Camp Crisis Part Two
As the archmages of the Royal Unicorn Counsel stood around a pair of sitting ponies with their heads touching, they raised their horns up simultaneously, each glowing a different color and adding their share of magic to the shield. Little by little, the alicorn and the captain eased their magic output until they breathed a sigh of relief. Suddenly, one of the archmage's horns flickered, and she almost toppled over as a barrage of boulders smashed into the barrier. While any of them could maintain a shield, keeping it up while under constant attack caused the worst migraines possible. Every day, a random number of boulders would be launched, both to agitate the defenders and to search for any kinks in the armor. Fortunately, they could handle it with minimal problems.
The pair stumbled out of the reinforced safe room, weary but proud. They said nothing to each other, too exhausted to do anything else but walk. The long, empty hallway echoed as hooves hit the solid stone that had formed millions of years ago but was now carved into a fortress. Eventually, they reached the main living space of the refugees.
It was an enormous underground cavern, stretching from just underneath the peak of the mountain to far below the castle, illuminating to a dull glow by a countless number of torches and enchanted crystals. Used by Queen Chrysalis during the invasion of Canterlot, the caves had been refurbished into an emergency living space, probably the best move any of them had made.
At the highest levels were the pegasus nets that were stretched like a trampoline, each pocketed with hundreds of hammocks where the pegasi slept. The net was held in place by a number of thick ropes tied to massive screws that were secured deep inside the walls. Below them but still very high were the scaffolds where the unicorns and the braver earth ponies slept, also secured to the walls. They started off bare, the only thing separating individual spots were metal pipes, but personal touches soon emerged. The entire structure slightly swayed like a ship at sea, but after a few cases of motion sickness, they all settled in. Some even found the rocking comfortable. The passageway to the lower levels of the castle opened up in the middle levels of the scaffolds.
They emerged from a small tunnel, the hard rock giving way to wooden walkways that creaked every so often. Their spot was near the center, next to a small family of unicorns.
Shining Armor looked towards his wife. Their wedding seemed so long ago, yet it only could've been a few months at most. Dark bags hung under her eyes, and her mane was ragged and neglected enough that Rarity would be personally insulted if the pony in question went another second looking like that.
She caught his eye and smiled. He looked no better, but by now appearances had dropped all the way to the bottom of their list of priorities. He smiled back.
"Night' Cadence..." he whispered as the alicorn settled herself onto a mattress on the floor. She motioned for him to join her by scooting towards the side, but frowned when he shook his head.
"But why? You've done enough..." she pleaded.
"I need to check up on the guards outside. I'll be back. I promise." Shining assured her.
"Okay.." They nuzzled for a moment. "I love you."
"I love you too...."
***
A pegasus stallion clad in midnight blue armor silently observed the attackers through the navy blue shield. Various siege weapons were set up, a small mountain of boulders piled up next to them. Small fires dotted the large camp in the valley, the location of tents and supply dumps unknown due to the heavy blanket of snow.
"Guard. Report."
He sighed. He knew that the captain only went by the book, but there really was nothing to report. Especially not at this point.
"Nothing to report sir. They fired a small volley roughly an hour ago, but it's been quiet since."
"Good. As you were."
Captain Armor turned to check up on the other guards, but was interrupted.
"Sir, ah... Permission to speak?"
Shining stopped, turned, and nodded. "Granted"
The guard gulped nervously, "Sir, the other guards are getting anxious. Not about supplies or food, but some of us were supposed to go home months ago..."
"Ah..." the unicorn finished with a whisper. While a good number of the guard were bachelors, the married ones had left wives and children in various cities. The lucky ones made it to Canterlot, while the not-so-lucky ones had been stuck in the Everfree camp. There was silence as the captain tried to imagine not seeing his wife for months. He had it easy. Both of them lived in the same house as their boss, office, and barracks. "What about you?"
The guard's head shot up, "Sir?"
"Any family?"
"Well... I got wife and two fillies at the Everfree camp waiting to go home... If Manehattan's still there..." He stopped when the captain placed a hoof on his shoulder.
"If it's worth anything, I'm sorry."
The pegasus guard shook his head. "It's not your fault sir."
Shining Armor sighed, "That's what they all tell me..."
The guard turned returned to observing the camp as the unicorn slowly walked away towards the number eight watchtower. Try as he might, they all knew that their captain was going through too much for one pony to handle, and they were all on their last nerves.
This couldn't last much longer. Whether they break from the enemy or tear themselves apart, this would all end very soon one way or another.
Those humans had better get moving.
Because the weather wasn't the only thing that was cold.
***
It was cold.
