Interlude #3, Part 2: Vengeance and Wrath
Given the scope of the events surrounding the IS-2 incident, we made the decision to divide it into two parts: the destruction of the colony and the reports stemming from that, followed by the large-scale retaliation against the Lucavi raider group and its aftermath.
Before going on, however, I would like to say that the discovery of Legate Ampok’s actions in the previous chapter has made me happier than ever that I made the decision to befriend Gavian so long ago. Even in the Empire’s time, there were good and honorable gryphons, and to call them all irredeemable savages does a grave injustice to them.
Methinks, my Captain, you are referring to myself when you say this? I’m fully aware that my prior way of thinking of the Gryphons was wrong, but can you blame me, given my first true experience with them?
—Fell Flight
Not in the slightest, my dear friend. You were hardly unique in your thinking, and ’twould be a lie to say that I did not initially feel that way as well. But let us not dwell on that. Instead, let us reveal what remains to be seen of this incident. A warning to future readers; this is not a happy or heroic story in the slightest, nor was it meant to be. If you were expecting tales of military glory or a clean operation where everything is resolved neatly and fairly… I apologize in advance. For I am ashamed to say that in the end, ‘twas the Equestrian side that behaved dishonorably in the aftermath of the IS-2 incident, and none come off well for it.
Gryphon Empire
Equestria
Operation Phoenix Fire: Day One
November 18th, 1127 AEThe following are dispatches on the crystal communications network from Major General Avalanche to Outpost Orange, relayed in turn to both Canterlot and all Army and Aerial Corps border bases:
0715 hours: Operation Phoenix Fire has begun. We have crossed the line of departure with the rising of the sun; both Army and Corps forces are surging into gryphon territory along a broad front. The Lances report that as promised, the 6th Talon legion is nowhere to be seen. Black Hawk Base is deserted, and the border sensors are inoperative. In summary, Legate Ampok was as good as her word. We have achieved complete surprise and are advancing without resistance…
1030 hours: With the Corps flying cover and the morning mists masking us, the lead regiments of the 4th division have bloodlessly occupied the three nearest gryphon towns and farming cooperatives, or steadholts as they call them, finding only a few auxiliary guard troops to defend them, who were sleeping in their barracks. They were swiftly overcome and disarmed without incident, though a younger tiercel from a steadholt tried attacking a soldier with a blade. He was knocked out and then treated by a healer before being returned to his family, with the admonition to keep him inside. It pleases me to report that though frightened, the farmers and local civilians are already offering up intelligence. ‘Twould seem they hate the Lucavi group as much as we do…
1200 hours: First contact with Lucavi raiders has been made in the steadholt of Isca sixteen miles inside gryphon territory; they were identified by Lance recon teams, who then called in the Corps, who descended on their local hideout swiftly and burst inside, killing seven and capturing three. Several others tried to flee but were swiftly cut down by the Lances before they could raise an alarm. I regret to report the first pony death of the operation, as Private Chinook took a crossbow bolt to the chest and died at the scene.
1240 hours: Corps forces at Isca have been relieved by advancing Army troops, who have been marching hard all morning to reach a point twenty-five miles inside gryphon territory. Though our earth ponies are able to continue, our unicorns need to stop. As no gryphon mages are to be expected, I have directed the unicorns to rest and catch up later.
1350 hours: We have occupied the towns of Bafsk and Cyal only slightly behind schedule, though I fear this may worsen as Army troops are reporting having some trouble navigating roads given fragmentary intelligence on gryphon territory. Methinks I am also concerned that Corps forces are getting too far afield, and I have made that concern known to Captain Fairweather, who is having some trouble issuing orders to her far-flung units who are passing out of easy crystal communication range. We dare not increase their magic power or that would be lighting a beacon any gryphon mage could sense from fifty miles away. Am resorting to pegasus message runners borrowed from the Corps, which is an imperfect solution at best.
1610 hours: In our first real engagement, Corps forces belonging to the 3rd battalion were spotted and attacked by a score of Auxiliary Guard Troops based out of Amur, thirty miles inside of gryphon territory and nearing the westernmost Lucavi strongholds. Initial reports are fragmentary and an hour old, but ‘twould appear that some of their Guard soldiers bore the mark of the Lucavi, which is a potentially dangerous development if they have infiltrated the gryphon military. Notwithstanding orders to avoid engagement with Imperial troops, Corps soldiers fought back and slew the defenders, taking five casualties of their own, including two dead. Though regrettable, the Guard was not able to raise the alarm and our presence still goes undetected by the Lucavi strongholds at Altair and Altea as the Lances report no unusual activity at them.
1755 hours: Calling a halt to the advance as night nears to consolidate our position and gains. Night is their time, not ours, and I have ordered all troops to take a defensive posture. Regardless, we have advanced nearly thirty-five miles into gryphon territory, which, I will note, is further than we intended to go and spreading our forward forces uncomfortably thin. ‘Twould seem a prong of the Corps advance significantly exceeded its orders and forced the Army to rush in already-tired troops via naval transport to secure the Viale Steadholt when the Corps company in question invaded it several hours early upon spotting Lucavi members. They then found themselves in a sharp fight with nearly twenty raiders backed by an equal number of Auxiliary Guard troops. The combined force was overcome, but at cost; reports are still trickling in as of this hour.
Day 1 Battle Map
Operation Phoenix Fire, Final Day 1 Report
Prepared by Army Major General Avalanche
Commanding Officer, 4th Division
My Princess:
Initial incursion into gryphon territory has proceeded apace, reaching its apex at the Steadholt of Viale nearly thirty-five miles into Gryphon territory—indeed, that I am now writing this note from the captured village of Isca inside a hideout formerly used by the raiders ‘tis evidence enough of our progress.
Many steadholts and several larger gryphon villages have been occupied by first the Corps, then the Army. Although the villagers are frightened, we have made it clear we mean them no harm. Though understandably wary, they have generally accepted our presence; some have even volunteered information regarding the Lucavi group’s movements upon learning of our intent to stop their activities. ‘Twould seem that rumors regarding their brutality towards their own kind are not exaggerated; several gryphons have spoken already of losing loved ones to the raiders, for one reason or another; others claim their sons and daughters were impressed into their service, begging us to spare them.
We will do our best. At least forty Lucavi members have already been captured or killed, though we have not yet engaged their main force. Using intelligence gathered from the locals, we intend to pin the Lucavi group into their two main strongholds at Altair and Altea, cutting off their retreat and then crushing them with a surprise attack before they can get wind of our intentions. We already know some of their locations and movements thanks to the locals and the Lances, who have proven their worth this day with excellent reconnaissance work and by killing fleeing stragglers before they could raise an alarm.
‘Tis certain not all the news is good, however. We have suffered nearly thirty casualties thus far, including eight dead, the bulk of which occurred at Viale. On that subject, ‘twould seem the Corps 3rd battalion under the command of Second Lieutenant Thunderbolt has, against stated orders, advanced further into gryphon territory than was directed or is comfortable, beyond the reasonable reach of the Army by bringing on engagement with a larger combined Lucavi/Auxiliary Guard force at Viale halfway to the Lucavi headquarters at Altair.
That the two factions fought side-by-side and to the death bodes poorly, as does the more hostile reaction the deaths of reservist Guard troops provoked amongst the populace from which they were drawn. With apologies, My Princess, I am also forced to report the first civilian casualties of the campaign, as at least five were slain and many wounded in the fighting at Viale and our forces have earned further gryphon enmity for it.
We are patrolling the streets, conducting house-to-house searches for Lucavi members the residents of Viale are not cooperating in. Though unfortunate, it cannot now be helped. As such, we have ordered them to stay inside and have had no choice but to warn them that any attempting to resist or flee will be killed until the operation is complete. That has not stopped all of them, as a fresh report has reached my desk that the Lances have slain another six that evaded Corps patrols, all attempting to reach the town of Altair where the Lucavi headquarters resides. I apologize for such harsh measures, but I have no choice—if even one flyer slips through our net, the alarm will be raised and the results could be disastrous.
I have made clear to Captain Fairweather my worry and displeasure regarding Lieutenant Thunderbolt, who, ‘tis said by his subordinates, ignored orders to halt his advance and instead launched an immediate attack on Viale without proper preparation or Army support once he received reports that significant numbers of raiders were present. To be sure, his operation was a success, as he slew a dozen Lucavi members at Viale himself, some in particularly brutal fashion if the reports are to be believed. But for this, he turned a town against us and nearly gave away our presence, to say nothing of causing needlessly high casualties among the Corps troops he was leading. I realize that he witnessed horrors beyond imagining in the destruction of the IS-2 settlement, but I fear his actions are guided not by duty but by his anger and thirst for revenge.
I feel ‘tis not my place to overrule Captain Fairweather’s decision to retain him in command, as Thunderbolt is not part of my service. Yet I fear his actions may threaten the security of our operations, and I can only hope that he does not lose himself in the battles to come.
On a final note, I have ordered elements of our reserve, the 3rd division, to advance to relieve the 4th division. This is so that the greater weight of the 4th division can be concentrated on our spearheads, as ‘twould seem we face heavy combat ahead.
Signed,
Major General Avalanche
Equestrian Army
Occupied Gryphon Village Isca
Plan of attack: Day 2
Operation Phoenix Fire: Day 2
November 19th, 1127 AE
The following are reports issued and received by Captain Fairweather, commander of the 5th division and deputy commander of Operation Phoenix Fire leading Corps troops, on the second day of the offensive as recorded by her adjutant:
0540 hours: After a busy and somewhat sleepless night, particularly around Viale, lead Corps forces have been rousted and ordered to take a quick meal before standing to and resuming the advance. I have admonished commanders to not exceed their instructions and operate in concert with the Army, reminding them that a joint attack will be required to quickly invest and destroy the raider strongholds. As heavy urban combat and a greater aerial threat is expected, we are also bringing up storm cloud detachments to provide lightning support to reduce their installations quickly should they go to ground within them.
