• Published 12th Apr 2018
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Fireteam Storm - Lordvessel



Before her grand Invasion in Canterlot, Tempest Shadow seeks aid from some other skilled creatures under the Storm King's command. Like her, they too were promised something...

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Chapter 6: A Fateful Decision

The sound of clanking iron hooves drew closer towards the shaking figure of Twilight Sparkle, as the most unusual but intimidating of recent enemies regrouped with those that currently surrounded her. Twilight began to hyperventilate in absolute terror as this seemingly living nightmare played out before her. Thoughts and stress from planning and living up to the expectations of the festival seemed meaningless as some of her worst fears had come to fruition. Her friends were gone, whether they were even alive remained a mystery. Her fellow alicorns were petrified and lifeless, stone cold expressions of terror struck across their frozen faces. Worst of all, she remained alone in this hour of turmoil, left to face the threats to her home city, an endeavor which she had utterly failed at in a matter of seconds. Her adversaries had won and now this Commander Tempest held all the cards. Twilight's already kneeling form gradually shrunk in fear as Tempest drew closer, the confines of Sanchez net serving as the only barrier between them. Suffice to say, it did little in the ways of protection, making Twilight feel all the more vulnerable until the dark brooding mare towered over her.

"My oh my, what a sight to behold." Tempest gloated with feinted surprise.

Carter turned to his superior, hoping that this whole ordeal could be brought to a swift and effecient end now that every conceivable threat to the mission stood neutralized.

"Target secured, ma'am. Just waiting on your orders." He addressed.

"Very good Captain. But allow me a moment if you will."

Although she couldn't see it through his helmet and visor, Carter gave his Commander an impatient glare. He viewed such a request begrudgingly, preferring that the target be subdued immediately to avoid any potential risks of her escape. But at the end of the day, she was leading this operation, not him, and therefore her orders outweighed any authority he held.

"As you wish, ma'am." Carter complied.

With a devious grin, Tempest proceeded as she pleased, circling the ensnared alicorn like a vulture would a carcass. For Twilight, the experience was unnerving to say the least. The way Tempest was looking at her felt invasive for the young princess, adding to the already tremendous amount of trepidation that plagued her very being. Thoughts of her fate raced across her mind, as did those of her friends, and any potential routes to escape seemed fruitless as all of her magical abilities were utterly drained.

"The glorious Princess of Friendship, without any friends." Tempest chuckled. "Cowering like a small foal. How inspiring. And here I thought you might actually be deserving of your newfound title." Tempest chuckled.

"Why are you doing this?" Twilight pleaded. "How could you do this to your own people? Your own home? How could-"

Twilight went silent as Jackson quickly stepped forward with indicative aggression in his posture. One stomp and his gun being raised was all it took for Twilight to immediately regret talking back.

"Quiet!" He yelled.

"At ease, Lieutenant." Tempest ordered. "The time for hostility has passed. Besides, I don't think our guest is going anywhere. Are you?"

Tempest intentionally unveiled yet another petrification orb, in plain view for everyone to see. Twilight froze in fright for a few seconds, as she recalled how three of the most powerful and closest ponies she knew had so easily succumbed to its effects. Tempest saw her reaction, content with knowing that the message got across. She would know what the consequences were if Twilight stirred up any real trouble.

"No. I'm not." Twilight relented with a defeated sigh."You've clearly seen to that."

"Indeed I have. I must say the fact you slipped past my initial attack was commendable, but only due to sheer luck. You had no chance of escape, as you've no doubt learned already. Now to answer your question, it was actually quite easy taking over this eye-sore of a city." Tempest answered in her near confident tone. "I haven't called this place home in many years, and I could care less about the ones who do."

The unapologetic honesty took Twilight aback, unable to fathom that anypony could hold such a mindset. But then again, this pony was unlike most she had come to know.

"Why? What did we do to you?" Twilight asked in earnest.

Tempest mulled the prospect of answering, the chance to finally vent her lifelong grudges upon the very byproduct of what she saw as the source of unhappiness and betrayal in her life. But a quick glance at her compatriots revealed a level of restlessness, as posture alone encouraged that this little conversation come to its end. This stance was only reinforced further upon Carter's direct scrutiny.

"Are we finished here, ma'am?" Carter asked, clear impatience in his tone.

Tempest squinted at him, showing her disdain towards his dissidence of her actions. But his concerns held some merit, as every minute spent talking only prolonged the window for something to go awry.

"I believe so." Tempest confirmed.

Tempest then took a few steps back from Twilight lay and took a position near the rest of Fireteam Storm.

"So what do we do with her?" Green asked.