The clouds constantly released a flurry of snow, but only a few ever reached the ground. The harsh wind had kept the sky from settling, the frosty air completely clogged. Both factors forced the griffons to abandon aerial superiority for a dirty, close quarters fight. Visibility was practically nonexistent. The dragon officer still circled around, undeterred by the harsh winds and protected from the cold by his internal flame.
The battle seemed to be slowing to a halt. No soldier had fired his weapons for the last half hour and the Quad Cannons were quiet, their large machine guns level with the ground, threatening to shred any who appeared before them. The many fires lit by the dragon created small, blurry orange dots in the distance. Silhouettes moved past the veil of snow, and none of them knew if it was griffon, dog, or tree. The Rangers were exceptionally jumpy. Too many had been ambushed by hidden diamond dogs or griffons hiding in the tree branches. In the distance, guns rattled as the cold wind whistled past.
A group of soldiers jumped as a large shadow leaped up from a previously unseen hole. The bullets only pinged off of the chest plate, the amused diamond dog only grunted in amusement. The soldiers aimed high for his face, but learning from earlier mistakes, he advanced with his head down and swung his heavy sword down onto an unfortunate Ranger. The dog pulled the sword from his limp corpse and looked up to choose his next target, only to get a face full of rocket.
The resulting explosion caught the attention of everyone in the quiet forest. The Rangers hastily retreated, knowing that the rocket had revealed their location.
***
Back at camp, the situation was looking worse. A few griffons and dogs had managed to sneak past the lines unknowingly, only to be detected by the Rangers sitting not two meters from the shivering ponies. Fortunately, the camp hadn't been seen by the dragon, whether by the snow or by the camouflage nets covering the refugees. But as their radios buzzed with static, the mood instantly lifted.
"Reinforcements have arrived, but the storm's too strong for us to get in any closer! Escort the refugees south, we'll find somewhere to land!"
The soldiers silently cheered. It was always good to have friends behind your back. Bonus points for friends in vehicles.
"Roger!" The Ranger switched his radio, "All Rangers, regroup at the campsite, we're to move the ponies south for evac!"
***
A rocket hit the tree branch, blasting the unfortunate griffon into the air. His partners screeched as he hit the ground with a dull thud. The Rangers all opened fire from the trench, peppering the tree with bullets.
"Hey." An out of breath soldier slid into the trench. He tapped the shoulders of the team leader who was still on the lookout. "We got orders to withdraw back to the camp ASAP."
"Got it. Thanks." He nodded, and the messenger ran off to find Alpha squad. Out of the corner of his eyes, a few dark spots skittered into a tree a short distance away. "Griffons! Tree next to that boulder!"
A Missile Defender hefted his signature weapon. "The one that's behind the burning bush or next to the pine?"
"Pine."
"Got it." He muttered as he estimated the range and compensated for other factors. The other soldiers held their head down into the trench as the propellant ignited. The rocket blasted the snow behind them up into a cloud as the air around the rocket rippled as it shot through the air like a dart, closing the distance within a second. The explosion appeared small at that distance, but it was enough to blast the tree in splinters. The sound reached their ears a millisecond later.
"Alright, we're done here. Rangers, watch our backs. Delta, move, move!"
The group slowly retreated, eyes darting where they thought the enemy was hiding. Only the wind whispered in their ears as they made their way back to the camp.
***
In a clearing miles from the Everfree Camp, the snow still fell, but only smaller flakes fluttered from the sky. The temperature was also chilly, but not freezing. Compared to the camp, it was like the Saddle Arabia.
As the co-pilot finished their transmitting their message to the Rangers, he looked around for an area large enough for eight Chinooks to land. His eyes wandered the area, trying to find where the snow wouldn't hamper their efforts.
"There! Hill!" A snow-covered hill stood in the middle of the forest with a conveniently placed flat top large enough for them to land.
The pilot took a quick look. "Good find. Radio the others."
As his partner spoke into the radio, the Chinooks softly descended until the wheels of their cargo touched the ground. Steel cables were released and the helicopters landed, drivers and crew members rushing to their vehicles. Engines rumbled, and the convoy rolled out, ready for their mission.
***
Beta team spotted another group of soldiers off to their left, considerably larger than their own. A few ponies could also be seen, having been gathered after the initial fighting sent many of them running in chaos.
A faint roar sounded from above. Heads rose and turned to find the source, but the flying snow reduced all visibility drastically.
"Down! Down!" a Ranger called from behind. The group scrambled for cover behind trees and boulders.
A dark silhouette whooshed above them as a jet of blue-hot flames lit up the entire area in front of them. A wave of heat washed over them, causing many of the ponies to wish for a quiet day where all they had to do was sit in front of a fireplace.
Lyra tightly hugged a human, shivering from fear and cold. She shut her eyes, trying to remember the sweet scent of chocolate that usually graced her and her friend's home. Bon Bon had already gone ahead due to the unicorn's insistence that she go first.