0550 hours: Addendum: Second Lieutenant Thunderbolt assures me he is fit for duty and will act within the confines of his orders, so for now, he remains in charge of 3rd battalion despite warnings from First Lieutenant Squall Line that he is mentally unbalanced and should be relieved. The basic plan remains the same, with a full war strength battalion of six hundred Pegasi advancing on both wings; the left wing with the 3rd battalion commanded by Second Lieutenant Thunderbolt, and on the right with the 6th battalion commanded by First Lieutenant Squall Line. This serves the dual purpose of allowing the pair to lead major elements of the retaliatory strikes as they both all but begged to, and also keeps them safely apart. As to the communication difficulties we were having, I am trying to keep units within ten miles of each other so messages can be relayed among the crystal network without increasing their power or resorting to message flyers, but this is difficult given the fluid nature of our movements.
0630 hours: Orders issued and aerial advance resuming through a low cloud deck helping to hide our forces. As per General Avalanche’s battle plans, we aim to encircle the Lucavi stronghold towns of Altair and Altea and cut off their retreat while they’re still sleeping, pinning them in their bases and attacking in concert with Army forces by midafternoon. If all goes well, surprise can still be achieved, and the Lucavi group will be substantially crushed by nightfall with little loss.
0715 hours: 6th battalion has occupied Manif on schedule and without resistance; First Lieutenant Squall Line reports catching the gryphon reservists in their beds and capturing a dozen raiders at a watering hole the locals told him they frequented. The 4th division’s 2nd brigade is moving to their relief as First Lieutenant Squall Line readies his forces to capture Sariv next. Methinks the right wing of the advance is going well.
0740 hours: Received late word that the Army advance on the left is delayed as march order is sorted out on narrow roads. I have advised General Avalanche that Corps forces are already advancing and cannot be recalled; once ground is taken it must be kept or those gryphons present within it will certainly escape to raise the alarm.
0845 hours: The 4th division has resumed advancing, though in lesser numbers due to a larger occupation force needed at Viale to keep the population pacified. General Avalanche assures me that three regiments from the 1st and 3rd brigades will still be available for the main operation against Altair, but advises a two-hour delay in its projected launch time given the difficulties in moving his troops forward. I’ve warned him that this will lead to a night engagement, where casualties will be higher and gryphon night vision will lend them an advantage; he assures me that Army unicorns can and will illuminate the scene.
0920 hours: First combat of the morning has occurred in Squall Line’s sector, where he is now moving to encircle the Lucavi stronghold of Altea by capturing the village of Sariv, ten miles to the town’s northeast outskirts. To his credit, he moved quickly to take advantage of recon reports received from Lance Team Three, and with their timely intelligence swiftly overcame resistance in the village, his lead company capturing a large Auxiliary Guard barracks and slaying a score of raiders with nary an arrow fired in defense. ‘Twas a textbook operation, and whatever cloud he is under for the IS-2 attack, ‘tis certain he is performing superbly here, having taken all his objectives on schedule and with minimal casualties. The gryphon reservists are now being held in the jail pending completion of the operation; as they were not harmed, thus far the civilians of Sariv are accepting our presence and offering aid, unlike Viale.
0945 hours: Follow up report from Squall Line. Though the villagers are generally grateful for lifting the yoke of the Lucavi, others are hostile. He feels a single Corps company is insufficient to hold down the village should raider reinforcements appear, and thus he requests immediate reinforcements of his own. I have requested priority on naval transports to get Army troops into the area, but Avalanche says they’re being used to ferry more 4th division troops forward from the rear to reinforce his spearheads. Though I find that of dubious merit, he is the overall commander. In the meantime, I have dispatched a platoon from the 4th battalion to reinforce Squall Line’s force. My own forces are being stretched thin right now during the encirclement operations, enough that I’ve ordered up our reserve 2nd battalion; I dare not pull the bulk of 4th battalion’s air cover from any occupied towns or the Army would not be able to keep the Gryphon residents from escaping or attacking by air.
1100 hours: The western prong of the advance has run into trouble at Rial, finding a larger-than-expected force; heavy fighting has erupted. Worse, skies are clearing and the city is in visual range of Lucavi headquarters at Altair.
1110 hours: Lance Team Two reports they advised Thunderbolt of the century-sized forces he faced and to wait for Army support, only to be ignored. Further fragmentary reports suggest that he overrode the objections of his own subordinates to order the attack, many of whom now say he is acting on the basis of his emotions and without any regard to gryphon lives or their own. As a result, 3rd battalion is now heavily engaged and I fear all opportunity for surprise is lost. I have therefore ordered Second Lieutenant Thunderbolt relieved of command and arrested for dereliction of duty, failure to obey lawful orders, and conduct unbecoming an officer.
1115 hours: 3rd battalion reports a very unpleasant surprise—the presence of two off-duty magus knights in Rial which are now inflicting heavy casualties upon them and starting to drive them back. Will move up weather teams, but advise General Avalanche we need Army and especially unicorn support NOW!
1140 hours: Mages slain by Lieutenant Thunderbolt. How, I don’t know, but he is now ignoring orders and continuing to lead the advance of 3rd battalion, carving a bloody swath through the large Lucavi force at Rial. Casualties are very heavy on both sides, and there is no way in Tartarus the sights and sounds of fighting could not have reached the main raider base at Altair.
1245 hours: Lance Team Six reports that surprise has indeed been lost—alarms and call to arms have been sounded at the two main Lucavi strongholds of Altair and Altea; dozens of messengers are going out in every direction, more than the Lances or available Corps forces can kill at once. Expect the Talons to learn of our operations by nightfall, and close on our positions by daybreak. Have advised General Avalanche to press his advance quickly; we have to end this before the Talons can intervene!
1430 hours: With our forces still heavily engaged at Rial, I am going forward to personally arrest Thunderbolt and assume command of our forward forces, over Avalanche’s objections. He is blaming me for Thunderbolt’s actions and the subsequent loss of surprise, and perchance he is right as I failed to relieve him sooner. Nevertheless, he, too, has made some questionable decisions; Army support has been slow in coming due to his insistence of emphasizing mass over tempo. Numbers don’t matter if they aren’t far enough forward to affect the outcome of the battle!
1520 hours: I’ve arrived on scene at Rial and found a bloody mess. The town is nearly taken, but almost half of the 3rd battalion was lost and the village now lies in ruins with bodies of Corps soldiers, Lucavi raiders, Auxiliary guard troops, and worse, civilians lying everywhere; those who survive are now sniping at us from clouds and alleyways with crossbows after our indiscriminate attack. Thunderbolt is nowhere to be found, pressing the advance eastward with the remains of the 3rd battalion towards Altair, and all I can do now his join his effort with the 2nd battalion. We have but hours before the Talons intervene.
1630 hours: The first army troops have arrived on scene as once again, the unicorns couldn’t keep up with the pace of march. Naval transports are being re-prioritized to bring them forward, but now we have to wait to launch an attack with the sun setting and the enemy rapidly barricading themselves inside their towns and amongst civilians. They’ve seen our numbers and know they can’t win, so they’re doing exactly what I would do in their place—going to ground and digging in as deep as they can, hoping to hold out long enough for the Talons to save them. Far from the surprise attack against an unprepared enemy we envisioned, we will have to rout them out street by street, structure by structure—something the Corps is simply not good at, so the Equestrian Army must take the lead.
1715 hours: Having untangled my command, I must report the 3rd battalion is fought out, having suffered over 50% casualties in taking Rial, so the reserve 2nd battalion combined with elements of Squall Line’s 6th battalion must take the lead in concert with the three advancing regiments of the 4th division’s 1st and 3rd brigades, who Avalanche expects to have in place for an attack on both strongholds by 2200 hours. With as much time as we’ve lost and the Talons likely alerted, ‘tis a grave worry that we will not have sufficient time to complete the Lucavi group’s destruction before the Talons arrive…
1730 hours: I finally found Second Lieutenant Thunderbolt, who point-blank refused my order to submit himself to arrest, saying he would neither rest nor stop fighting until his friends were avenged. The look in his eyes… was one of pure rage and bloodlust, and ‘tis certain it chilled me to the bone. Whoever he was, he was no longer a mere pegasus, he was a demon of vengeance who would not be stopped by anyone, gryphon or pony. I have stripped him of his command but will allow him to continue to participate in the attack for no other reason than that I fear he will try to kill anypony who arrests him.
1815 hours: No sign of the Talons yet. Thank the sun for small favors. Given his good performance thus far, I have requested First Lieutenant Squall Line be placed in charge of the attack on Altea, giving him command of the 6th battalion and two regiments of the 4th division’s 2nd brigade. The brigade commander has objected, but I convinced Avalanche to give the order.
2200 hours: Avalanche himself has arrived on the scene to lead the attack on Altair. Again, I think this is foalish, as an operational commander, particularly a stallion one, should not be risking himself at the front. But he is adamant that he expose himself along with the soldiers, and perchance atone for his own mistakes.
Day 2: Actual Events
Operation Phoenix Fire: Climactic Phase
November 19-20, 1127 AE
The following are reports issued and received by various soldiers and commanders taking part in the attack on Altair. They are harried, fragmentary and often emotion-driven, in direct reflection of the savage fighting happening in the town that night.
