The Gathering Storm II: Fires of Freedom

by WiskeyMikeOne

Chapter 2: Preparation

Chapter 2
Preparation

The entrance to the bunker was a large steel door buried under a mound of earth covered in grass. The camera above the door recognised us and the doors opened slowly. The stair case leading down to the bunker was long with five other security doors to get past, and once we reached the reception area the floor beneath us lowered down. The "Hub" was constructed out of concrete and steel and painted white. Unlike night castle that was made from grey stone and wood, this place was the most advanced construction in the world.

The hub was now full of activity, ponies gathering Intel from their offices and documents being brought to our table. The ops room had a huge circular table in the middle that we could sit around with a map of the world sprawling across it.
“How will we know who the best ponies are for this mission?” asked Molotov.

“It’s all there in your blue file; I had them made months ago, secretly of course. I've selected three Earth, three Pegasus and three Unicorn ponies to be our agents; they are the top of their unit and have come highly recommended from their commanding officers. Although they have no combat experience I have created an intense training program that should get them ready. I should know because I went through the same in the Royal Guard and trust me, it works.”

“But there are none of my men on this list.”

“No offence Molotov, but your men will stick out like a sore hoof in Equestria.”

Molotov nodded in agreement and buried his head back into the file. General Molotov was one of the four Generals that were the leaders of Russhire before the invasion. He was ordered to flee the battle zone, consolidate his forces and then regroup for a counter-attack. But the invasion was too quick so he and his forces retreated to an island called Saddlestan just off the coast of Russhire and started a resistance movement against the Empire. When the NLR was formed we had no army so we turned to General Molotov for help but he gave us even more than we asked for. He now fights with us as the General of the New Luna Republic Armed Ground Forces. 90% of our ground forces are originally from Russhire but they fight for the republic and for Luna.

Admiral Bon Voyage was the commander of the second fleet in the Le Mareian navy; she too was ordered to retreat then counter attack but again the Empire moved too quickly and she was forced to sail away from Le Mare with her fleet intact to fight another day. That is when she met Molotov in Saddlestan; they both formed an alliance to fight the empire. She too now fights for the republic and for Luna; our naval forces are 85% Le Mareian.

I’m in charge of the air force, the Russhians have great aircraft but their pilots are terrible. Pegasi make the best pilots but the Russhians are all earth ponies, not so good at flying but they are good at fighting, farming and building. Our air force was 15% Le Mareian, 15% Russhian and 70% Equestrian.

“I have one question Whirlwind. If the agents are captured what do we do?” asked Bon Voyage.

“We rescue them of course.”

“How?” Bon Voyage replied.

“We need to create a task force to gather Intel on the agent’s position and situation, then when we have all the Intel that is required we will send in the rescue force. It’s all on page 30 in your files.”

“You have thought this through haven’t you Whirlwind?”

“Molotov and I have had many years to plan this. So are we all clear on what needs to be done?”

“Yes sir!”

“Good, then let’s get to it.”

*

I looked the chosen nine over whilst they were standing at attention in the middle of hangar at the NLRAF airfield; they looked the part but could they do what is required of them? An operation like this had never been attempted before so we had to get it right the first time, there was too much at stake to fail.

“From now on you will all be known as Shadow Company, your mission is simple. Spy on Imperial movements and prepare civilians for extraction by our armed forces. Rule number one: Under no circumstances reveal the NLR or its location. Rule number two: Don’t break rule number one.”

I was expecting a chuckle from them but they just kept their gaze forward and showed no emotion.

“Your training will begin tomorrow at 0600 hours and will end two weeks from now. That is all, dismissed.”

All nine saluted then turned to the right and walked out of the hangar doors; Caramel shut the doors behind them then walked over to me. But I was busy putting on my flight suit.

“Whirl?”

“What is it?”

“I want to volunteer to be in Shadow Company.”

I was hoping he would never ask me that. Caramel was a good friend and swordsman but stealth was not his strong suite; neither was his memory, reactions, aim and he let his emotions get in the way. I had to come up with an excuse for not wanting him to be a part of the Company.

“No I need you here, I need somepony to trust. You’re like my wingman but on the ground. “

“Okay...thanks.”

Caramel left through the hangar's side door. I could tell he was disappointed as he wanted to rescue his girlfriend Sea Breeze and his twin brother Dr Stable. But they were in separate sectors to which he would have been sent to, I've never known an earth pony that could walk on clouds or pass off for a unicorn. I gave a sigh then put on my flight helmet.

At the back of the hangar was my aircraft, I called her Night Fury and she was unique. She is the only Equestrian Fighter 2000 Typhoon in the world. When I was in training for the Royal Guard Air Force I was tasked to test fly the prototype, I loved it but the top brass wanted a “stealth aircraft”.

Rainbow Dash test flew an aircraft called the “Berkut” and the top brass liked it, they sold the plans for the Typhoon to Russhire then nine months later the empire attacked. One Typhoon made it past the trial stage within the Russhian air force and made it out of the battle zone unscratched and she was given to me as a gift. She was painted in a black paint that absorbed radar waves making her and myself nearly invisible to radar; the only colour on her was the blue and red of the small NLRAF insignia on each wing and either side of the fuselage.

I flew up into the cockpit and sat down, the control panel came to life as the aircraft went through its system checks, I closed the canopy, then the hangar doors opened. The ground crew came in and gave my aircraft a visual inspection, then the tractor pulled my aircraft out to the holding area.

“Tower this is Night Fury requesting take off, over.” I said into the radio.

“Roger Night Fury taxi to runway two, over.”

“Roger that tower, out.”

My jets engines roared and I made my way to the runway. The whole squadron was taking part in a dog fight training lesson a few miles south of Manechester and I was running late. I put my afterburners on and took off into the afternoon sun.
The combat zone was now in front of me and a few miles away but I could see the aircraft vapor trails in the blue sky. This was a training lesson but the ammunition that we used would disable the enemies aircraft's weapons if they were hit, then they would drop their altitude to three thousand feet to indicate they were out.

“Nightfury has entered the battle zone!”

“Well here he is, a bit late aren’t we?”

“Sorry Shamrock, did you miss me?”

“Actually I was counting down the minutes until you arrived; these Russhian pilots are too easy. I need a challenge, you game?”

“Always.”

Amongst the dog fight I found Shamrock, he was flying his F-16 with his green shamrock cutie mark on the tail of his aircraft; I manoeuvred myself on to his tail and stayed there no matter how hard he tried to shake me off.

“What’s the matter Shamrock, losing your touch?”

“No, just playing with ya.”

“Yeah right.”

My HUD turned from green to red; I was being locked on from behind. Counter measures were to be used in extreme circumstances, I could handle one missile. I applied the air brake and preformed a counter manoeuvre on my attacker. He overshot and it now was my turn, the lock on tone buzzed in my ear.

“Nightfury, Fox 1”

My missile tracked onto engines of the MiG-29 and the missile blew up in a blue puff of blue smoke.

“You’re out Varona 7”

“Chyort, good shot Nightfury.”

“Better luck next time. Shamrock you’re next.”

“Bring it on.” he replied.

Shamrock rolled into a steep nose dive, twisting and turning trying to throw me off, he flew into the low cloud that was below the battle zone, he wasn't going to get away that easy I thought to myself. I pitched my nose down and gave chase.