That was hours ago, and the whole forest was shrouded in darkness, not even a single ray of sunlight piercing the clouds.
The dragon surveyed the area, his eyes combing the forest. Satisfied, he turned his attention elsewhere.
A weary voice called out a minute later. "Alright. Who's not dead?"
The members who were still alive groaned an affirmative. There were dangerously low on Missile Defenders, and none of them knew how much longer it would take to reach the camp. They continued walking until they reached an area where the pine trees had sheltered the large area right underneath.
Cold and tired, the group decided to rest, if only for a minute.
The dirt rumbled.
Shots rang out as previously unseen diamond dogs collapsed tunnels around them, springing a trap they had created within five minutes. Panicked ponies tried to escape, only for the ground in front of them to sink into a trench too deep and wide for those who weren't a pegasus.
***
"This is Beta Team! We're surrounded by dogs! We have soldiers down! I say again, we have wounded!"
"Roger Beta, reinforcements comin-" He was interrupted by a Humvee crashing through the remains of a charred tree. "Right now actually!" Snow flew from under the tires as the vehicle sided to a halt.
"Which way?" the driver shouted through an open window.
The Ranger ran up and pointed towards the general direction. "Beta team's surrounded about half a klick to the west! It's good to see you guys!"
"Yeah, but we had to send two of our Avengers back. We got a handful of Quads, two more Avengers, and us. That's all they could send."
"We'll make it work."
The all-terrain vehicle did exactly as it was advertised, the rough and currently frozen ground of the Everfree easily traversed. Behind the Humvee were two laser Avengers, slightly slower but still keeping up with the new Quad Cannons that joined up with the ones that were on guard duty.
"Hey! Listen up!" The Ranger called to the shivering ponies hiding under tarps. "We need to start moving south! Our ride out can't get to us in this weather and the storm isn't letting up! Alright, I want groups of ten sticking together..."
***
"I SAY AGAIN, WHERE THE HELL ARE OUR REINFORCEMENTS?! WE HAVE WOUNDED CIVVIES! I SAY AGAIN, WOUNDED, CIVVIES!"
The Ranger's desperate screaming sounded from the radio, causing the driver to press the accelerator until it threatened to break under the pressure. The soldiers riding in the front, back, and turret all readied their weapons.
The Humvee smashed through dead brush, its single machine gun blazing a hot trail of lead into the attackers. The doors clicked open, and the Rangers all rushed out and joined the fight. Bits of dirt flew into the air as bullets hit the ground like miniature meteors.
***
"Beta! We broke through to your right! Move! Move!"
"Watch your backs! Protect the civvies!"
The soldiers got into motion like a well-oiled machine, several Rangers protecting the sides while two more took rear guard. They all jumped slightly when a Quad Cannon opened fire with its large machine guns. The sound was deafening to say the least. Eventually they reached the trench. A few Rangers from both sides jumped in without any regard for their safety and let loose bursts of automatic fire to clear out any remaining dogs. Down below were plenty of corpses, thankfully none of theirs, nor any that resembled equines.
Another Quad approached the trench, oddly, it was facing away. It slowly backed towards the group, and they all tilted their heads in confusion, until they realized it's intention.
It would've taken too much time to fill the trench with dirt or logs, as they were dreadfully short on cranes and bulldozers. The clearing was too small and too heavily covered to airlift them, not to mention that the weather restricted the use of any aircraft, helicopter or otherwise. The walls were too steep to climb, and ladders were also out of stock.
Incredibly, the rear half of the Quad Cannon was long enough that it could be used as a makeshift bridge.
"Go! Go! Go!" The machine guns elevated, giving the escaping ponies a little more rooms to run around it. Supported by the Humvee, the dogs pulled their heads back into the trench to avoid the little slugs of lead whizzing above, any spears they threw landed far from the group of refugees.
***
The walk back to the camp was quiet, even the most talkative were silent. The wind blew harder than it had before, sending chills down their spines as the cold bit into their skin.
"Beta team this is Hercules 5, you're running out of time! Delta and Alpha teams have just left! The storm's getting worse and there's still two Chinooks on the ground!" the lead Ranger's radio blared. The entire convoy stopped in shock.
"How much time do we have?"
"We're already pushing it, but you got ten minutes, max."
The Ranger cursed and sighed. "We copy." he whispered. "God dammit..."
"What's up?" another soldier camp up beside him. The ponies also unconsciously walked closer to the Ranger.
"...We won't be able to make it. Even if we loaded the slow and wounded onto the vehicles..."
An earth pony sat down in the freezing snow, defeated. The one action sent ripples through the crowd. All around, the ground was kicked and curses yelled into the sky. One even threw off his cloak and laid down on his back, ready to die.
"What do we do...?"
"...Warm tea, an-and fresh fruit cakes straight out of the oven..."
