Project Harmony: Alpha Squad

by wubwave

Project: Harmony, Chapter five

“Welcome councilcolts, and senatemares to the 425th meeting of the Equestrian parliament," Minister Clover proclaimed as the ponies took their place in the triangle shaped meeting room, "Unfortunately we must have another private meeting to discuss a pressing matter. Another rebellion has taken place in the remote hillsides of the White Tail Woods, this time the earth ponies.”

The room gave a collective sigh of disappointment, “Another? That’s the third one this year,” Councilor Cookie said shaking her head in disbelief.

“We’re still rebuilding after the bombing on the cloudship Rainbow Swag,” added Commander Hurricane.

“Hopefully this will be a lesser conflict. The White Tail Woods are strategically a low priority, much of the area is earth pony farmers who are self-sustaining, however we feel that if these backwoods ponies spread their rebellion to the surrounding area or the region’s capitol of Fillydelphia we might have a bigger conflict on our hooves,” Minister Clover continued.

Admiral White Cloud stood, “I have discussed it with the minister and we feel that this is would a perfect opportunity to test the effectiveness of the new alicorn soldiers. They have completed their reorganization, and I am happy to say they are the first combined arms unit the pegasus SkyNavy has."

“I’m glad to see you are making use of our new gunships admiral," Councilor Daisy interjected, "I hope this calms the fears of the pegasi, and proves our dedication for an Equestrian wide military force.”

“Yes well, the main combat roles of the battle will fall to the pegasus. Your unicorn pilots will be for transport and close support, it has proven…difficult, to transport earth ponies aboard our skyships. We appreciate the unicorn’s attempt to help in combat, but the pegasi have the role covered well enough I assure you. This nation is founded on checks and balances please stay to controlling the days and nights and leave Equestrian defense to us,” the admiral said with an air of disbelief of the unicorn’s claim.

“…If that is what you wish admiral,” Daisy responded showing little regard for the admiral’s stubbornness.

Minister Clover changed the subject, trying to avoid another unnecessary debate, “Hurricane, have your weather researchers given any new information on the Equestrian climate?”

Hurricane sighed, “yes minister unfortunately they do. They say that the climate has been lowering by point five, to one degree a year, but the last few months have been setting record lows. Pretty soon we will need the Sun Circle to lengthen the summer to maintain the pre chill climate.”

“I will discuss it with them, but they are very set in their ways,” Daisy responded.

“You’re the council, are you saying that you are the puppets of a trio of old unicorns?” Commander Hurricane mused, trying to get a rise from her colleagues.

“You have no idea how persuasive their whining can be,” Princess Platinum said, letting out a high pitch to mimic them.

“‘tis tradition, isn’t that right councilors to let those old dust bags run your society? If we hadn't formed a senate they still might be telling you what to do,” Chancellor Pudding Head mocked, smiling to the honorary princess.

“We tend not to question them, they are powerful enough to control the days and have centuries of experience,” Daisy responded, taking the issue very seriously.

“Plus they’re a bunch of old grumpy mares who live in the caves below Canterlot, the only one able to tolerate them the last few years is Daisy,” Princess Platinum of the unicorns joked.
--------

“Goodbye my little ponies,” Doctor Star said looking up at the faces of the towering alicorns as they saw her off. It began to rain again for the third time this week, but the hanger they all stood in offered protection from the storm.

“Goodbye Doctor Star, if I’m ever in Canterlot I will try and get some shore leave,” Celestia offered sincerely, though she realized she had no idea if, or how she would get shore leave as an alicorn.

“Ma’am, are you ready to go?” the pilot of the flying contraption asked. From what Celestia was told Councilor Daisy personally sent a vehicle for her new assistant. The machine lacked the simplicity and elegance of a sky chariot but it did have the benefit of being fully enclosed for the pilots and at least a squad of ponies, and also featured a pair of magical weapons attached to the hull along with a pair of fans control it while in air. Celestia judged by the inadequacy of the propellers and unicorn pilots that this vessel was only used by the unicorn military and likely required a levitation spell to keep in the air.

