around, just in case there's more trouble."
"Wait, you destroyed them all? How in the hay did you do that?"
"They neglected to make their balloons thick enough to withstand a bullet. We just filled their air-bags full of holes."
"Haha. Well, nice work. My name is Shepard. I'm the captain of the Normandy, the ship on your right. On the left is Home One, commanded by Admiral Akbar. We were instructed by General Maelstrom to follow your orders once we arrived. So, as per your request, we shall stick around. Now then, where do you believe they are hiding the princesses?"
"Down i that cave. Speaking of, Pip, take us in."
"Yes sir!" The ship moved towards the cave, being guided in by an excellent pilot. Pip flew the ship in, and turned off the engines. Cornelius turned and headed toward where the weapons were stashed. Zach and Shepard followed him, eager for action. He walked into the armory, and grabbed his sword. His magic made it an easy weapon to use, so that's what he stuck with. Zach grabbed his pistols, one in each wing, ready to be fired at a moments notice. Shepard grabbed one of the spare rifles leaning against the wall. All of them armed and ready for combat, they headed off the ship. As they made their way through the cave, the lack of guards surprised them.
"Where are all the guards? You would think that the princesses would be better protected than this." Shepard looked around as he spoke, eyeing every crevice carefully.
"Maybe Blueblood didn't think anypony would get past his ships?" Cornelius gave his sword an idle twirl as he said this. Suddenly, he saw a light up ahead, and broke into a gallop, Shepard and Zach right behind him. They came upon a few guard sitting at a table playing poker. They were caught by surprise, and were unable to reach their weapons before the three friends forced them to surrender.
"Now then," Cornelius spoke up, "where are the princesses?"
"Like we would tell you!"
"Well, if you won't tell me, I have no use for you, so I guess I'll just kill you all." He had no real intent on killing them, but he needed information, and death threats were a good way to get it.
"Wait! Don't kill us! I'll talk I'll talk! Just please don't kill us!"
"Glad I have your cooperation. Now, answer my question. Where are the princesses?!"
"We... traded them to the griffons. As a peace offering. Blueblood gave them to the griffons, in the hopes that they wouldn't attack Equestria."
"HE DID WHAT?!?!?! You have got to be kidding me! We just did all this, only to be told that Celestia and Luna are in the griffon's possession!?"
"Looks that way Cornelius. Come on, lets head back to the ship. I need to tell Akbar what's happened."
"Good point Shepard. We need to get to the griffon kingdom. Any idea where it is?" Surprisingly, Zach spoke up next.
"I do. I talked to Rainbow Dash one time, and she told me where it was. Apparently, she used to have a friend who was a griffon."
"Well that's brilliant! Now all we need to do is figure out how to go about actually rescuing them." They headed back towards the ships, leaving the guards inside. While they walked, Cornelius was working on a plan to free the princesses from the griffons. When they reached the ships, Shepard returned to his and relayed what had happened to Admiral Akbar. Cornelius went into the cargo hold of his own ship and pulled out a spare radio. He carried it up to the cockpit and installed it so he could speak with Shepard and Akbar on a whim. He knew he could need to talk to them at any time. one of those times being now.
"Alright, Shepard, Akbar, can you hear me?"
"This is Shepard, I read you loud and clear."
"Akbar here, I'm receiving you message clearly."
"Good, now, we need to head toward the Griffon Kingdom. Zach told me it lies to the northwest of Equestria. So lets move...out. Oh that's not good."
"Sweet Celestia, that thing is massive!"
"The guards inside where there to stall our progression! It's a trap!
"This can only end badly. Brace yourselves for the fight of your lives. Radio Cloudsdale, tell them, it's The Iron Curtain."