"I wanna go home!"
"Cold... so very cold..."
"We're bucked. Aren't we? WE'RE BUCKING BUCKED! YOU BUCKING CHICKENS! YOU BUCKING LIZARDS! WHY IN TARTARUS DON'T YOU STAY IN YOUR OWN CELESTIA-DAMNNED COUNTRIES! WHY DON'T... why don't..." she sobbed, the last of her energy expended on her short rage. She leaned her head on the shoulder of the pony closest to her, not caring who it was.
The Ranger, having made his decision, spoke into his radio again. "Hercules, this is Beta. We're not going to make it. Radio Command for support. We'll walk if we have to."
"Roger." came the reluctant reply.
***
The co-pilot shook his head. "I don't like it."
"...Yeah."
The two unfortunately empty Chinooks slowly ascended into the sky, blowing up a miniature snowstorm with their large rotors.
***
As Tom wiped a bead of sweat that rolled down his forehead, he concentrated on the small monochrome screen that showed tanks firing to little effect. He was sweating not from the heat, as the sun had set a while ago, but from frustration. The little goose chase near Appaloosa had cause him to divert two of his Avengers to support, not to mention build even more vehicles. Although he had orders the two King Raptors on a whim, he was glad that he did. Although the initial lack of a missile lock did worry him.
What was more interesting was the large crowd of earth ponies that appeared after Applejack had been airlifted. Tom was at a loss at the sight, but was soon told that they had plenty of food stockpiles and that didn't mind sleeping under the stars.
Afterburners screamed as the Raptors rocketed their way into the sky. After sending the jets, it was all out of his hands. He silently hoped Rhino 1 was a good field commander.
One of his assistants came up behind him. "Sir, we just got a call from Hercules 5. The storm over the Everfree caused the Chinooks to leave early. Bad news is Beta team is stuck there with a number of civilians."
He tapped his finger on the wooden table in thought. "Are the vehicles usable?"
"Two Quad Cannons were destroyed in the initial fighting, but to our knowledge all other vehicles are running. Oh, and just as a note sir, the Avengers are useless in the snowstorm. Apparently their ground attack capability is lacking compared to the Quads, and the air is too clogged with snow for the lasers to be effective."
"Damn..." He cursed his decision to send the pair of Avengers. Nevertheless, the battle in the Everfree was effectively over. Now their only problem was evacuating the stranded. Aircraft would be useless in such weather, so their only hope was in ground vehicles. He could send Humvees, but speed was vital, and nothing won in a race against Technicals. Of course building an Arms Dealer took money, dealing with them was even worse. But sometimes...
"What's the terrain between here and the camp?"
"...Sir?" came the confused reply.
"What is it? Mountains? Swamps? Mushroom Biome?"
"Oh ah..." he thumbed through a stack of papers that sat on a table next to him until a map of Equestria came up. "It appears to be generally flat grasslands with a small bog bordering the forest."
"Is the weather cold enough for it to be frozen?"
"Should be sir."
He stood up and motioned for the assistant to follow. "Go to the airfield and find a pilot. Have a Chinook ready."
"And what about you sir?"
They stopped in front of Tom's construction dozer. It had a fine layer of sand that covered the vehicle, something that wouldn't have happened if the former driver was not busy commanding an army.
"Let's just say the GLA are good at some things."
***
It was as if all of their hearts stopped beating at the same moment. For the first time in many of their lives, they felt despair. Their one hope was gone, and with it, any remaining will to survive. The months that they already spent living in the forest without guarantee of hope finally caught up with them.
Some of them broke.
"Get up." the Ranger ordered.
Only silence and sobs answered him.
"Get up!" he yelled, pulling up a pony, forcing her to stand.
"Why...?"
"Why?" he hissed, "Why?! Because we have a job to do, and we are going to do it! Do you want to know what that job is?!"
"..."
"It's to get you," he said through his teeth, "over there," He pointed southward. "alive."
"...We have been living in this forest for weeks! And just when we thought we would be saved, it turns out that we're, still, stuck, here!"
"So you're just going to roll over and die?"
She glanced towards the stallion who was doing just that. The pony was staring at the sky, his eyes empty of any emotion. He closed them and sighed.
The Ranger said nothing, although his face told them enough. He loaded a magazine into his rifle and coaxed out every metallic, gritty, do-as-I-say-or-you're-dead sound. That drew every eye and ear towards his direction. What he did next made his next words stick.
He pointed his weapon towards the ground and let loose. Bullets flung snow and dirt into the air, and ears twitched with every shot. The mare screamed and crawled away in a panic while the entire group flinched back to life.
The shots echoed, and the forest was silent once more.
The Ranger turned to the wide-eyed ponies. "...Move."