2235 hours: The main attacks on the Lucavi strongholds are going in, well over eight hours late, in darkness against an entrenched and dangerous foe. My reports will become more sporadic from here on out as I lead my forces into combat. —General Avalanche
2315 hours: Sir, beg to report that Lucavi forces are fighting hard, knowing full well that defeat means death! We’ve already driven them out of a dozen positions, but dozens more remain, including the group’s headquarters, which is about as sturdy as anything we’ve ever seen! Corps lightning barely dents it, and unicorn explosive arrows aren’t doing much either! —Master Sergeant Arrowhead, 3rd company, 2nd regiment
0000 hours November 20: Tell the General that the fighting in my sector is bloody and bitter, and we’re paying for every block we take! Unicorn flares are illuminating the battlefield, but they only do so much; we’re losing soldiers to attacks out of dark alleys and tunnels the group apparently dug for this very occasion! And somepony tell the Corps to get their flanks down here to take out crossbow snipers firing explosive-tipped arrows from high perches! They’ve killed Colonel Plowshares and their hit-and-fly tactics are inflicting dozens of casualties! —Major Rock Biter, acting commander, 2nd regiment
0050 hours: In case we weren’t motivated enough to finish the job, I must report in anger and sorrow that we found the remains of butchered and half-eaten ponies in the latest position! Forward, soldiers of Equestria, and make these craven chickenhawks PAY! —Sky Sergeant Gustnado, ranking enlisted, 2nd battalion, 5th Corps Division.
0120 hours: General, despite heavy casualties and stubborn resistance, we are starting to make solid progress into the town center. We are reducing individual strongpoints and sniper perches with lightning strikes, called by unicorns who pinpoint targets with magical beams that the Corps weather teams can easily see. We have thus solved one issue of Corps/Army coordination, at least! The Corps is only of limited use otherwise, providing top cover and hitting targets of opportunity—to little surprise, the Lucavi raiders are not flying but fighting from the ground, knowing taking to the air is suicide given there are unicorn archers below and a fresh Corps battalion overhead—but otherwise the Equestrian Army is doing the bulk of the fighting, and in my not-so-humble opinion, fighting well! —Lieutenant Copperhead, platoon commander, 3rd regiment, 4th division.
0215 hours: General—First Lieutenant Squall Line reports that Altea has fallen to his combined Army/Corps force with relatively few casualties, having taken out ‘over a century’ of Lucavi raiders and capturing half that many more; he further reports a few raiders tried to flee but were quickly cut down. He is now engaged in mopping-up activities, and with his battalion relatively intact, reports he can spare an Army company and Corps platoon for our effort. I have ordered him instead to start conducting combat air patrols to his east and north to keep watch for escaping Lucavi members and advancing Talons, and warn us immediately if the latter approach. If the Talons do appear, he is to send word and fall back on Sariv whilst requesting immediate parley, only engaging if attacked. After how badly we botched this operation, one we were invited to perform, I fear they will be out for blood. If so, I will offer myself up for punishment in exchange for my forces. —Captain Fairweather
0345 hours: ALERT! Large Talon force approaching from the northwest! Tentatively identified as four cohorts of 3rd Talon legion. Lance Team 2 is going to ground. Will be last contact as further communications may be picked up by approaching mages. Good luck and be ready! —Master Sergeant Silent Night, Commander, Black Lance Team 2
0355 hours: Captain, we have received additional alerts from Lance Teams three and seven, as well as my own patrols. Significant portions of two Talon legions are closing in on us from the north and east and will arrive by daybreak! Will redeploy as ordered and request parley, but strongly advise you finish the job quickly and be prepared to break off the attack if not! Methinks we’re running out of time! —First Lieutenant Squall Line, commander, 6th battalion, 5th Corps division.
0400 hours: General, the Talons are coming and coming quickly. We have but one hour to conclude this operation before we have to redeploy to meet them! The Lucavi group headquarters and a hundred raiders barricaded inside are all that’s left! I will dispatch all our weather teams and request your unicorns mass their power to make a breach as well. We need to finish this NOW! —Captain Fairweather
After-Action report: The Last Stand of the Lucavi
November 20th, 1127 AE
The following after-action report was made by Sky Sergeant Gustnado, ranking enlisted mare of the 2nd battalion who took part in the final attack on the Lucavi group headquarters and witnessed the actions of Lieutenant Thunderbolt firsthoof. ‘Tis worth noting that she was awarded the Sapphire Sun for her actions that day, so these are the measured words of a veteran warrior, not the exaggerated stories of a frightened fledgling.
‘Twas nearly 0415 in the morning when our final orders came. Whether Army or Corps, unicorn, earth pony or pegasus, we were tired, we were wounded, and too many of us had already fallen in this fight. And now that we were told that as the Talons were coming, if we did not finish the job and take the Lucavi group headquarters in less than an hour, we never would, and all our efforts might be for naught.
With nearly a hundred members of the group still holed up inside, including Mistress Altima and the rest of the group leadership, and the well-built structure having resisted our best efforts to reduce it, that was a tall order, but we obeyed as best we could. Army and Corps soldiers concentrated at the outside entrances, intending to mass their lightning, explosive arrows and magical attacks to make a breach, but in the end, ’twas not necessary.
Ignoring orders and his injuries yet again—he’d taken several wounds in the course of the day but somehow kept fighting—Second Lieutenant Thunderbolt simply grabbed a storm cloud from its weather team and somehow charged it up, kneading it in an odd motion as an audible crackle built, then targeted it directly on the barricaded entrance.
What followed was an unreal display of lightning strikes as a series of massive bolts blew open the front door, and then he triggered the cloud to go into continuous strikes in every direction, causing the rest of us to duck as he threw it into the opening he made, the massive lightning storm in the closed space likely killing every raider in reach. Once the cloud was spent, he rushed inside in its wake, charging down the hallway that led underground. Defenders further back were ready, but it hardly mattered as he refused to stop his assault, slaying everything he encountered along the way.
I fear I cannot even begin to adequately describe what I saw; an incredible and otherworldly display of sheer rage and combat ability. ‘Twas as if he was born to kill, as he seemed to do so instinctively. I am given cause to wonder whether ‘twas more battle brilliance or just sheer savagery as every strike was parried, every ambush avoided, every attack turned back on its owner, who invariably ended up dead, leaving a trail of three dozen corpses as he went. He slew everything before him, no matter how many he faced at once, and to my horror did not discriminate between raider or civilian, adult or hatchling, even those clearly held hostage or being used as shields. All fell to his blades, and there was nothing any of us could do to stop him.
We followed, but there was little for us to do until he burst into the underground chamber where Mistress Altima was. He flew right into an ambush and took two crossbow bolts, but acted like he barely felt them, then ignored the flanking raiders to charge for her, the angry and agonized scream he emitted upon sighting her telling us all he recognized her.
Whilst we dealt with her four remaining bodyguards, who we later learned to our misfortune were all former Knights as they fought savagely and took out over a dozen of us before falling to variously spears, wingblades or unicorn arrows, Thunderbolt engaged Altima’s final line of defense, a former Raven eagless who served as her personal bodyguard, dual-wielding scimitars as her mistress tried to escape through another tunnel. She lasted longer than most, which was to say not very, as despite her obvious skill he took her down in less than six seconds, decapitating her before pounding on the door the mistress had fled through.
We pulled him away just long enough for an explosive arrow to blow the door open, and, using a purloined shield, he charged down the corridor without waiting for the rest of us again. We did not see what happened after that, only its aftermath, where we came across him on his knees and sobbing, Mistress Altima lying at his hooves and slain with her own sword. Her face was contorted in an expression of terror and agony, her now-stuck open eyes fixed on the sword that impaled her chest. Whatever demon had possessed him let go at that moment, and suddenly he saw all he had done and could not bear it; his cries of grief and pain still echo in my ears. I might have felt sorry for him if I was not so utterly terrified of him, and I can only pray that the creature he became never reemerges again.
Such was the end of Mistress Altima, and was swiftly followed by the end of all remaining resistance inside. Within half an hour, the headquarters building was taken and the Lucavi group was no more. Our mission was accomplished, but we had little time to celebrate or mourn our losses, even were we inclined to. For the Talons were coming, and methinks we were now in no shape to face them…
Message to Major General Avalanche from Corps Commander
November 20th, 1127 AE at 0735 hours
General:
With the offensive phase of our operation concluded, I am redeploying Corps forces as quickly as possible to meet multiple Talon threats, but ‘tis certain my pegasi are exhausted from nearly a full day of constant fighting and would likely fare poorly in battle with them.
To my relief, the gryphons have accepted our offer of parley and I am flying to Sariv to meet the Talon commander. I will do what I can, but take defensive positions and prepare your soldiers for the worst. If I do not return, ‘tis been an honor to serve with you.
Signed,
Fairweather,
Captain, 5th Division
Equestrian Aerial Corps
Parley between Captain Fairweather and commander of 5th Talon Legion
November 20th, 1127 AE at 0755 hours
The following transcript was taken from magic-recorded memory by an EIS-affiliated unicorn present at Parley between Captain Fairweather and the commander of the 5th Talon Legion beginning at 0755 hours outside of Sariv:
Unnamed Tribune: I am Tribune Vancel Diyali, acting commander of the 5th Talon Legion.
Captain Fairweather: And where is Legate Ampok?
Tribune Diyali: Arrested for gross dereliction of duty and possible treason along with her aides. And as we now find thousands of ponies nearly twenty leagues inside Gryphon territory, having wantonly attacked our towns and civilians, can you give me any reason why I should not order my forces to destroy yours, Captain?
Captain Fairweather: Do not act as if you are the aggrieved party, Tribune. You know full well why we are here, and you insult all present by pretending otherwise. Your refusal to acknowledge or punish those responsible for the atrocity at the Inland Shores settlement was what drew this response, and do not act as if you wouldst have done any differently in our place.
Tribune Diyali: Then by your own logic, should I not then take vengeance for the destruction of entire towns and civilian casualties far exceeding yours, wiping out the offending force and then invading pony territory to exact a full measure of retribution?
Captain Fairweather: Spare me the sanctimony, Tribune. I remind you again that your side started this with a massacre of pony civilians and disarmed soldiers, and ‘twas your equally dishonorable denial of those events that forced our hooves. We did what we must to end the Lucavi threat to our settlements since you wouldst not. Had you simply acknowledged the attack and took action against the group yourselves, none of this would have been necessary.
