//------------------------------//
// Chapter 3: Thorax- Adviser Briefing 
// Story: Equestria Commandos 
// by Richer19 
//------------------------------//

0 Hour

Changeling Wars

Thorax

I don't think I ever felt this amount of nervousness and excitement at the same time. The flight to the planet felt long when it all honesty it was just a few short minutes. No one spoke a word to each other because we all knew what was about to happen what we were about to do. Did any of us have doubts? I'm sure but we also knew what we were trained to do what we were bred to do.

I looked down at my rifle seeing how clean it was almost pristine in a beautiful way if you want to call a weapon something like that. I had no doubt Starlight felt the same about her rifle as I had seen her cleaning it with an almost possessed mindset. Soon I will be using it for what it was created to do, bring defeat to my enemies and fight this war. In a way, it reminded me of myself. Wasn't I also created to bring defeat to Equestria's enemies and to fight Equestria's wars? "I guess in a way...we are all just weapons." I muse to myself glad that I had turned off my speaker so the other clones didn't hear me.

We all we waiting inside the gunship. We had arrived in orbit sometime and have brought the carrier ships down into the atmosphere. Outside I could hear the sounds of war as our Wonderbolts battled against the Changeling flyers for control of the sky and to keep us safe. I could hear a few of the gunships already launched as they move to reinforce the main battle lines. The one I was in would do the same but as luck would have it, the place that it was to land was close to the Hive Cluster that was my squads target.

I looked at the clones, all of them wearing their armor and holding their weapons. While their helmets hid their faces, I could tell they were just as nervous as I was maybe even more so. After all I had my training to reassure me. However they did have each other and that is what was most important. A few of them were making sure that their weapons were all ready. Looking down, I did a quick check to make sure that the reload system was smooth. Last thing I needed was for that to get jammed.

Eventually I heard a buzzard sound and I saw the others stiff in attention. We all knew what that meant. I stood up and held onto one of the rails as I spent the last few moments of peace taking deep breaths. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a red light turn on which was the signal to brace for drop. I shifted my legs and gave them a slight bend to anticipate the fall as I watched for the green light. Sure enough the moment it lit up, the gunship was freed of its holding and dropped towards the ground. The pilot, once cleared of the transport ship, activated the engines and we started flying towards the sounds of war. Now no longer in the transport, I could hear the battle going around in a clearer tone. I felt a bit of sadness to know that my brothers were fighting and dying out there but they all knew the risks and they had a job to do.

We sped through the skies, our ship firing at any fliers that tried to get close. I could feel the gunship shake a bit as some of them got their shots off but the hull was able to hold. I figured that enough time had passed and activated the comms system while saying "This is Twilight Lead requesting Mission update from Adviser over." Every squad had an adviser assigned to them. A pony whose job it was to provide mission details and tactical support as need be. While I felt that they would be better off with a weapon in hoof and fighting with the rest of us, I couldn't deny that they served a purpose.

"Well well looks like fate brought us together my little fire lover." A voice that while laced with honey filled my mouth with bile. I knew that voice from anywhere and I tried very hard to not hit the closest thing to me.

With a tone of anger that I wasn't even attempting to hide, I respond "FS-11 what the f*** are you doing on this channel." At this point I would have been happy that the language filter would have failed or exploded.

I swore I could see that cocky as heck grin on his face as he responds "Isn't it obvious. I'm going to be watching over you fine mares. How lucky of me."

"You are the Adviser of Twilight Squad?!" I asks in a mix of shock and anger.

"I know I was just as surprised as you are. I mean given our history I guess the Commanders would have kept us as far away as possible."

"Even if we were on separate ends of the galaxy it still wouldn't be far enough!" I retort.

"Easy hot stuff. Like it or not we are working together so you might as well buck it up and deal with it...unless of course you want to take this up with Solarshield. I'm sure she would love to hear you complaining." I felt ice rush through my body at the mention of that name. Solarshield was the commander of the Prodigies and not a pony you want to get on her bad side.

I eventually let out a sigh as I finally accepted the situation. There really wasn't much I could do and given that we were in combat it was even less so. Composing myself as best as I could, I say "Very well what is the mission objectives."

FS-11, or as he likes to be known Flash Sentry, pauses for a brief moment before saying "Well as you know your primary objective is killing Major Flyer. However, your immediate objective will be linking up with the rest of Twilight Squad. You should be dropping in close to TL-14 and the others should be inside of the spire where your target is."

"What kind of defenses should we expect?"

"Well with the battle going on most of the combat units are currently out on the field but there is still a sizable garrison inside. As for support, I have one gunship on standby in case you need something destroyed to get you inside. After that you are on your own."

"Gee thanks for the back up." I reply with a hint of sarcasm.

"Hay the higher ups want to see how well you girls can handle in the field." Flash replies before pausing for a moment and adding "Of course if its anything like how you are in..."

"If you finish that sentence I will ride this gunship back to the ship you are on and throw you out the airlock with your wings broken." I replied in a serious tone. I heard an audible gulp from his end and I couldn't help the smile on my face.

It was at that moment that the speaker came on and the pilot said "Thirty seconds till touchdown. Get ready to give those bugs a squashing boys."

I stretched my neck a bit and readied my gun. A quick spark activating my Manticore armor's subsystems and already I could see a read out of all important tactical information. Looking at the door that was to be open, I licked my lips and thought "Alright then...let's go find Trixie though knowing her it shouldn't be that hard."