They moved. Vehicles rumbled as their engines started, and slowly made their way forward on the snowy road.
As they hastily got back on their hooves and feet, a Ranger whispered his disapproval from behind. Some agreed, others gritted their teeth as the whole team slowly split into two sides. Regardless, that one event would be stuck in their heads for a long time.
He sighed. "No one likes it kid." the soldier in question flinched as he realized that his superior had been listening in.
"...I thought we were the good guys..."
"Good? Yes. Nice?" He shook his head. "Not all the time."
They were silent after that.
***
"Yes, yes, I will work."
A reluctant GLA worker jogged out of the newly constructed Supply Stash, hastily recruited. He was shirtless and already heavily sunburnt, his only cover was a pair of tattered green pants. He held an old rusted shovel as if it was his livelihood, although it most likely was.
Still had no shoes though.
"...after we get a Chinook to send you as close as we can to the camp. Understood?"
"Of course..." he reluctantly replied. Tom nodded, and climbed into his dozer once more. He pulled out a tattered rolled-up piece of paper that detailed how the GLA built their buildings. His mind was blown. Nevermore would he underestimate the ingenuity of his enemies. To connect two remote places with nothing but holes...
"Why did I not think of this sooner...?"
The Worker ran towards the waiting Chinook, but not after being handed a pair of heavy boots and a full set of winter clothing from the supply manager from the Barracks. No one had seen a man so happy.
As the engines whirred to lift off, he wiggled his toes in the tough leather and felt the artificial fabric of his outer coat. With the sun below the horizon, the air was rapidly cooling to the point that it caused the Worker to shiver. He removed his old pants, and replaced them with the outfit that he received.
Tom's dozer made quick work of the ground, leaving a reinforced hole in the ground with a ramp that led downwards. A small armored turret with a machine gun guarded the entrance from above. Two paranoid RPG Troopers peeked out to survey the area. Tom left them to their own business and returned to his dozer.
He sighed. Personally he didn't want to deal with the Arms Dealer who by his very nature was a very slimy person. But with nowhere else to turn to, Tom reluctantly pulled out the plans for the sand-blasted garage and got to work.
***
"Command, this is Raptor 1. Missiles ineffective. Disengaging."
"We copy Raptor 1." The air traffic controller switched the radio until he was on the General's frequency, reserved for only the most dire of emergencies. "General, this is Airfield Tower."
"I hear you Airfield tower."
"Raptor 1 has reported in, missiles are ineffective against iron dragons."
"Aurora Alpha, now."
"Yes sir."
"And order the Raptors to provide overwatch for Beta team in the Everfree. The dragon is the priority target, no wasting missiles on anything else until it's dead."
"We copy sir."
***
"So eh, how is the job my friend?" asked a bearded, grizzled old man as Tom replaced the now silent radio back onto his belt. He was wearing tattered and darkened rags that were once a pure white, similar to the ones the Worker used to wear. He had on his head the most stereotypical turban you would expect on an Arab. He sat behind an old wooden counter that looked as if it had been ripped out of a bar. Scratches covered the top, most likely caused by the multitude of salvaged and stolen parts that were organized on the shelves behind him.
"Stressful." Tom curtly replied.
"Bah! You Americans are either always so serious or rock n' roll gung-ho cowboys! Choose one!"
The General stared into the dealer's brown eyes. "Don't try to get friendly with me. As soon as we get those vehicles, your depot is going to sink under the sand."
The heavily tanned man spread his arms wide in a welcoming manner, although there were hints of fear in his face. "General! General... I cannot procure so many with so little time. And it will cost you..."
Tom narrowed his eyes. "Don't push it."
"I," The dealer patted his chest, "have never worn a suit, nor have I ever taken a shower, but this," he said while motioning to the building that they both stood in, "is a business. and I," He patted his chest again, "am a business man."
He said nothing, only handing the man a heavy black suitcase. The Arab grinned, showing off his crooked teeth as he took the case. Two clicks later, his rough wrinkled hands were going through thousands of crisp US hundred dollar bills bound by currency straps.
He feigned disinterest, although the man had never seen so much money before. It was enough to buy out his small garage and his soul if he so wished. His hands shook as he picked up a bundle of money.
"It seems we have a deal."
***
"See anything?"
Raptor Two peeked out of his jet, eying the clouds for any movement that would paint a bulls eye on the dragon. The pair flew high, not wanting to risk the weather by flying under the cloud layer. The sun was low in the sky, but still shone from the west, however the storm raged underneath, unchecked by the mysterious forces of the Everfree Forest and the combined forces of the weather pegasi.
"Nothing. Absolutely nothing."
As the jets soared above the clouds, the Worker, in his comfy winter outfit, shivered at the intense cold in a small hole miles away. The wind blew, but not as hard as it did in the forest which was only a small green line on the horizon. The ground here was covered in only a thin layer of snow, but the dirt itself was frozen so that when shoveled out, it could be easily mistaken for gravel.