Tribune Diyali: And by the same token, had you simply respected the border and not established illegal settlements in Imperial Lands, we would not now be standing here.
Captain Fairweather: That those were Imperial lands is a matter of dispute, Tribune, and one that should have been resolved through diplomacy, not through hired mercenaries! If you are asking for an apology, you will not receive one, and do not expect an easy fight should you elect to engage us. ‘Twould in fact be pointless anyway. As our mission is complete, I offer you our immediate and unconditional withdrawal from Imperial territory.
Tribune Diyali: You are outnumbered and exhausted whilst my forces are fresh, Captain. Methinks you are in no position to dictate terms.
Captain Fairweather: Be that as it may, an attack could easily result in open war, Tribune. Do you truly wish to risk that? If so, you will find not just us but all of Equestria quite ready. In place of a bloody and pointless border war over a series of events caused by Imperial intransigence, I am offering you a peaceful removal of our forces. ‘Twas never our intention to hold Imperial territory, only destroy the Lucavi group, and that mission is now fulfilled. But if you doubt our intentions, then I offer myself up into your custody, as a hostage held against our promised withdrawal.
First Lieutenant Squall Line and others: Captain!
Tribune Diyali: I will have to consult my superiors on this matter, but until then I accept your offer. In the meantime, you are directed to cease all offensive action and stand down your forces.
Captain Fairweather: Yes to your first request, no to your second. We will take a defensive posture, but be assured we will respond to any attack on our forces. First Lieutenant Squall Line, as you are the ranking Corps officer and have performed superbly in command of the 6th battalion, you will replace me as deputy to General Avalanche and assume command of all Corps troops. My final orders to you are this: You will screen the withdrawal of all Army forces and then do so yourself in good order. But should the Talons attack or threaten to, you will barricade our captured towns the same as the Lucavi did and fight until relieved or overrun.
First Lieutenant Squall Line: Understood, ma’am.
Captain Fairweather: Very well then. I am your prisoner, Tribune, and for all our sakes, I do hope your superiors consider the consequences of their actions carefully…
Message to Major General Avalanche from Acting Corps Commander
November 20th, 1127 AE at 0850 hours
General:
‘Tis with great trepidation I must report that Captain Fairweather has willingly surrendered herself to Talon custody. She did so in an attempt to stay a counterattack and demonstrate that we have no intention of staying in Imperial territory, naming me her replacement as the attached order will show. Thus far, the Talons have not struck but are clearly reconnoitering, probing all along our lines.
I am untangling and reorganizing remaining Corps forces as best I can, but we are far from fresh and nowhere near full strength. As such, even with Army support, ‘tis unlikely at best my four understrength battalions can resist a determined assault by the better part of two Talon legions. To leave defensive positions and attempt withdrawal in their face would only invite attack, in my view, so I strongly recommend we stay put until the gryphons decide what to do.
Consider this a hard-learned lesson from a terrible mistake ‘tis certain I have no intention of ever repeating.
Signed,
First Lieutenant Squall Line
Acting Commander, 5th Division
Equestrian Aerial Corps
Reply to Acting Corps Commander from Major General Avalanche:
November 20th, 1127 AE at 0905 hours
Lieutenant:
Your message is received and understood, though ‘tis certain I cannot but shake my head at it. As you have clearly gained your Captain’s confidence through excellent leadership of the attacks on Sariv and Altea, I will respect her judgment and accept you as my deputy, even as I now pray for her safe return.
Your recommendation is sound. I am likewise setting our defenses and have ordered all our forces to dig in, but I must insist the Corps continue to patrol the perimeter to provide early warning of any Talon strike. ‘Tis now but a waiting game, and we must be ready for anything.
Signed,
Major General Avalanche
Commander, 4th Division
Equestrian Army
Message to Equestrian forces from 5th Talon Legion Commander
Delivered under flag of truce November 20th at 1730 hours
To the Equestrian Commander:
To the disgust of me and my soldiers, we have been directed by our senior leadership to allow your unhindered withdrawal from Imperial territory, as the attached order will show. Said withdrawal is to commence immediately upon receipt of this document on the same roads you came in on, and to be completed by sundown tomorrow.
We will accept no excuses; any forces left behind in gryphon territory after that hour will be attacked. We will be watching, and any attempt at stalling will not be tolerated. We further expect your Auxiliary Guard prisoners to be released as you depart the towns they were captured in, and your Lucavi group captives to be turned over to us. They will be tried by civilian tribunals and if found guilty of what you claim, they will be executed. That is all the assurance I can give you. And far more than you deserve.
Captain Fairweather is unharmed and will be returned to you only after every last pony has left Imperial territory. Be assured she will be slain should you fail to obey these terms…
And be assured that you should you ever attempt such an invasion of Gryphon lands again, our response will be far less restrained.
Signed,
Tribune Vancel Diyali
Acting Commander
5th Talon Legion
Celestial General Order #2108
Issued by Princess Celestia November 24th, 1127 AE
To the officers and soldiers of the Equestrian Armed Forces:
It pleases me to report that Operation Phoenix Fire was a success, resulting in the near-total destruction of the Lucavi group and ending the raider threat to the Inland Shores settlements. Those Army and Aerial Corps soldiers who participated in the operation are to be commended for their determination, valor, and warrior spirit for carrying out offensive operations under short notice and limited intelligence, rapidly penetrating fifty miles into gryphon territory, finding and smashing the group in just three days’ time. Equestria and your princess are grateful for your efforts, and recognize the scope of your accomplishments as well as the difficult circumstances under which they were carried out.
However, with these thanks must come a severe rebuke. Though the operation’s objectives were met, I am gravely disappointed by the conduct of our forces in gryphon territory. With several hundred civilians dead or wounded and entire towns destroyed, I cannot but note that the operation in fact inflicted many times more death and damage to innocents than we suffered at our settlement, and the gryphons have every right to be infuriated for it.
We were invited into their territory to end a threat to both sides, with the admonishment that we make our strikes surgical and respect their citizens. These conditions were categorically not fulfilled, and ‘twas only by the grace of Harmony and the cool heads of the gryphon leadership that full-scale war did not erupt over our excesses. Excesses that may yet result in disciplinary actions, up to and including court-martial on murder charges of soldiers found to have deliberately or wantonly killed gryphon civilians.
I will direct the Equestrian High Council for Military Affairs to investigate the operation and identify such individuals, as well as examine the operational shortcomings in order to make recommendations for reforms in both the Army and Aerial Corps. ‘Tis clear to me that failures of coordination and communication were numerous, and individual ponies exceeding their orders compromised the operation, tipping our hoof and forcing a far more difficult fight against an entrenched enemy. I acknowledge the fact that the Lucavi group barricaded themselves amongst civilians in an effort to buy time and cause enough civilian casualties to force the Talons to intervene, but it need not have come to this with proper cooperation between services and greater discipline on the part of individual soldiers. Surprise was lost, and both pony soldiers and innocent gryphons needlessly paid the price.
I have ordered that significant reparations be made to the Gryphon Empire for this attack, and I will further recommend full ratification of the agreement of 1108 AE to be presented to the Gryphons at parley, with a formal redrawing of the borders to officially cede the tidewater area between branches of the Delamare River to the Empire.
And last but not least, I will visit the remaining Inland Shores colonists personally to request they abandon their settlements before their presence becomes a flashpoint yet again.
Signed,
Princess Celestia Daybringer,
Diarch of Equestria
Canterlot
Royal Visit to Inland Shores Settlements
November 30, 1127 AE
The following is an account of Princess Celestia’s visit to the IS-1 colony, as written by the Princess herself upon conclusion of the IS-2 incident:
With the news of the Lucavi group’s destruction at the combined hooves of the Corps and the Army, there remained but one order of business; the relocation of the remaining two settlements. However, ’twould seem that some of my little ponies are truly stubborn and set in their ways; no amount of requests, recommendations, or even outright orders from Corps or Army officers caused either settlement to budge. According to Second Lieutenant Thunderbolt, both settlements cite the Army and Corps presence in the area as the true source of destabilization, and have requested that Outposts Orange and Beta be abandoned, ‘so as to not allow such a tragedy as befell our brothers and sisters to repeat itself’.
While ‘tis rare that I involve myself in civilian matters such as these, methinks I had little choice. ‘Twas clear that the settlements would not listen to reason from the armed forces; ‘twas also clear that, so long as they existed in the marshlands, the gryphons would never leave them be. So, with my new High Chancellor in tow, I made my way to the Inland Shores colony known on military charts as ‘IS-1’. Such designations had never sat well with me; I much preferred the collective name of ‘Inland Shores’, as ‘IS-1’ sounded clinical and demeaning.
At any rate, I arrived at the colony to great fanfare, as was the wont of my little ponies. ‘Tis something I wish would change; I have no great desire to be lauded and praised wherever I go. Making my way to the town square, where a podium had been set up for me, I looked over the village of seventy ponies, each whispering excitedly to one another. I flared my wings for silence, and began.
“My little ponies, I come to you today so that I may ask you for a favor. I realize you endured hardship to settle in this region, and you have made it clear that you have no wish to leave. Yet I must ask you this; is this area truly worth dying for? Is it worth forcing others to die for? Your sister colony lies in ruin, its residents slain nearly to the last, and its defenders killed in its protection. Is such a cost truly worth these dismal lands?”
There was much muttering and grumbling, before the mayor of the colony stepped forward. “My Princess, we understand that you trust in your armed forces, but we are cut from a different cloth. We believe the presence of military might in this area was what led to the destruction of our sisters and brothers. While we weep for them, ‘tis not their fault. This land is, by rights, Equestria’s, but we are not adverse to open relations with the gryphons. We would, in fact, welcome it, but for the presence of armed ponies not five miles distant. If the Corps and the Army would withdraw their armed forces, we believe that the gryphons would do the same.”