“Yes…of course," she replied before turning to Ironwing, "be careful with them Commander, give them time to adjust to their new bodies.” Shining gave farewell smile to the silent Ironwing.

“Doctor, wait," interrupted Sapphire as she used her newfound magical abilities to lift a small box out of her raincoat, "I saw that in all the time you were with us, you never had a pair of these, and, well shucks it just didn’t seem right to me,” she said smiling and waiting for Shining to open her gift.

Shining took the small case and opened it with a flare of her magic, “Oh my," Shining exclaimed with a giggle, "thank you, the Unicorn Military Research Academy never gave these out.” Doctor Star floated out a pair of shiny metal dog tags in front of her. Along the side of each there was etched her name and a simple title that brought out a flood of emotions from the light blue unicorn, it simply said, “Team Mom”. She gave a grateful smile and floated them around her neck, taking care to tuck them under her raincoat.

“Well, I asked Lollipop to put the order in with ours, we all thought it would be mighty nice to let yall know that no matter where you are or what you do, your still one of us,” Sapphire finished, gathering agreeing nods from the other alicorns.

Ironwing finally broke his silence, “So are you going back to the academy?”

“No, Daisy has me working on something else,” the tone in her voice told everypony that she wasn’t inviting further questioning on the subject.

“Well I hope you enjoy whatever it is you do,” Ironwing said giving a rare smile.

“As long as I don’t have to attend anymore council meetings," Shining chuckled, "I never asked, are you and Commander Hurricane the same rank?”

“Nah, she’s a diplomat now, her rank is purely honorary,” he said as the two began another conversation, much to the dismay of the waiting pilot.

“Come on yall," Sapphire whispered to the other alicorns, "let’s leave them alone. Plus we need to get practice with the new gunships in,” the silver alicorn beckoned her teammates away from the hanger.

The group set their hooves onto the black asphalt that made up the airfield. The rain began to wane enough that training didn’t seem too intolerable, and luckily their practice would take place inside a hanger, Celestia thought.

“You sure you can handle flying? The unicorns aren’t exactly meant to fly,” Cloudsoar said as he flew alongside Celestia and her sister.

“You realize that it requires a competent knowledge of levitation to fly right?” Luna responded crossly.

“Alright, touché," Cloudsoar said with a smile, "but that’s what the co-pilot’s for, I fly and they keep me in the air.”

Celestia raised an eyebrow and couldn’t help but smile at the blue alicorn, something about him always brought out a smile, “well you’re not getting Luna, I’ve already called her for co-pilot.”
Luna smirked and shared a confident hoof tap with her sister.

“Pfft, I already have a co-pilot in mind.”

Celestia noticed a sideways glance from Crystal who flew ahead.

“Hey, Candice want to fly with me?” he asked flying ahead of the trotting group.

--------

Celestia had hoped that gunship training would be easy, learn the basics so you can fly it if you needed to, then back to base for rest before the upcoming battle. However Lollipop’s habit of surprises had rubbed off on his star pupil Sapphire. Celestia had her turn learning to fly the crazy machine, even though it handled like a brick (a floating brick but a brick none the less) she had hit close enough to her target that she passed the piloting portion of the test. Now came the surprise, the alicorns took turns switching between flier and target.

Luna proved a worthy target, capable of dodging every one of the amplified stun bolts Celestia rained down on her sister from the armored cockpit. Perhaps choosing her as a “co-pilot” wasn’t the best choice, Celestia admitted to herself. Celestia stretched her long legs and flapped her wings, she began to think that she would not be nearly as quick and agile as her kin.

(ZAP!)