Another shovelful landed in a steadily-growing pile in the middle of nowhere. The Chinook had left quite a while ago, and the Worker knew that the faster he finished his task, the faster he could return to the desert. He looked around. Noting that it was certainly deep enough, he wheezed as he pulled out the logs and heaved them over the hole, leaving a ramp of plain dirt that allowed vehicles or men to enter.
"Is it safe out there?" a voice whispered from inside.
"I hear there is a dragon-"
"Dragon?!" the RPG Trooper yelled, giving away his position, "No, too dangerous."
"Then go back through the tunnel. We will need to move many vehicles through."
***
"This is Hercules 9, I see the tunnel entrance." The group of Chinooks made it to their destination with time to spare. The Worker shielded his eyes from the flurry of snow that the rotors blew up. Slowly, they descended closer and closer to the frozen ground until the rubber wheels were touching the ice. "Cargo is down, releasing Technicals."
The heavy steel cables that held the beaten pickup trucks fell to the ground with a whoosh, whipping into the snow. The drivers quickly started their engines and the gunners hopped onto the back, loading their heavy machine guns. They reluctantly sputtered to life, a miracle since most GLA Technicals were junkers that American rednecks probably wouldn't drive.
The driver revved his ancient engine, signaling that he was getting impatient, a fact that his gunner also agreed with. A scratchy voice sounded through their radios.
"Go! Go! Go!"
Like the start of a drag race, tires threw dirt and ice crystals into the air as they attempted to find any sort of traction in the frozen ground. Gunners cheered and waved to the lone Worker, who was once again, alone.
"All Chinooks! The storm's moving faster than we thought! You have to get out of here!"
"Copy Command!"
***
Flecks of rust were blown off by the force of the wind as the Technicals tore through the ice and snow. A pickup screeched as it lost control for a moment, sending its neighbors into a panic, fortunately coming to a stop still upright.
"We are getting close to the bog! Slow down! Slow down!" The gunner in the lead Technical yelled through the wind.
Small frozen ponds spotted the area, thin tree stumps and dead grass made pathways where the ground was solid enough for a light vehicle to cross. The entire convoy slowed as they entered the wetland.
Faint, almost unnoticeable cracking came from under the tires as they advanced, hard ice breaking under the weight. The drivers' hearts pounded in fear of driving into an area where the ice was too thin and the depth too deep. Fortunately, the bog was wider than it was long, and soon enough the pedals were again pressed to the point of bending.
***
The wind blew even harder than before, piercing their coats and skin with shards of ice and causing the weak to sway as they tried to resist. The ones that had fallen and not gotten up from exhaustion were loaded onto the vehicles, in compartments, on top of laps, and anywhere they could fit. Another mare tripped and fell, and the two closest to her heaved her onto the back of an Avenger without speaking or showing any emotion. They continued walking.
A pair of ears pricked up as a machine gun rattled in the distance. The pony stopped, forcing the convoy to pause.
"What it is?" a Ranger asked.
"Something out there has guns like yours..."
They all listened in, and sure enough, yelling could be heard among the machine gun fire. More automatic weapons joined in.
"That's not English." He whispered.
"Then what language is it?"
The soldier was silent, until another came up.
"That's... That's Arabic sir! I recognize a few words!"
A bush exploded as a GLA Technical smashed through the brush and came to a screeching halt, almost running over an unfortunate Ranger and showering him with rust flakes. After a moment of awkward silence, the driver, a heavily bearded man, yelled.
"What are you waiting for?! Get in the back!"
A Ranger cautiously moved forward, "Where the hell did you come from!?"
"The American sent us. Now do you want to die or not?!" The gunner yelled as the rest of his team reappeared from behind.
"We ran into a group of Griffons! They'll know we're here! We need to move!" yelled a gunner through his face coverings.
A moment of tension followed, but soon broke. The group immediately went to work, moving the immobile ponies from their spots on the other vehicles and loading them in the backs of the Technicals, where they would be safer. Once all ponies, both unconscious and almost-unconscious, were loaded, the Rangers heaved themselves into the back, boots punching holes in the rusting sides.
The Technicals roared away as quickly as they had arrived. The slower Quad Cannons and Avengers followed, but with the storm creating the perfect cover, the Technicals had enough firepower to deal with anything they ran into.
After months in chilly, then freezing weather with nothing but their coats and tents, the sun was beginning to shine through.
Both metaphorically and literally.
"It's over... We're home free!"
***
Tom leaned back in his chair.
The Everfree Evacuation was a success in the number of ponies evacuated, but a Pyrrhic victory considering the number of soldiers that died in the fighting. True, they would respawn whenever, and better them than civvies, but their losses were a bit too high for comfort. Nevertheless, Beta Team made it safely back.