I regarded him with bewilderment; surely he was not so naive? “Mayor, ‘twas no fault of the Corps or Army that led to the destruction of your sister colony. Nor, I grant, was it the fault of the Imperial military. ‘Twas the result of an overzealous raider group going above and beyond their usual methods that caused such a tragedy. This was something none of those under me could have foreseen. To lay the blame at the hooves of those who died defending your brothers and sisters is to do their memory a grave injustice.”
The mayor’s eyes narrowed slightly. “The only injustice is that you rely on force of arms to maintain peace with the gryphons. For one who promotes the ideals of peace and harmony, ‘tis slightly hypocritical that you shield yourself behind armed mares and stallions, my Princess.”
This earned him narrowed eyes from my guards, as well as High Chancellor North Star. “Watch your tongue, mayor,” she warned him. “You forget yourself.”
I raised a wing in her direction, indicating silence, before turning back to the mayor, my own eyes impassive. “The gryphons respect military might, mayor. Withdrawing our forces from the border would be a sign of great weakness on our parts, and many more ponies would suffer under the resulting invasion.”
“Perchance if you wouldst simply speak with them—“ he began.
“We have tried, mayor, on numerous occasions,” I interrupted. “All attempts at ratifying a formal peace treaty, one with disarmed borders, have been rebuffed. The gryphons refuse to leave their border bases, and so long as they have their armed forces so close to our frontier, we must do likewise.”
“One might argue, my Princess, that merely having our forces in such close proximity is inherently dangerous,” he pointed out. “Wars have begun in such a manner in the past.”
“I cannot deny that,” I admitted. “But your presence in these disputed lands is not helping matters in the slightest.”
“These lands are Equestria’s by rights, My Princess. They were never formally ceded to the Empire,” the mayor said. “I did my research before choosing this location to settle. The gryphons can bluster all they wish, but at day’s end, ‘tis not our fault.”
“That will soon change, mayor,” I replied, beginning to feel exasperated with this obstinate pony before me. “As part of our reparations to the Empire, the treaty of 1108 AE will be formally ratified by the Equestrian High Council, ceding these lands to the Gryphon Empire.” Here, the mayor’s jaw fell open, as did many ponies’ in the crowd. I continued on, “Your settlements were made while these lands were in dispute, thus triggering this entire tragic affair. ‘Twas akin to prodding a timberwolf with a stick and hoping it does not bite you.”
Recovering his composure, he merely arched an eyebrow at me. “One might consider that the armed forces were the stick in question, my Princess. The Corps garrison at our sister colony was an ill-placed move.”
“And I would remind you that they fell defending your sister colony to nearly the last soldier. Thirty-nine well-trained soldiers were slain in defense of your brothers and sisters, and hundreds more are dead and injured to end the group that committed the crime.”
‘Twas then that the mayor made a tremendous blunder. “Such senseless waste. Had the garrison never been there in the first place, ‘tis likely they and our sister colony would yet live.”
I narrowed my eyes at that. “And what, precisely, are you implying…?”
“I imply nothing, my Princess. I am outright saying that the Corps, by garrisoning troops at our colony, invited disaster. That the Corps garrison was the true target of the raiders’ aggressions, and that our colony perished solely for being in the crossfire!”
‘Twas rare that I could feel such white-hot fury. Rarer still that it be directed towards one of my little ponies. Yet this stallion had crossed a line. ‘Twas time to remind him that he was not as knowledgeable as he thought.
I stepped off the podium to stand before the mayor directly, managing to keep a calm face despite my ire. “Are you daft, Mayor? A direct threat of violence had been levied against your sister colony. ‘Twas that action that prompted Lieutenant Squall Line to send the garrison in the first place, with the permission of that settlement’s mayor. They were even disarmed, all to placate your naive notion that force of arms merely brings conflict.”
I had touched a nerve with that one; several ponies in the audience grumbled in displeasure. The mayor narrowed his eyes at me. “Even disarmed, they were military ponies. And threat or no, our sister colony did not need the protection of a royal-sanctioned military force that rewards armed conflict! In the end, our brothers and sisters died because of your military’s bloodlust!”
That was the final straw. Tapping into the sun, I allowed my mane and tail to ignite, and my eyes to glow with my power. “ENOUGH!” I thundered, my voice echoing across the swamplands; I was certain that the other remaining settlement could hear me loud and clear, to say nothing of the gryphon forces at Black Hawk Base. The mayor scrambled back, clearly alarmed.
“We have listened to thee disparage Our armed forces enough, Mayor. That thou shouldst say thy friends died because of Our Corps is a grave insult, both to thy friends and to Our forces! Dost thou truly believe that thy friends would still live, had the Corps not been there? Then thou art a foal! The threat was levied against thy sister colony, not the Corps itself! The raiders took advantage of their disarmed state; a state they were only in because thee and thy fellow colonies refused to allow them to defend themselves properly! They serve and protect all Equestria, thou misanthropic buffoon, if thou wouldst but let them!”
Feeling confident that I had well and truly gotten their attention with a rare display of rage and use of the Royal Canterlot Voice, I reined in my power, returning my appearance to normal. “I had come here to ask you to leave peacefully. ‘Twas my hope that I could persuade you of the folly of staying. But ‘tis now apparent my hopes were in vain. Therefore, I am changing my request into a royal order: The Inland Shores colonies are to be disbanded, posthaste, and their residents relocated to no fewer than ten miles within the Equestrian border. The settlements must be completely evacuated within forty-eight hours, and the evacuation will be monitored by the Royal Guard, led by Master Sergeant Ironsides.” I nodded at the well-built earth pony stallion, who saluted in response. Turning back to the mayor, I added my final judgement.
“If anypony is found here after those forty-eight hours are over, they are to be considered in violation of the border with the gryphons, and detained at Outpost Orange for provoking conflict. And after that...?”
I paused only to smile thinly. “And after that, as this is shortly to become gryphon territory, you return at your own peril. And be assured that when the gryphons come to kill you, nopony will lift a hoof or horn in your defense.”
With that, I turned on my heel and strode back to my chariot, my Celestial Guards flanking me as Ironsides began barking orders to the Royal Guards and other military forces. As we took off for the IS-3 settlement, I sighed. ‘Twas hard to be a benevolent ruler when my own ponies refused to cooperate in the face of all evidence. And actions such as those I had just taken reminded me all too much of a far darker time in my past, not three centuries prior…
Resignation Notice prepared by Second Lieutenant Thunderbolt
Received in Canterlot on November 25th, 1127 AE
In the course of the events surrounding the destruction of the IS-2 colony, I have had to take a hard look at myself. I was personally and emotionally compromised during the course of these events, and many suffered for it, both pony and gryphon. I now fully regret what I became and have no wish to ever be that pony again. I thought myself an avenger of those whom I’d lost. But in truth, I was a demon that spared none before me and did not distinguish between raider and innocent life, a spirit of pure hate and vengeance willing to sacrifice countless civilians and soldiers in its pursuit.
The official reports of the Lucavi group’s destruction could not truly begin to describe the ferocity and bloodlust I felt; though none said it out loud, even my own troops were afraid of me in the end. I could see it in their eyes, when they looked upon me at battle’s end and trembled. I tried to convince myself afterwards that my actions were justified, but when the nightmares would not cease and I felt myself haunted by the ghosts of not just my dead friends but those I had slain, ‘twas then that I realized what I became, and how far I had fallen.
I am officially tendering my resignation from active service, along with relinquishing my commission. I feel I am no longer worthy of it, given the atrocities I committed and soldiers I so callously sacrificed in their pursuit. If My Princess wishes, I will surrender myself to face court-martial for my innumerable crimes, but I cannot atone from a prison cell.
Thus, I respectfully ask I be allowed to live out the remainder of my years as a civilian and attempt to make my legacy one of life, not death. I further request to be awarded the Dove of Fidelity to serve as a reminder of all that I lost. And all I became.
Signed,
Thunderbolt
Former Second Lieutenant
Equestrian Aerial Corps
Letter of Confession prepared by First Lieutenant Squall Line
Received via secure EIS transmissions on December 5th, 1127 AE
The following letter is the primary reason all of the documents preceding this one have been sealed until now. There is naught here but the unbiased truth, however grim it might be… —Firefly
My Princess:
What I am about to reveal could be considered high treason on my part. If you wished to come to Outpost Beta to execute me personally, I would not blame you in the slightest. But my own guilty conscience can be ignored no more.
The truth is that this entire affair was my fault, beginning with the destruction of the IS-2 colony. My actions to protect the settlement were more than a simple error of judgement. ‘Twas a calculated move on my part. I deliberately sent a disarmed platoon there not in expectation they would avert an attack… but that they would be captured by Lucavi raiders along with the rest of the colonists.
In my attempts to resolve the Inland Shores situation peacefully, I was in fact contacted secretly by Mistress Altima, who offered to arrange an attack where all present would be captured but not harmed, taken hostage to force the removal of the settlements. Her price was extortionate, but the alternative, she implied, was a bloody raid with dozens dead if we did not comply.
In the end, I acceded because ‘twas the only way I could see that would not lead to eventual bloodshed—if the settlers understood that gryphons would not spare them harassment even with disarmed military forces, perchance then they would come to their senses. Having paid her ‘protection’ fee in full via Corps funds I embezzled from my own outpost’s budget, Mistress Altima promised me that they would not harm the soldiers or civilians, holding them at Isca for ransom.
The idea was that they would demand not gems, but the withdrawal of the remaining colonists for their safe return. She manipulated and betrayed me, and an entire colony of ponies as well as good soldiers paid the price for my foalish naivety.
I would beg for your forgiveness, but in truth, I am undeserving, and I offer myself up for arrest and court-martial. I can only ask that, in the unlikely event you choose to retain me as a soldier, you place me somewhere far from the gryphon border and Thunderbolt, who has every reason to hate me.
I will bear the shame of my actions for all my life, and I know that nothing I do can ever bring back those soldiers or colonists. If nothing else, be assured that after such a betrayal, I will never trust in the honor or better nature of non-ponies again.