"Do we even need to answer that?" Sanchez remarked.

It was safe to say that most of everyone present had the same idea.

"No. We don't." Tempest replied.

Tempest followed up her declaration by tossing the orb in the air, eliciting a gasp from the Princess of Friendship as she watched it descend and land on Tempest's raised foreleg, within her hoof's grasp.

"While I do hold my own grievances against you and Equestria, princess, they're ultimately inconsequential. The truth is the Storm King wants the magic you have, and I think I speak for everyone here when I say we don't plan on disappointing him."

With a quick set of reflexes, Tempest bounced the orb in the air just as she raised her hind leg to catch it, resting in balance before she would inevitably launch it at Twilight. The alicorn in question tried yet again to muster a spell, only for it to fizzle out again which in turn made Tempest laugh.

"Oh how precious." Tempest mused in feint before changing to a more disdainful tone. "Know that when we're done, we'll be using magic for more useful applications than you or any of the other alicorn princesses could of ever imagined."

Fireteam Storm took a few steps back as Tempest began to motion her body into a spin, which if done right, would send the orb flying towards Twilight. The alicorn closed her eyes, awaiting for the inevitable when all of sudden, a certain voice cried out in protest.

"Wait!" Green cried out.

Tempest stopped and glared at the man in question. Despite being a good 2 1/2-3 feet taller, Green could feel the imposing nature of Tempest's ire, one that demanded an explanation. His fellow squadmates also gave him peculiar looks; as best as they could with helmets donned, as this move seemingly came out of nowhere. Twilight opened her eyes, and much to her confusion, saw that her defense came from the tallest of these unknown creatures, the one whose helm depicted that of some sort of skull.

"Green, what the hell are doing?" Carter asked with clear anger rising towards his current course of action.

Green stood there as all eyes were set upon him. Carter pegged this as some last ditch excuse to refrain from petrifying the princess. He knew Green's habits of sympathy, even for the enemy. But strangely enough though, Green's response was not what he would have expected.

"The Storm King wants magic, right?" Green asked. "Well why stop at just the alicorn stuff? I mean, you said it yourself Commander, this place is the source of all magic in the world. Odds are there's more of it just lying around, hidden from public eye. But I have a safe bet that a princess would know where it is. She could be useful to us."

"She's already useful to us petrified." Tempest declared. "Not to mention secured."

"Green." Carter pressed, unsure himself where Green was taking this, but ultimately uncomfortable with what he was suggesting. "We got her. There's nothing left to ask of us. Step aside."

"I'm not protecting her, but think about it." Green insisted. "If we deliver what was promised and more, we'll definitely get what we want. Maybe we'll even find an exact solution or method, Captain?"

Those amongst his Fireteam pondered what he was suggesting, but for Tempest, unaware of what he was even referring to, remained unconvinced. Green was quick to catch that, and miraculously came up with even further points to defend his argument.

"A-and you, Commander. If the Storm King sees that you went above and beyond to get him his magic, think of the reward he's going to give you."

As Tempest took his suggestion to mind, the other members of his Fireteam were quick to let their feelings towards his proposition known.

"No fucking way. Leaving her free to move around like this is just asking for something to go wrong." Jackson argued.

"Not if we have someone watching her at all times. Hell it could be one of us! Green might be onto something here, Cap. We never really talked about how our reward's going to be given to us." Sanchez countered.

"Exactly! The more we know, the better our odds." Green concurred, then turning to look at the Commander. "And the more we have to offer, the better the reward."

Carter pondered his subordinates' argument, thinking of the possibilities. But this in turn only led him to dwell on the risks, and how it possibly go wrong. Ultimately, Carter remained unconvinced.

"No. I say we use this damn orb and that'll be the end of it." Carter stated.

"Oh c'mon Cap! Who's gonna rescue her now, huh? Her friends are gone, her guards are on the verge of collapse!"

"I said no! She's too much of a liability! We petrify her, that means no loose ends and no problems down the line!" Carter argued.

"I'm telling you, we're making a mistake by petrifying her! Think of the boss! Think of how happy he'll be if we bring him the alicorn magic and then some!"

Twilight could only watch in dejection as what started as a faint hope turned out to be a ploy to use her. The strange beings engaged in a heated argument over whether to turn her into stone or keep her prisoner so that she could lead them to further sources of magical power. All the while, Commander Tempest continued to stare down the alicorn princess with those lightning blue eyes, watching her like a hawk as she listened to what her subordinates had to say. Hopes of finding a newfound ally, utterly shattered, as once again she found herself alone in this ordeal.