A blue bolt of magical energy blasted a small crater under Celestia’s hooves, tossing her and a good amount of dirt into the air. Celestia spread her wings and righted herself, deciding the trees of the Everfree would no longer provide adequate cover. No real point in trying to hide from Crystal I guess, she thought, banking hard to the right as another bolt slashed the air after she escaped the tree line.

The black alicorn who controlled the craft followed Celestia, easily rotating the floating craft and funneling her magical energy into the amplifiers that cast the bolts, a task each had to learn and was normally a job for two. Celestia, although nowhere near as skilled at flying the contraption did have the benefit of small bit of extra experience on account of her going first. The unicorn made machine had many benefits a sky chariot didn’t: it could strafe in any direction, rotate on a dime, and hover, but it couldn’t move nearly as quickly.

Celestia flew as fast as she could to get distance between her, the machine, and its eagle eyed pilot. The all too familiar glow of the targeting spell that made Celestia glow like a light bulb was still locked on to her, but the bolts of stunning energy stopped harassing her as the gunship disappeared behind her.

“Don’t run away Celest, I’ll be gentle,” teased Crystal over the radio.

Runaway? You wish, Celestia smirked to herself as she began to climb hoping to hit Crystal from above. Celestia looked down as she rolled and began to plunge toward the craft silhouetted against the green forest below. Celestia concentrated, knowing she couldn’t shake the targeting spell she instead decided to make her glow much brighter. Her horn flared, the bright artificial sunlight bathed the forest top in a brilliant glow making her near impossible to hit let alone see. Celestia reached out her hooves to land on top of the craft, she closed her wing and prepared to land, only to fall through the craft completely.

Celestia scrambled to open her wings and avoid hitting the trees below. She looked up at the mirage that deceived her. But where? The canopy below Celestia exploded upwards as the expertly controlled gunship knocked her up in the air from below. Celestia bounced off the top of the metal skinned vehicle and rolled to the cockpit in front, sprawling her hooves to catch herself on the window.

The dark green eyes of Crystal peered from the pilot’s seat and offered a happy smile, “I just learned it, pretty cool huh?” she asked excitedly.
------

The evening after flight training was marked by the announcement from Ironwing who officially informed the rest of the battalion sized mob of ponies that filled the warehouse that they were going to war. The alicorns stood head and shoulders above the rest of the crowd, giving them a perfect view of their Commander who sternly faced his soldiers both veterans and the highly trained, but little traveled alicorns.

As the ponies filed out to their quarters to begin gathering their gear preparing for the battle ahead, the alicorns found themselves oddly without anything to do. Well it will be easy to pack since we don’t own anything, Celestia thought.

“I’m going up to the library, wanna come Celest?” Crystal asked as she carried herself on her buzzing wings. Celestia and the others had grown used to Crystal’s new appearance, which was making Crystal feel less alien herself, all except Cloudsoar who was still distant and becoming a real pain in the flank for everypony else.

“Sure, I want to check up on more environmental spells that might give us the advantage. Do you want to come Luna?” Celestia asked.

“…..No, I’ll catch up later,” Luna said, sounding mentally occupied but dedicated to whatever was taking away her attention.

“I’m going to go get a haircut," Cloudsoar said without prompt, "some of you should consider it too, your manes are almost down to your shoulders.” Cloudsoar gave a forced cough, slipping Sapphire’s name into his simulated hacking.

“Shut it Cloudsoar, it’s still an inch away from being out of regulation,” she replied. Despite the fact she was right, her hair was the longest of the group, but she had convinced Ironwing to to allow her to braid it as long as it stayed out of the way

The only way I can keep my damn mane out of my face is to cut the whole stupid thing off. No matter the length it always covers at least half of my face for some reason; Celestia thought, involuntarily running her hoof through her hair.

“What about you Candace?" Sapphire asked as she began to leave the conversation, "I know how yall likes to talk with the other soldiers; I’m head’n down to the earth pony barracks to get a game of chess in with Lollipop. I will need somepony to convince him I can’t use my magic to cheat.”