Signed,
First Lieutenant Squall Line
Equestrian Aerial Corps
Outpost Beta
Preliminary Review and Recommendations: Operation Phoenix Fire
Prepared by Equestrian High Council for Military Affairs
Delivered to Princess Celestia January 3rd, 1128 AE
My Princess:
We have concluded our preliminary review of Corps and Army actions during Operation Phoenix Fire. I regret to report that we have found their performance, for the most part, quite wanting.
Though the operational objective was met and individual soldiers and small units generally fought very well, casualties were needlessly high and coordination lacking between the services. This resulted in severe disruptions to timetable and an inability to quickly react to changing circumstances, particularly on the second day.
Further, loss of discipline on the part of certain soldiers resulted in bloody battles due to loss of surprise, forcing an urban night fight against an entrenched enemy hiding amongst its populace. Had circumstances been only slightly different, this operation might well have ended in disaster with the Lucavi group still intact and our attacking force crushed between three Talon legions.
Our full interim report can be found on subsequent pages of this document, but may it suffice to say that given the destruction and civilian casualties we inflicted, ‘tis extremely fortunate our incursion did not result in major reprisals and open war.
‘Tis certain the gryphons showed rare restraint, but such cannot be counted in the future. Our excesses and the civilian casualties we inflicted are a stain on the honor of the Equestrian Armed Forces, and ones we must take steps to ensure does not happen again…
As to the question of ex-Lieutenants Thunderbolt and Squall Line, we fear that public court-martials would only further stoke gryphon anger were their actions and roles in this bloody affair to be revealed, and raise the chance of Imperial retaliation along a still-tense border. Thus, our recommendation is that Thunderbolt be allowed to retire into the reserves and granted the Dove of Fidelity as he requests.
The reports of his combat ability are almost too fanciful to believe, but dozens of after-action reports all say the same thing: that he was unstoppable and unkillable, and his affinity for lightning, which he used to kill two shielded Gryphon mages, was outright terrifying. The Lances report that remnants of the Lucavi group have put a bounty on his head and he is now known as “The Lightning Demon” among them. ‘Tis unlikely they would ever collect even if they could reach him.
The EIS will keep close watch on him, and take action should that demon he became reemerge. But according to the psychiatric exams he has undergone, keeping him far from the border and gryphons should go a long way towards preventing that, as will having ponies to help and nurture in place of the ones he lost. To that end, he now asks to be allowed to teach at the Remedial Flyers’ school in Cloudsdale, and to be kept as far away from combat as possible.
“I want to serve the cause of life, not death,” he told one of his EIS interviewers. And when asked why, he replied: “Because ‘tis the only way I may now repent for my actions and give the loss of my friends meaning.” His remorse is real, and he now clings to his love for his lost comrades as a lifeline. In truth, there is no punishment we could give him that would be equal to the one he already suffered, and thus we feel ‘twould be best to allow him the chance to find the peace he seeks.
Squall Line’s case is more difficult. At first glance, his lapse in judgement was horrific, but at the same time, ‘tis certain he was in an impossible situation, trying to defend badly exposed colonists who did not want to be defended. He was then offered what seemed like a way out by Mistress Altima, who, we have also learned from Captain Fairweather, betrayed the trust of her own side as well as Squall Line. In the end, he simply grasped the lifeline she offered, and none here can say what we would have done differently in his place.
‘Tis also worth noting his outstanding performance in command of 3rd battalion and later the entire Corps force during the operation. He participated in combat directly at both Sariv and Altea and fought superbly according to many witnesses; the Army and Aerial Corps soldiers under his command all praised his leadership. His casualties were low and his objectives taken quickly; he alone among the attacking forces coordinated his joint Army/Corps troops well.
As such, we feel ‘twould be a terrible waste of a fine combat commander to imprison him or dismiss from service. Nevertheless, ‘tis also certain punishment is called for, and thus we recommend demotion to Second Lieutenant and a sealed letter of reprimand, recalling him to an administrative position at Corps Headquarters in Canterlot for the foreseeable future. After two years, he may be reinstated to combat posts at the discretion of the Corps commanding general…
Signed,
General Hard Charger (ret.),
Head of Investigative Committee
Equestrian High Council for Military Affairs
I speak for both myself and Blindside when I say ‘twas very hard to research this, Captain. I thought I knew the full extent of my mentor’s pain and that he had likely slain civilians, but ‘tis certain I had no idea how bloody his hooves truly were. Now that I do, much of what he said to me before basic about never being able to wash that blood away makes more sense now.
I also admit to finding myself at a loss regarding then-Lieutenant Squall Line. I always thought him little more than a bigot and never gave even the slightest ponder as to what might have shaped him or why he felt that way. The betrayal he suffered was most bitter and his guilt must have in some ways been as crushing as Thunderbolt’s… as well as his determination to never let it happen again. Nor could I fathom why he was eventually twice named Corps Commander in its aftermath, only to now learn that ‘twas in part because he was in fact a very good combat commander.
Methinks ‘tis not just one, but two bitter horse pills I have been forced to swallow, Captain.
—Fell Flight
I understand and feel your pain, old friend, as well as hers. But I would like to think that in the end, Thunderbolt did atone and break the hold his demons had over him. In any event, ‘tis no doubt we were far from the only ones to draw bitter lessons from this operation, as I believe you can attest, Ambassador Kaval?
—Firefly
Indeed, Captain. I was not present in Equis at the time these events happened, as I was still but a young Wind Knight defending our northern settlements against harpie raids. But ‘tis certain its effects were far-reaching and felt even in the Gryphon homeland. Methinks I can tell you some of the aftermath I saw or later learned of.
To begin with, it made clear to many that the ponies could be pushed too far. That far from having no stomach for combat, they could and would fight with ferocity, and we took Equestrian forces lightly at our peril. As a result, the Office of Owls began keeping a much tighter leash on its raider groups, and even occasionally intervened to keep any one group from growing too large or powerful. Groups that exceeded their orders or engaged in deprivations against their own side like the Lucavi were punished, sometimes severely; more than once a group was visited by Ravens—or even Red Talons like myself—to make clear our displeasure and mete out occasionally lethal discipline.
Second, it made clear that as good as individual pony soldiers could be, pony doctrine at that time left much to be desired and had many weaknesses that could be exploited—weaknesses that Prelate Gaius would draw upon in creating his war plans. ‘Tis certain your attack on the Lucavi was closely studied on the Imperial side as well, and in fact remains to this day a favorite discussion and exercise topic at our tactical schools… as a case study in how not to carry out a major offensive operation. ‘Twas oft used as an example of how poor discipline and lack of combined arms coordination could undermine even the best-thought plans.
And yet, for all that, methinks one lesson was not learned by the Gryphon side—that for all the mistakes made, pony forces still succeeded in their task with sheer stubbornness and determination, overcoming all obstacles they faced and even willing to die in a Talon counterattack if it meant completing their mission. ‘Twas a lesson that would not be driven home until much later, to our great cost.
As for former Legate Ampok, may it suffice to say that she became one of a very select few who was brought before the Empress in chains and lived. But I believe you wouldst agree with me, Captain, when I say she should be the one to tell her story, given how important she would one day be to both sides. And to me.
—Ambassador Layan Kaval
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Hm... So, if you're our General, Firesight, would that make me your adjutant, or second-in-command on the Council?
Will Squall learn that one griffon's betrayal doesn't mean ALL Non ponies are backstabbers?
Those maps were excellent. I really wasn't expecting to see something like that and I think they added a lot to this chapter. Made it feel like a real military operation rather than a fictional event.
7916300 He may, but not until much later on down the road. This betrayal pretty much jaded him against any creature that wasn't already part of Equestria's hierarchy. Given that thestrals were of... questionable status at best, this goes a long way towards explaining his animosity towards Fell Flight in her interlude.
Damn... no wonder Thunderbolt resigned...
And Squall... I hope you've learned your lesson...
7916247
First officer, I'd say.
Unless you prefer something else...
7916300
As Leo says, perhaps in due course. He will appear again later in the story, when... well, that would be a spoiler, but I will say there was a subtle hint as to how he'll be brought back in this chapter.
7916545
I appreciate it, thanks! Those maps took a lot of time to make, and I'm still spotting issues with them. Hopefully I'll get better at producing them over time, because I want to use them when we get into the actual invasion.
7917241
Thunderbolt's tale is not a happy one by any stretch. How does somepony redeem themselves for the soldiers under their command they got killed and dozens of innocent lives they've taken? That's the question he grapples with every day now.
And as for Squall Line... he learned a lesson all right, but it wasn't quite the right one, as Leo notes. But it does explain why he refused to trust or accept Fell Flight. Memories of betrayal just like that never go away. Understand, he's not a bad pony and is actually an effective leader/general, but his own trauma runs deep as well. He will be heard from again.
So, I'm guessing Windshear will be the next interlude?
Intense!
Beware Equestrians!!! The Talons will soon show you how a real war is fought.
War... war never changes.
Alright, time for what we all knew was coming. Linky and Twinkleshine! Let the banter begin.
Yeh had me at war maps!
You had me at Linky!
But where would be the fun in that?
Don't yeh even dare! Those are me brothers and sisters and me spirit will travel the Low Road back to the fertile fields of the Southern Kingdom to be with them when I die — amidst the cool, running streams and golden fields.
Will you have ghost sex with a tiercel (male griffin)?
(sigh) Aye, I get it. It's a trope. Yeh know, it does go the other way 'round too!
Looks like the disputed region is about to get royally screwed! I can see why the guys would be fighting over it though.
Cutting edge analysis there, lass...
That innuendo was too low even for me, filly! Well done!
Does your marshland bring all the boys to the yard, Rose?
And there like, "it's better than yours", Lily!
Ya walked right into that one, sweetie.
I wonder where they went? And without being seen after having completed such a large-scale evacuation? You just know Ampok is getting some messages from HQ asking what the hell she's doing abandoning her post.