"We're not taking that kind of chance, Green. Period. And I don't think the Commander wants to take it either." Carter asserted.

Carter and the others stood there, waiting from a response from their Commander. Alas she was inclined to stay silent.

"Commander?" Carter said, not so certain as to why she was so quiet.

Tempest shot him a quick glance before turning her attention back to the princess, none to eager to say anything that might solidify or contradict his statement.

"Oooh, Ohoho! Perhaps not?" Sanchez suggested with a comical tone.

It didn't take long for Carter to read the implications of her demeanor, as the realization that the Commander might take the chance of keeping her around into consideration.

"Commander you're not seriously considering-"

"I'm thinking." Tempest calmly but assertively proclaimed.

Tempest stared down at her captive as she pondered the decision. The more thought she poured into the prospect, the more new and substantial rewards seemed possible. While she wasn't entirely convinced Green brought this option forward for the reasons he claimed, they did hold some weight. While Twilight Sparkle was certainly not the most seasoned and wisest among the alicorn princesses, she undoubtedly knew quite a lot. Perhaps there were secrets yet to be discovered within the walls of Canterlot, secrets that would only bolster the prowess and power the Storm King wished to achieve. Perhaps it would be enough to place herself higher in the Storm King's favor, enough to surpass that of her predecessor Strife. Another part of her wondered if this was a trick, but that argument died upon a second glance, as she doubted a convincing level of turmoil between Fireteam Storm would have ensued as they argued on the subject. While they held a knack for many talents, deception of emotions seemed unlikely.

Seconds felt like minutes as Twilight looked on in terror as her fate was decided, an experience that only drove the unyielding stigmas of dread and anxiety she felt even further. Then suddenly, as if a bolt of lighting had struck, Tempest sent the orb flying upwards, only for her to catch in her right hoof, and stow it away where she had once had it. She then began to approach Twilight in a menacing fashion, until she found herself towering over her once more. After a heavy draw of the breath, she made her decision.

"Very well, Mr. Green. You've convinced me. We keep her as a prisoner for as long as she proves useful." Tempest announced. "Seeing as it was your idea, I hand responsibility of her security over to you, Captain Carter, and the rest of Storm.

Green was rather pleased with this decision as a minor victory, however he knew better than to show any signs of approval or celebration as both Jackson and Carter stared him down with bristling levels of anger over this newly assigned task, one that was neither planned or desired by at least half of the squad. Truthfully, the things he said were a cover for his true intentions, as he simply didn't wish to see another one of the princesses be turned to stone, a concept that always unnerved him.

"It would seem there's still some use we can get out of you, princess." Tempest said with a jeering tone. "Consider this your lucky day, as long as you prove useful that is, and so long as you behave. I trust you know the price should you try anything.......defiant?"

Tempest gestured towards the holstered petrification orb with a quick tilt of the head. The Princess of Friendship found herself at a loss of words. On one hand she escaped the fate that had befallen her fellow alicorns, but on the other, she would now face whatever sinister plans this Commander Tempest had in store for her. Tempest took the silence as acknowledgement, and content that the message was clear. It was then that the iron-clad commander turned her attention to the two Storm Beasts who had watching this exchange unfold.

"You two." Tempest sharply addressed.

The two soldiers immediately stood at attention.

"Inform the Bolt's cargo-deck officer to have the inhibitor cage ready and delivered to the castle."

The Storm Beasts grunted in acknowledgement and set out to fufill her orders. As they left, Carter was borderline irate about this whole situation. So much time and planning, a clear-cut strategy for subduing the targets only for Green to let his morals get the better of him, enough for him to intervene and convince the Commander towards a new but uncertain course of action. He had to speak his mind on this, even if it wasn't his place or decision, he couldn't let this one slide.

"You can't be serious about this, Commander." Carter argued as he approached Tempest.

"I can assure I am, Captain." Tempest corrected.

"Ma'am, this is a security risk we can't afford. If she escapes, the Storm King will be furious and with that goes any chance of getting what we want. She narrowly escaped us once already, it can happen again!"

"I appreciate your concerns, Captain, I really do. But I wouldn't be going through with this if I thought we lacked the capability to keep her detained."

"Capabilities aside, I don't think we're doing this for the reasons you think we are. Green-"

"Wants to keep her this way out the goodness of his own heart? I know. I pegged him as a softie the minute he.....touched my cheeks." She snarled in disdain, before taking a deep breath to resume. "Nonetheless, he makes a fair argument. And like I said, I don't plan on disappointing the Storm King."

"Even if the risk of her escape could screw us all!"

Tempest's horn flared with unstable magical energy, and the display was enough for Carter to reel back his tone.