“There’s a spell I can teach you Sapphire,” Celestia joked as she followed Crystal to the library.
-------

“What do you think Cloudsoar would like more Celest?” Crystal asked as she buzzed between the book shelves, holding an unread book in a telekinetic field.

Celestia should have known Crystal didn’t actually want to study, instead she spent the last few hours talking and interrupting Celestia. Please don’t call me that, Celestia thought, being polite enough to not say it aloud. Celestia sighed, “I don’t know, I thought you reading about insect life.”

“I was I was," she said beginning to read from the book she floated in front of her aloud to prove it, "some insects like the butterfly, change their life cycle by entering the pupa stage, also known as a chrysalis,” she stopped and thought for a moment, “huh maybe I will read more of this.”

Thank the heavens, Celestia happily thought. Celestia continued to read about the ‘Sun Circle’ who were the group of powerful unicorns who maintained the sun’s orbit and made its rotation consistent.

“What do you think about insecticorn?” Crystal asked suddenly

“Excuse me?”

“Well, I’m not an alicorn, not really. I’m more of and insecticorn.”

“You’re not a bug Crystal,” Celestia was quick to correct, despite the fact that Crystal no longer seemed upset over her appearance.

“I'd like to be a bug.”

Celestia looked up from her tome, very confused but was met with a mischievous smile from the black “insecticorn”.

Crystal returned to her book, but the silence was short lived as she spoke again, quickly finishing the section she was reading. “Did Cloudsoar say anything about me?” she asked taking her nose from the book.

“No,” Celestia replied just barely hiding the frustration in her voice.

“He hasn’t been himself lately….actually I haven’t been myself lately,” Crystal corrected herself, the disappointment swelling in her voice. Celestia sighed and continued to read about the terrain they will be facing. “Celestia," Crystal continued, "do…do you know any shape shifting spells?”

Celestia looked up and frowned, “Crystal, no," she said sternly, "you don’t need that. What happened to the insecticorn?” she asked trying to make her teammate feel a little better.

“The first of my kind I guess,” Crystal said giving a weak smile and looking everywhere but Celestia’s face as she flew about.

“Look I know you’re not the kind to hold anything back, but let’s just find out some more about these ‘White Tail Woods’. The Commander said it’s only a few miles from the Everfree, I find it incredible that there’s ponies living that close to this place,” Celestia said as she floated out a collection of maps on the region.

“Well we’ve lived here most of our lives didn’t we?" Crystal said, visibly happy that the subject changed, "But I guess that was because the SNI didn’t want anypony wondering into the base.”

“Yeah…" Celestia trailed off as she thought of her own question to ask, "Do you ever think about…you know the rest of Equestria?”

Crystal looked a little dumbstruck at the question but smiled, no doubt happy to be the able to be on the other side of the questioning, “You mean like geography, and politics?” she joked.

Celestia couldn’t help but smirk at the feigned naivety, “you know what I mean. Do you think they remember us?”

“Who?”

“Our families, do think your father thinks about you while he does his deliveries? Does Sapphire’s baby sister even remember her? Is Cloudsoar’s dad even alive? Has Candice’s two moms adopted another kid when she went missing? Does….” Celestia stopped short of her train of thought as a sudden lump filled her throat.

Crystal smiled wide enough to expose those two fangs of hers as she hugged Celestia. The hug felt alien, not because of Crystal’s misshapen hooves, but because Celestia realized she hadn’t been hugged in years, and even then she was the one who comforted her sister in her times of trouble. Celestia smiled and whispered, “thank you."

“And remember, you do have family here.”

Celestia pulled away and wiped a small tear that threatened to push itself though, “Luna?”

“Well, yeah. But I meant the rest of us too. Come on I saw that the mess hall had a stock of ice cream for special occasions, what do you say we get that sister of yours to break in and grab us some?” Crystal said buzzing her way over to the door.