If the Griffin bureaucracy of the time is as inefficient as it is today, yeh can bet the officers at HQ are kippin' banker's hours and won't know anything's even happening until after the operation is over. She's gonnae have the Earl of Hades to pay when they do find out, I don't doubt!
Yeah, yeah. Gloat all you want, earth ponies! You still need us to summon bread and water...
Yeh do make the best conjured cinnamon rolls of any unicorn I've met. Yeh can stay in me party!
Yay!
Message runners aren't a bad idea in static defensive positions, but things are gonnae go to tartarus quick if they try to micromanage things. Yehr best bet is to offer a starting line, time to begin operations, and a list of objectives while allowing them independence on how best to achieve them. Who else knows the situation better than the ponies being shot at?
They seem to be doing okay for not doing this sort of thing in many years. The terrain is broken up really bad too and if intel is bad, than all predictions based on that bad intel are also crap. As they used to teach us back in Canterlot, garbage in/garbage out.
Somepony tell that colt to knock it off or yeh'll give him a Glascow Kiss.
Events are being very kind to them given their lack of preparedness. Murphy is rarely so kind.
They won't be so willing to sell out their own armed forces when the time comes.
There's not much the ponies could do here, to be honest. Ideally, they'd encircle, deliver an ultimatum to surrender, tell the civvies to hide out inside their homes, then attack from all sides with superior numbers. In reality, they were up against the clock with a dishonorable foe and a complicated political situation. This was a disaster from the start. Thunderbolt is doing his best to put the blame on himself, though.
Well at least something is being reinforced!
Unless Avalanche is planning on cutting his way across a defensive line, this is stupid. All the action is in the center right now. He's too clever by half with all this maneuvering and is going to disappear up his own plot unless he reduces Rial first.
Well said.
Flares are wonderful out in the boondocks where there's a lack of artificial light. Inside cities they're not that great, since a city is a jungle of sorts; Heavily compartmentalized. And like any jungle the canopy is going to block yehr light source, and worse, can even leave yeh night blind. To survive in the jungle, yeh therefore need to learn how to hunt, rather than fight. To become allies with the darkness, unpredictable, dangerous.
Ooo! I like that!
Lucky thing Thunderbolt's trick with the storm cloud worked. How a non-unicorn was able to generate that much power with lightning I'll never know! If he were a unicorn, I'd compare his abilities to that of an elemental.
That will do for now. I'm going to dedicate an entire post to Mayor Moron and his band of pot-smelling hippy rejects.
Okay... time to deal with the idiot. Shouldn't need the bother the gals for this one. I'll admit I skimmed this part in preread because I just couldn't absorb such nonsense and figured I'd deal with it in post. Credit to Leo Archon for making this character as punchable as he did.
Okay, this is something that reminds me of a conversation about suicide I once listened in on. This idea that for the most part, though not always, it's an act of narcissism instead of selflessness. It'd be one thing if, for whatever reason, these people decided to go out to Ancapistan and carve out a civilization from useless marshland, but they've insisted on screwing over their brothers and sisters back home by not only forcing them to fear for their safety, but make them less safe by weakening their border. As mentioned, the griffins do not want them there and they have no real reason to see them as allies. This has nothing to do with Equestria or her military, or even the griffins; this is out of control narcissism.
I hope they were at least able to fit all of Celestia's name in.
Well no. It isn't Equestria's land, as your sovereign has just explained and you don't actually think that anyway, Mayor Moron; it's your land. You are telling the ruler of your former nation to go be an alicorn somewhere else so you can be all edgy and crap in your swamp of anarchy. This is such a disingenuous argument to make I already want to slap him.
People rely on force of arms to maintain... everything. Every scrap of land is guaranteed at gunpoint whether you like it or not, including your privately-owned means of production. This is just... stupid. So stupid that people believe this...
But not all wars begin for the same reason. Indeed, it's far more likely that an enemy will attack faced with a point of weakness than a well-defended position, for the same reason a house with unlocked doors and windows is more likely to be robbed than one with deadbolt locks, good lighting, and an alarm system.
Or to put in another way, "you are squatters on disputed land and are going to get some of our people as well as yourself killed. Stop being stupid."
This guy's theology is confusing. On the one hand, he does not believe in the power of Equestria's armies. On the other, he believes in the power of her paperwork. I guess the pen really is mightier than the sword.
How does it feel to be responsible for hundreds of lives being killed, Mayor?
A broken clock is right twice a day. This is one of those times, in the sense that putting a corps there was a very bad call. You really got to hand it to this guy for making himself sound like a complete doofus using all these weasel words whenever he makes a point: perhaps, maybe, likely. Perhaps in some alternate dimension his sophistry might pass as true.
Or to put it more accurately, if the settlement weren't there, the attack never would have occurred, because there wouldn't be a garrison there defending it. Celly, can you send this guy to the moon now? Please?
He's got you there! He has made this point explicitly in a previous paragraph. I think you need to discover coffee, Princess.
You're sending this guy to the moon, right?
And my evidence for this is... screw you! I create my own reality!
pinkie.mylittlefacewhen.com/media/f/rsz/mlfw1791_small.png
Go smoke some weed and hate yourself, yeh bucking failure!
To the moon, hippie!
I thought pacifism meant I have to hide or pass out when the bad people show up?
I believe in the principle that I have a right to allow access to as many stallions as a please, whenever I want. Don't tread on me! ... Unless I ask first.
So I thought the gals would be good for that one line.
Regarding Thunderbolts resignation, I think he's lucky he got off without being arrested but I understand why he wasn't. They lived in a different time than we did. I'm guessing it would look pretty bad too to kill someone who likely saved the mission from total failure.
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It's cruelty and you can't refine it. Just ask General Shermane.
I made those war maps just for you, ladies... hope you liked!
Epic battles of good and evil are cleaner and more satisfying, to be sure, in real life, such things are rarely so clear-cut, unless you're as cartoonishly evil as Nazis or ISIS. And even they get apologists. At this point, the Empire wasn't actively planning to invade Equestria as they were still at war with the Elder Rams. It was only after that war was concluded that they turned their eyes westward.
The bond Caleponians now share with their adoptive homeland, one they settled in the aftermath of the great war, is real! And they're just as tough as the earth griffins they live among now...
Actually, that'll be a different story...
And that'll be another chapter in a different story! Careful about giving me ideas, girls.
I'm sorry to say that for once, what the map was suggestive of never even occurred to me...
Well done indeed! Now I'll never see it the same way again...
SHOTS FIRED! But if it helps, Rose, you can be assured the Lucavi are about to get shafted.
You can bet she did what she could to make sure things wouldn't be discovered quickly via forged communications and other means, and you can also bet she had help from further up to keep the ruse in place for as long as possible. She wasn't the only one angered by what happened and the orders to leave the group alone. Far from it, in fact.
She knows. Believe me, she knows. She's doing it anyway because she can't in good conscience let the raider group go unpunished, and there are plenty on her staff and in her rank-and-file that agree. In the end, the ponies were allowed to leave unmolested because for all the havoc they wreaked, they still did the Empire a great service by taking out Mistress Altima, who was operating with increasing impunity due to all the blackmail material she'd amassed as a former member of the Office of Owls. And as for how and why former Legate Ampok survives a meeting with the Empress afterwards that would normally end in her death... that's a story for another time, sorry, but suffice it to say, she didn't back down even when faced with execution; she admitted to everything and then laid out in exact terms why she did what she did. In the end, she felt it was the only honorable course left open to her.
I could possibly see a unicorn able to summoning water ala Harry Potter, but not more complicated food like bread or cinnamon rolls. Even HP had the house elves for that. Worst subplot ever... on the other hoof, a unicorn could do an item summon to grab food from a remote depot as long as it wasn't too far away. Twilight and Rarity do it all the time, it seems. That's what most conjuring actually is.
That's a very good point, Linky. I will keep in mind going forward into the coming war.
That's a quote computer programmers like myself use too!
Hey, that's Firefly's shtick! Or more fairly, Windshear's since he taught it to her! Actually, I had to look that up since I'd never heard of that before...
The first day actually went fairly well excepting Viale. My rule of thumb is, you're allowed one harmless screw up and no more in a major game or operation. It's actually something I've observed during my poker play repeatedly--during tournaments, you're allowed to make one major mistake and have one instance of game-saving luck, and past that, you're on your own. In short, you're allowed to be truly lucky once, and never again. Either learn from it, or fall to defeat.
Nope. You can also bet there were some purges in the Imperial military after this given how many officers had to conspire to remove the 6th legion and cover up the fact there was no replacement, never mind the shut-down magical intrusion sensors.
Pretty much. Ideally, they'd've been a bit more patient and descended on the town from all sides at once and then demand surrender when it was clear to the defenders fighting was useless. But Thunderbolt came in with only a couple platoons instead of a couple companies backed by an Army regiment. He was out for blood.
Quite true. And the end they didn't, and his only avenue of approach was through the south instead of the two-pronged one with the second one through Rial. That stacked up his regiments and resulted in even further delay in getting them all in position to assault Altair.
What should he have done? A) March order should already have been determined, b) naval transports should be prioritized for rapid reinforcement of critical points like at Sariv, C) he should have communicated with Fairweather sooner to tell her that his advance was delayed so she could delay her own, and D) he should have ordered her to relieve Thunderbolt immediately instead of deferring to her. If this was done, they still faced a sharp fight at Rial, but one that could have been won much more quickly. Army unicorns would have been present to counter the mages, they'd've had sufficient numbers to quickly rout the forces there, consolidate their gains, and the 3rd battalion would have then been able to follow its original plan of sweeping north to take Jenga to complete the encirclement and prevent message runners from fleeing. The Lucavi HQ would have been alerted anyway but had far less time to prepare for an attack, which could have been launched by 6pm or 7pm instead of 1030pm, giving them much more time to be methodical. The Talons wouldn't know so soon, Altair and Altea would have systematically reduced, and they'd then commence their withdrawal, evacuating gryphon territory by the end of the fourth day. Best laid plans...