"The risk is dealt with, Captain!" Tempest asserted, stepping forward whilst shooting him a scowling glare. "She has no one left to turn to. Any allies she had are either dead or captured with the rest. I understand your concerns, and truth be told, I had my own reservations. But giving it some thought, keeping her around provides us an opportunity we can both benefit from. We use her to eek out whatever magic is left, we deliver it all to the Storm King, and we both get what our reward. And that will be the end of it."

"But Ma'am-"

"This is not up for debate, Captain! We'll be keeping her prisoner and that's final! Understood!?"

The look in her eyes was adamant, and any effort spent towards convincing her to change this course of action would undoubtedly be ineffective.

"Understood." Carter complied.

Tempest made no hint or change in her expression as she turned around to address the others.

"As for the rest of you, you have your new assignment. If you feel the need for more security, take whoever you see fit."

"An additional squad of Storm Beasts to accompany us, maybe. Just to be safe." Sanchez requested.

"Granted." Tempest replied. "I'll have them sent your way shortly. See to it she gets to the palace quickly. I want you and your team watching her every step of the way." Tempest ordered before making her own way there. "We'll discuss the next stage of operations when you arrive. Dismissed."

Tempest began to make her way to the palace herself before pausing once more. It was at that particular moment that she noticed a gang of prisoners accompanied by their escorts. Taking note of the inhibitor sleeves, bridle gags, and thick neck collar, and how the guards possessed a handful of spares, Tempest was seemingly reminded of a few things Storm would need to accomplish their task.

"Oh, and one more thing, Captain." Tempest called out. "I believe you'll want these. Do see to it that our guest is comfortable."

It was then that she used her unstable magic to violently throw a set of each item on the ground at Carter's feet. The malevolent grin that followed Tempest's statement gave Twilight a pretty clear indication that whatever she had in store for the future was going to be unpleasant. After her final bits of instruction were finished, she set off to the palace where she could oversee both the transport of the other princesses, as well as giving the Storm King the good news.
Several seconds passed as Commander Tempest left earshot, and soon enough she was out of sight. Once dhe was, Jackson wasted no time. He immediately turned to Green, the latter completely off guard when the punch was delivered his way. Both captors and captive were shocked by this sudden outburst as Sanchez immediately intervened by getting between them.

"WHOA! WHOA! EASY!" Sanchez pleaded. "Jackson! Emano! Dude, calm down!"

"YOU MOTHERFUCKER! We had this shit in the bag!" Jackson roared, borderline irate as Sanchez held him back. "You just couldn't help yourself! Couldn't turn a blind eye this ONE FUCKING TIME!"

Green wasn't knocked to the ground, but the punch left quite the impact, even for one as imposing as himself. Green was ready to offer a rebuttal before Carter interjected.

"That's enough! STOW IT, both of you!" Carter demanded. "It is what it is, even if it is Green's fault, we have our orders."

"Bullshit! THIS IS FUCKING STUPID!" Jackson argued.

"THIS IS HOW IT'S GOING TO BE!" Carter maintained. "Now I don't want to hear another word, or see another fist thrown! So help me God, you pull that shit again, Jackson, and I'll shoot you myself! We clear!?"

Jackson, after several tense seconds of him and Carter staring each other down, finally relented by shoving himself away from Sanchez.

"Fuckin' crystal, sir." Jackson seethef.

Content that the fight had been stamped out, he then turned to Green.

"As for you, Green, we'll talk about this later." Carter scowled. "Right now, you and Jackson see to the prisoner."

There was a reprieve of silence before Jackson uttered a response.

"Fine." Jackson spat.

"Yes, sir." Green sighed.

The two men approached Twilight, Jackson pulling out his sidearm as they closed in.

"First, a little demonstration for her higness." Jackson announced.

With one hand, Jackson lined up on one of the nearby statuettes that decorated the archway of the nearby; and now destroyed, bridge. With a pull of trigger and an audible clap, his weapo discharged and found its target, shattering the figure into several pieces. Twilight had watched in terror at the destructive display, as the marble work of art seeming shattered into thin air.

"Now tell me, princess? Are me and my friends gonna have to use these?" Jackson asked in a threatening display.

The answer came to Twilight very quickly.

"N-no." Twilight stammered. "You won't. I promise."

"Good. Now don't move." Jackson warned.

Jackson and Green raised their rifles at the ready, making any chance for Twilight to cast a quick spell undoubtedly fatal as Sanchez and Carter went to retrieve and release Twilight from the net. She was now in the wolf's den, and what they had in store for might just prove worse than what had befallen the other princesses.