The fight against the iron dragons also went well. A good number of Crusader Tanks and a single Comanche was lost, but they made a breakthrough with the Not-Exactly-Chinese Nuke Cannon.
But Recon 2 in Appaloosa... That didn't end so well. Tom wondered what he was thinking when he sent out a single Humvee with nothing but it and its two Rangers protecting it. Applejack was laying in the Barracks covered in bloody bandages and had not woken up since. That was a mistake he could not afford to chance again. But they could probably get some information from their prisoners, some of whom, oddly enough, looked glad to surrender.
Tom turned his head up as a pair of jets screamed above. A few moments later, the Raptors' tires screeched on the runway, their pilots glad to be home. They had been patrolling for hours, trying to find any trace of the dragon officer but to no avail. Nevertheless, they had done their job in all fights well.
He turned off the radio with a click, silencing the chatter that still sounded from the speaker. Dragging himself to the point of stumbling, he retreated to his own shelter. Not bothering to take off his General's uniform that appeared from somewhere, he threw himself in bed and surrendered to Princess Luna.
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*Sigh* Three months. That's a long time. Let's see. 8871 words written for Adventure, plus another 2316 for an unpublished chapter, 1640 for the new story, 669 words for the first chapter of Clankers. So surprise! I actually wasn't lazing around!
Dammit Engineer! Ever since I got the Gunslinger for you and the Flare Gun for the Pyro, I've spent a lot of my free time pushing bomb carts and capturing points! And then when I found the Frontier Justice... Whoo... Mann V.S. Machine had never been so fun.
That and I've been going on a tank binge. The final two episodes of Girls und Panzer came out, and they were epic! Not to mention the hours I spent playing World of Tanks...
And now, real life news!
About three weeks ago, I had to go to Pennsylvania to visit the college I'm going to, and I almost died on the drive home. If you live in that general area, you'll know what I'm talking about. For those who live out in the west or are oceans apart, It snowed. In March. And not just a flurry, it was a full-blown snowstorm! What the hell?!
Dasvidaniya.
You need more Rocket Buggies, God knows playing as the Stealth General how much you learn to love them and push them to the limits.
2421722
Snowstorm in March? Just another day in the life of a Minnesotan. It was nice to not have to go to my classes for two days.
IT LIVES!, IT LIVES!!!
Cool chapter!, I wonder if with "General Tom" taking command with military forces of so many origins, would his faction be considered entirely an whole new one when all is over? and what name it will get?:
Human-Equestrian Allied Forces
Equestrian Defense Force
Equestrian Expeditionary Taskforce
Universal Peace Enforcement Organization - Special Armed Response Force
Or any other name?
Are you going to use any of the stuff that was in the Command and Conquer Generals alpha and beta, as well as cut content?
http://tcrf.net/Command_and_Conquer:_Generals
http://tcrf.net/Proto:Command_and_Conquer:_Generals
There's also a ton of other stuff restored in the Pro:Gen modification by Deezire, and more stuff on the CnC Wiki, and the CnC-Source galleries.
There are also other things out there on the Internet, like European faction models and junk.
» Mike
2421835
You're like, right next to Canada. I live down in Virginia/D.C. We haven't gotten a White Christmas since 2005.
Now you know.
2421964
Most likely I'm going to stick to vanilla Generals/ZH. No mods, although Shockwave and Rise of the Reds was fun.
2421950
I... actually haven't planned the end yet. Yup! That's right! Other than the fact that they're going to win, I have no idea how!
2422462
"Grizelda" was actually Gilda's old name but apparently they had copywrite issues. In the fandom though, Grizelda was actually applied to a griffon that's part of her family...
Hint. Hint. Nudge. Nudge. Wink. Wink. Headshot. Heatshot.
I like the "respawning soldiers" bit. CnC logic at its finest.
Anyways, I love how an old dozer driver became the general of a whole new force.
... Considering the lasers can burn through titanium metal, killing aircraft like King Raptors with ease, I somehow doubt the validity of this statement. If they are hot enough to burn through metal, then I have no doubt they can be used on infantry. By the way, shouldn't anyone not wearing goggles be blinded by.... Oh shit, I just tried using SCIENCE! on this...
Carry on.
2422769
SCIENCE? Blasphemous science!
We only use video game logic here mister.
lololololol
2422808
BITCH, MAH SCIENCE COMPELS YOU MISTER!
fc04.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2010/146/5/e/5e0133dc0814b4a661ea0a3c242fb693.jpg
By the way, I have just aborted your reality for life.
2422931
THE POWER OF SCIENCE COMPELS YOU!
THE POWER OF SCIENCE COMPELS YOU!
