• Published 17th Sep 2015
  • 3,297 Views, 38 Comments

A Man and an Army - Saffron



A search for a mysterious energy reading leads a Commander to Equestria

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Rescue

---------------------------------- Special operations Team one ----------------------------------

“Commander we are approaching the town.” Captain Richard reported over his radio.

“Remember captain… no witnesses.” The commander replied.

“No worries commander. Captain Richard out.”

“Captain we are here.” Sergeant Albert said.

“Good. Park in the tree line. We do not want to be spotted.” Richard ordered.

“Right away.” Albert replied.

Albert did as the captain said and parked the racer out of sight.

“Weapons check.” Richard ordered.

The three soldiers in his command each checked their respective weapons. The weapons they were using were conventional projectile weapons with silencers. Once finished the captain grabbed his silenced rifle and exited the jeep. The others followed. The captain took the lead and stealthily approached one of the border buildings. Richard shouldered his rifle as he approached the door. The others did the same in silence.

Richard opened the door quickly and silently. No one was inside. There was a staircase that lead to an upper floor. The four soldiers went up. There were three griffon soldiers talking to each other. Richard brought up his rifle letting off three shots each one finding its way into a skull.

“Clear. Sergeant Crystal secure the lower floor.” Richard ordered.

“Yes sir.” She replied.

Richard walked over to one of the windows aimed toward the inner town. He pulled out his binoculars and began scanning the area. Near the town center was a building being heavily guarded.

“Sergeant Kristan stay here and provide support.” Richard ordered.

“Yes sir.” She replied.

Kristan extended the bipod on her rifle and took position at the window. She closed the curtains making sure only her scope and barrel were able to be seen from the other side.

The other three soldiers left the building carefully checking for any griffons. None were spotted and they continued to one of the side streets that lead deeper inside the town. As they were halfway through a group of seven griffon soldiers entered the narrow street. The three soldiers immediately took cover.

“What was that?” One of the soldiers asked.

“What was what?” Another asked the first.

“I thought I saw something.” The first replied.

“You are just seeing things. I'll bet you fifty bits that it's nothing.” A third chipped in.

“I'm about to make fifty bits.” The first griffon began walking towards what he saw. Which happened to be sergeant Crystal.

Richard had eyes on her and gave her the command to engage.

The three soldiers popped out from behind where they were hiding and fired into the group of surprised griffons. Their blood painted the street red. The three soldiers continued deeper into the town at a faster rate. The group managed to evade the second squad of griffons they happened across.

They eventually happened across the central road through the town. Their objective was across the wide open street. It would be almost impossible to get across unnoticed.

“Sergeant Kristan we are across from the objective. How many griffons do you see on the main road?” Richard asked.

“Sixteen soldiers. Thirty civilians including children.” She replied.

“Set up a time delay of five minutes on one of your plasma grenades. Place it in a building near you.” Richard ordered.

“Yes sir.” She replied.

Approximately five minutes later there was a loud roar of an explosion.

“Sir, the griffon soldiers are heading towards the destroyed building. The civilians are scattering. I will clear the few remaining sentries.” Kristan reported.

Richard waited until Kristan reported back.

“Sir, the three sentries have been neutralized you are clear.” Kristan reported.

The three soldiers sprinted across the street and entered the building with their rifles raised.

“Stop…” The griffon was shot in the head.

Four other griffons were in the building. They never stood a chance. Each one was killed with a single bullet.

“Fan out and find the prisoner.” Richard ordered.

The other two soldiers each took a different hallway while Richard took the upper floor. Two were griffons posted outside a door on the far end of the second floor. Richard dispatched them quickly and their bodies slumped to the floor. He quickly went to the door were the griffons were posted. The door was locked. Richard shot the door and kicked it open. On the inside was a small frightened pony.

“Are you Black Jack's sister?” Richard asked.

“Yes.” She said quietly

“We were sent here to rescue you.” Richard told her.

Her fear turned into joy as she jumped the captain with a hug.

“Thank you.” She cried.

“You’re welcome.” Richard replied with a genuine smile. “Albert, Crystal, I have the prisoner. We are leaving.” Richard leaned down next to the pony. “Follow me.”

She nodded.

The three soldiers and pony quickly exited the building and crossed the street to the alleyway they had come from. They went back the way they came. After a few minutes they made it back to Kristan and collected her.

After retrieving her they went back to the Racer jeep and headed back to the convoy.

“Commander we have secured the prisoner.” Richard reported.

“Excellent. I assume there were no witnesses.”

“You would be correct commander.” Richard replied.

“Good. Return to the convoy.” The commander ordered.

“Already on the way commander.”

“See you soon captain. Commander out.”

---------------------------------- The Commander ----------------------------------

“Your sister is safe.” I told Black Jack.

“Really?” She asked in disbelief.

“Indeed she is.” I replied. “I did not want them to kill one of my pets.”

“She is not your pet!” She said through grit teeth.

I picked her up by the neck. “I am getting tired of you saying that. I could punish your sister for your insolence.” I used my free hand to brush her mane out of her face. I then caressed her cheek. “Or I could butcher her in front of you.” I released her. “Though I will not do that. I will make sure she is safe and properly taken care of.”

“Why would you do that?” Black Jack asked.

“I am no monster. Even if you disagree.” I paused. “I have held my position for so long… I was compassionate and kind once. This position… the lives I was forced to take… the lives I failed to protect.” I looked at her with sadness. “I am not that man anymore. I have lost my soul so long ago.” I scratched behind her ears I saw her fight the pleasure it gave.

“Commander the griffons ahead are leaving.” Jane informed me.

“Where are they headed?” I asked.

“Towards the town where your pet's sister was held.” Jane replied.

“That makes things easier.” I got on the radio. “Captain Richard meet us back at the ship. Be advised there is a large group of griffons headed toward the town. Avoid them at all costs.”

“Yes commander.” Richard replied.

“Jane continue our course back to the ship.”

“Yes commander.”

I turned towards Black Jack. “You will see your sister when we get back to my ship.” It felt genuinely good to give her this. Maybe I still had a chance to be good.

Author's Note:

Couldn't sleep and just felt like writing... so here is another chapter to enjoy.