“I don’t know, she seemed pretty determined to do something earlier.”

“Ah come on, she’ll listen to anything you say.”
----------

““Sure, I want to check up on more environmental spells that might give us the advantage. Do you want to come Luna?” her older sister asked.

“…..No, I’ll catch up later,” Luna said before trotting off through the underground tunnels of the base.

Luna had seen almost every part of the base, except the one office she didn’t dare enter. Darkbeak’s private office went unused most of the day, but it still carried a strange dread to it that seemed to chill the entire hallway that lead to it's challenging door. However, she needed to do this.

Luna was simply put, afraid. She feared the battle ahead, despite her training and years of knowledge, it was her first fight, it would be her first kill, and quite possibly her only death. Ironically, there was only one soldier who could make her feel better, and that was Darkbeak.

Tap tap tap) Luna knocked her hoof against the office door. No one answered, Luna’s mind began to wonder, maybe she’s no here, I should -

The grey griffon opened the door and raised her eyebrows in surprise, “Luna? What are you doing here?”

Luna still had trouble looking Darkbeak in the eye, but being nearly as tall as her now did help a little, “I was looking for some advice, but if now isn’t a good time-“

“No, come in” she said without her typical confidence and sternness. She turned and flicked her tail to beckon the alicorn in.

Luna had never been in this room, she half expected it to be filled with torture devices and an oven to bake ponies, “…Do you have any advice?”

“For what?”

“For war,” Luna said meekly, beginning to think that this would be a mistake.

“I already taught you everything I know about hoof to claw combat, but I have a feeling you mean something else. Luna, I did everything I could to toughen you up,” she turned and gave a sincere smile to her student, "but it’s ok to be afraid,”

Luna did not expect that. This whole conversation didn’t make sense to her. Noting in here makes sense, she thought as she saw the framed picture of a younger Darkbeak with two small griffons climbing on her. “But, you said that fear is what led to death.”

“It does, the moment you let the battle beat you is the moment you let the enemy beat you. But there’s a time and place for fear," Dark beak took a seat at her desk adorned with what looked like foal made (or chick made) art projects, and noticed the alicorn starring at the picture, "they make their mother proud, both are top of their class in flight school. The eldest wants to join the pegasus auxiliaries.”

“I-I…what?”

“Luna, you’re a soldier now, it’s time that you learn that nopony, or griffon is as hard assed as they would like to think. Hell even Ironwing was had a soft spot…you didn’t hear it from me but he was screwing the doctor,” she said with a wink.

“We know, Crystal saw them together-I mean, saw them sharing a drink in the library.”

“We all feel fear, and I did my best to instill fear in all of you so that you can be prepared for the real thing when your's and your friend’s lives depend on it. Want a drink?” she asked impromptu pulling a bottle from her desk.

“I’m only 15…” Luna said.

“Yeah well you’re about to go and fight for Equestria, you flew an armed gunship today. I think you’re responsible enough to handle it,” she responded pouring a glass.

“Alright, but the battle ahead, I haven’t felt this afraid since…”

“Since you were the foal I used to kick the shit out of?”

“Well, yeah”

“I’m sorry about that you know. I don’t wish that I didn’t do it, but I do wish you weren’t needed to do that. I’m sure I was the bane of your existence for most of your foalhood, but it would have been cruel and selfish to hold back on you when you needed to know what fear and pain looked like,” Darkbeak said with conviction.

Luna snickered, damn it, she’s right.
So I want you to remember, whatever you face out there, who ever they are, they’ll never be as scary as me,” Darkbeak said smiling.

Comments

[Inkblot]

pretty good original story so far. sounds like a massive one too. i hope you can follow through with it.

[wubwave]

1250965
I've actually written up to chapter 9 already, I'm just pacing myself when posting it so I can continue to write other stuff....and yeah, it's gonna be a lot longer than I thought it would be