All true. If only there were ponies who specialized in night hunting and fighting...
Me too!
That's because he actually is one, girls.
That's not a quality limited to unicorns, though its manifestation is different in other ponies.
Cool. But in fairness, even Tree Hugger doesn't want anything to do with them.
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You have to admit, he does have a talent for it! And yes, that is a good talent to have as a writer, being able to make flawed characters.
There is an element of that, certainly. To me, it's a combination of virtue-signaling and sheer vanity. They're trying to feel good about themselves, basically, and don't see past their own noses and self-serving intentions for it. In their minds, their intentions are good--we want to bring peace between the two sides--and that's all that matters. So if you oppose them, then you oppose those intentions--you don't want peace, you obviously want war. This is exactly the logical leap that modern liberalism makes constantly; they demand to be judged on their intentions, not their means or results, which usually royally suck. In this case, they can't fathom that their actions would in any way be counterproductive to their own goals, or--Summerlands forbid--that the gryphons are anything but innocent victims of Equestrian intransigence.
Probably, but the better question is if Celly was able to fit her entire hoof up their collective backsides.
So does every other soldier and aide in Celly's entourage. So does all the Army and Corps troops who fought and lost friends in the operation.
You are correct. Peace, freedom and harmony are not the natural state of things in our world or here. But far too many people, that's all they've ever known and they don't understand how good they actually have it that they have to make up/magnify all sorts of real or imagined grievances. Two quotes currently come to mind: "Good people sleep soundly because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf", and "the price of liberty is eternal vigilance." Freedom is not won or secured by people such as these and never was. And just Obama, they caused far more conflict than they cured, and they refuse to see it. It simply can't be true because they want all these good and wonderful things, so anything they do in their pursuit must be good and wonderful as well.
Particularly when you're talking about an enemy composed of aggressive predators belonging to a warrior society who are programmed to sense and attack weakness. Here's the greatest failing of the Inland Shores crew: they think all races and cultures are equal; they see things only in their own terms. They think they're tolerant and open-minded, when in fact they're the most narrow-minded ponies imaginable. But good luck ever getting them to see this, even after they're forced to leave.
Sorry, that would require self-awareness, which is severely lacking of late not just there, but here in our own time, world, and nation.
They're not consistent. They just cherry-pick whatever serves their side or interests. Can't say it enough--they think they're selfless, when in truth they're incredibly selfish people, putting their own interests above everyone's in both sides and causing bloodshed for it.
Fear not, he'll find a way to rationalize that away too.
Stuff like this has happened here. When US Marines were sent to Lebanon in 1983, they were given absolutely ridiculous rules of engagement that basically said they couldn't wield their weapons or otherwise be 'provocative'. The result was in part that they were defenseless to stop the truck bombing that killed 241 of them and French peacekeepers in their barracks.
Urge to exile rising...
Well, if nothing else, she's very nearly ready to do something rather inharmonious. And make no mistake, she's done it in the past, during the war with her sister. It was mentioned in TLaTU that she once razed villages of Lunar sympathizers. Stuff like that is why she doesn't generally involve herself in military matters now as she fears she might lose control once more.
Tactical nuke incoming in 3... 2... 1...
Couldn't have said it better, Linky!
Nowadays, it means parading around in a pussy hat and calling yourself 'the resistance'.
Hmmm.... now I think Rose needs a version of the Gadsden flag that says some variant of "Please tuck in me!"
He did, twice, if you think about it, though you can certainly make the argument that he made it a lot more difficult too, though even without his actions, the advance was having issues. Regardless, this wasn't so much about that as the pony he became and what he can do... thus setting the stage for the reemergence of that demon he became in the coming war.
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No idea. Swift Strike needs one too. It'll be whatever feels appropriate, pretty much. There probably isn't going to be another interlude before the outbreak of war, which is only a few chapters away.
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Thank you!
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I like Kaval too. He's a badass without being boastful about it; he's just very matter-of-fact about how good he is. If he says he killed a bunch of zebra brigands, he's not bragging, he's just stating the truth. He is the best they have, and he'll tell you he's the best they have, but he doesn't fight for fame or personal glory and never has. He fights for his nation and the causes/individuals he believes in. No more and no less.
Indeed they will... and unfortunately, many of the issues you saw with the Equestrian military in this chapter won't really have been solved yet...
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Oh jeez...
Whoa! Hold up. So you're going to have a stallion and an eagless have sex? Actually, I might like that! Do eet!
Jeez, I really screwed the pooch on that one. That was a World of Warcraft joke where mages have an ability to summon bread and water to start and later on get all sorts of crazy dishes like cinnamon rolls. I strike that joke from the Linky and Twinkle canon for not being clear it was satire.
The house elves thing was 100% pure USDA Grade A white guilt. J.K. Rowling disgusts me as a person. Her Twitter is digital cancer and her followers are the worst fandom of all time. We bronies are downright dignified compared to that lot...
It looks like you understood her point clearly, but just to be safe, when I was referring to "them" I meant the ground commander. I know Napoleon fared well with strict micromanagement, but he seems to be the exception. The way I see it as an American, you hired your field officer because he was the best man you could find at making war and giving the enemy what for. It's like hiring a brain surgeon and then telling him to just stand there and hold the tools. Insulting and pointless. A good Field Marshal/Overall Leader would be best served letting a skilled man do his job and feed him the best possible field intel to make his job as easy as possible.
I couldn't have said it better, Based Sensei. [bows]
At the core of every radical leftist is a hardened crystal of shame and self-loathing. I almost pity them. Then I think of the vast weight of human suffering they actively promote and poof... it's gone.
7924115 I can only assume that the rant on house elves is more directed at Hermione's little crusade for their rights that never really went anywhere. I agree that it was a pointless subplot that should have been cut.
That said, I do like the books - the original seven, anyway. I tried to read Cursed Child, and stopped partway through; that book will become kindling if someone deigns to gift it to me. As for the fandom, I'd argue that 'worst fandom ever' belongs to Sonic, not HP. I enjoy reading works of HP fanfiction, and even have ideas for it myself. I can't speak for the whole fandom, but don't judge the many based on the vocal few.
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Wouldn't that also make Firefly an elemental? Also, the lightning scene reminded me of this
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=W9khT9ypy1k
2:37, 3:17
This chapter on top of being quite good in both style and content really demonstrates how easy it can be to exacerbate conflict. All it took was one, or primarily one pony in Thunderbolt to set up the next round of retaliation. At least during the active portion of the invasion-not-invasion by the ponies.
PS I quite enjoyed the maps
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Appreciate the compliment! And I'm glad you enjoyed the maps as well, given how long they took to make!
You're right, of course. The ponies are very lucky the gryphons didn't go to war over their excesses. The only reason they didn't? Because in the end, they knew the ponies did them a great favor by ridding them of the Lucavi and Mistress Altima, given how much power and blackmail material she'd amassed; how many gryphons both inside the military and out she held under her thrall. In the end, they realized that it was dishonorable what they'd allowed to happen and that yes, they would have reacted no differently in the ponies' place. Which is not to say they didn't take a lot of lessons from what happened, as Kaval's ending comments makes clear.
Ok, so you were right about this sequence, definitely a great side story.
This form of storytelling was risky, but there was good balance between the changes in writing style. At no point was I confused by the changes in perspective, it flowed well. The "classified" document also put a whole other layer on the whole thing, and made me feel even worse for Thunderbolt..
As a final note, the maps we're great! A actually mirrored them on a second screen to look at while I was following along. Very good touch!
Thanks!
This is why it’s my favorite; the simple fact I pulled it off using all these different perspectives and means to deliver them. But I must also give credit where due: Leo Archon wrote the scene where Celly visits the IS-1 settlement and did an excellent job of it.
Appreciated! They were a lot of effort, using a tool that wasn’t ideal for the task. I’m actually planning to redo them at some point in Photoshop. I’ve gotten much better at making them, as I’m sure you’ve noticed by now in the second book!
This was an interesting chapter and it's good to see that Squall Line was in fact a decent commander but he was blinded by his own prejudice afterwards. I think that the best way to decribe the failure of the overall attack plans of the gryphons is to compare it to the german advance through Belgium in WW1 where they failed to account for belgian resistance at all.
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I try very hard not to have cookie-cutter or one-dimension characters; even villains should have redeeming qualities in my book. Squall Line, as you can see, does, and in his mind, he has very good reasons for his prejudice. As for why the eventual invasion does not succeed, you’re onto something here, but there’s one more major reason you don’t have listed which should only become apparent at the very end of the story, before the final interlude.
Damn... This chapter was quite the game changing event. Still Squall should have been removed
Wow this story arc had everything.
It's strange that the ponies didn't learned seemingly any lesson from that botched raid.
I mean reactivating airships or growing the fleet to give the ground bound ponies the mobility to keep up with the pegasus corps would have been one very easy to implement step.
I feel bad for Thunderbolt, that he was seemingly robt of the chance to kill the griffon responsible for all his suffering. On the other hand, that's might be what saved him.
Alao is Luna still guarding the dreams of ponies from the moon?
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For as guilty as he felt, he probably would have agreed with you. But in the end, he chose his own form of atonement. And atone he will, if much later.
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Thanks. It’s still one of my favorites in the entire story.
They’re too insular and wedded to doctrine, and it will bite them hard in the ass later.
But that would mean the other service branches lose some of their influence and roles to the Navy. So they won’t allow it. Inter-service rivalries are unfortunately a very real thing, even today.
Actually, he did kill her if you check. He impaled her with her own blade, but when it was over, his rage was spent and all he had left was his pain with no way left to salve it.
There’s some hint that she can, in fact, influence dreams, even in exile. She did so with Fell Flight earlier during the first chapter of her three-chapter backstory.