THE POWER OF SCIENCE COMPELS YOU!
2423058 Do you want me to send Big Nigger and Crazy Bitch after you?
2423104
i3.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/511/991/3a5.jpg
2422120
I know, and I hope to it take a while for this story to end, we're just watching the begining after all
2423219
Roughly put, we just ended Act II. Compensating for intermissions and... the whole story's suppose to be around eight Acts or so.
I think. Because I don't know.
2423262
I'm ok with that, although I would like to see in one of these chapter how Tom's army zerg rush an enemy base with impunity and with no time to defend themselves
2423282
King Raptors streaking above, Scud Storms raging, waves and waves of Overlord Tanks, and one general laughing his head off.
Yes. This will happen. I don't know how to fit it in the story, but this will happen.
2423307
and if they try to counterattack, they would probably storming trough an empty fake base with only a written notes posted everywhere saying: If you are looking for us, we are in your base killing your dudes
2423326
And then we'll sell everything!
2423353
INCLUIDING THE ROFLCOPTER!!!
2423359
NEIN! NOT ZE ROFELCOPTER!
2423364
SI, SI EL ROFLCOPTERO!!!
2423367
NYET!
2423379
SI!!!
2423384
...I need to go talk to this Roflcopter. I'll see you later.
In like, eight months.
2423391
ok, thanks, see you in neight moths lol
2423307 What about the Red Guards and Angry Mobs, the former with their bayonets, the latter with their molotovs and AKMs, and their overwhelming numbers? I would love to see the face of a gryphon and/or diamond dog go pale as they bear witness to the masses of humans storming their position with a ferocious battle cry.
2423501
AK-47, FOR EVERYONE! Hell, let's bring in the pissed off ponies too!
Don't think about how they can use guns. Seriously, don't think it.
2423118 I can bring the plague to your very doorstep...
No seriously, I have this fucking nasty cough that is wreaking havoc with my throat.
It sucks when your spend at least half the day coughing. It hurts.
2423519
Damn. The closest thing I can relate to is when I once bit off a good inch of skin off of my tongue.
Hope you get better!
the only reason I know what this word means is when the bullfrog says that when you tell him to shoot some russian peeps out it's man-cannon.
2421950
I always like to call them the ELA (Equestrian Liberation Army).
Even tanks can be easily destroyed by lots of Quad Cannons and it's fun to cloak Bomb Trucks, slip them inside bases and *BOOM*.
I hope that the wagons the dragons pulled are filled with gems (gold is fine as well but if you look at Red Alert, gems are better).
I can already see the buildings of the griffins and dragons (if they have any) crumble under the might of Nukes, Lasers and Scuds.
2424291
That name sounds good as well, and those wagons will be defiently be loaded to the brim with gold and gems, is their food rations after all and the bigger the dragon the larger the food suply will be needed to deploy them for longer terms of time and distances to increse their operational range (it would had been a very pointless for the dragons if they would get nothing by alling with the griphons and diamond dogs if they would get actually nothing during and after the war), I can acutally see General Tom laughting like a crazy mad-man when all this "Dragon MRE (Meal Ready to Eat)" is transformed into money to build more bases, units and far more destructive weapons
Indeed, I can see the incoming crub-stomp battle that will be, In FPS games like the Battlefield series there this commonly know term that I do think is actually fitting for that situation, and that term is BASE RAPE!
IT WON'T BE A BATTLE, IT WILL BE A SLAUGHTER!!!
>> BioChemicalWolfGear
There are lots more acually.
2421722 We had a snowstorm yesterday where I live. It's actually quite nice when you accept the fact that the snow is probably going to stick around until May.
2426447
Damn. Longitude?
2426485 54N
2426626
Ooh. That explains a lot.
2423517 Pfft. I have a very large tolerence when it comes for my suspension of disbelief. We're talking about a show where ponies use magic on a regular basic. Just handwave with some plot device or something like that.
Hopefully the Angry Mob won't turn Equestria into another Astana. By God, the damage had got to be in the billions at the very least, what with the collateral damage that they had inflicted on that poor city.
And I wonder what they'll do once they come face to face, (literally!) with a swarm of terrorists.
"I will die for our cause!" Indeed. Nothing worse than an enemy who will stop at nothing to kill you, even to the point of blowing themselves up with explosives.
2423529 NOTHING compares. And don't even get me even started on the flu. By God, that'll do you in for a month at least, like it did to my vacation at Hawaii.
2425825 Now replace the Hummve with a battle bus.
What happens?
give us the how,what,when,where,why on toms general uniform
2432162
images.theage.com.au/2012/08/11/3547681/art353-sacha-baron-cohen-the-dictator-300x0.jpg
Yeah something like that.
2432201
When tom comes back ironside's balls will shrivel up and fall off because of tom's badassery