Chapter One: Zero Hour
The Gathering Storm Part V
Descent into Darkness
Chapter One: Zero Hour
Three days, 120,584 steps, 264,890 wings flaps and 276 miles later and we finally made it to the target building…well it was another three miles away across open ground and on top of a 400ft cliff but it was close enough. We set up camp in the woods and rested for a day to gather our lost strength.
“Aright guys, light and noise discipline from now on. We’ve got 13 hours to rest then 1 hour to prepare. We assault the castle at 0100 hours. Got it!”
“Yes sir.”
All of the men just seemed to fall on the ground and fall asleep. So it looks like I was to take first watch. The sun light came through the tree canopy like rays from heaven I don’t know why but I positioned myself not in direct sunlight, I didn’t feel combatable in the sun light. I sat down in the shadow of an oak tree an lent up against it, I took out my binoculars so I could get a better look at the castle.
It looked nothing like Canterlot, it was made from light grey stone and had a certain gothic look to it with high towers and roofs. I looked more like a mansion than a castle the battlements were for show and arrow slits were just fancy windows. Night Light propped himself against the tree just next to me.
“Can’t sleep?” he asked me.
“I didn’t have a choice.” I gestured towards the snoozing soldiers.
“I’ll let you catch some z’s later on. We can’t have the commander dozing off in the middle of the raid can we?”
“I suppose not.” We sat in silence for a moment.
“I’ll give it to Blue Blood, he sure knows how to pick ‘em.” Said Night Light.
“Okay I admit its nice house. Where did you live before all of this?” I asked Night Light.
“Mustangia. I lived there with my pa, ma died when I was little.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
“Ah don’t be, I never really knew her so I’ve got nopony to miss. What about you sir?”
“Born in Cloudsdale, moved to Trottingham when I was little, hence the accent.”
“Ma and Pa?”
“Oh yeah but I don’t really keep in touch with them, there not combatable with what I’am. My father mostly. I have no idea why.”
“Family is important; you have both of your parents. Count yourself lucky.”
“Yeah. What about your parents Night Light, where are they now?” Night Light didn’t answer, he got up and walked away.
“I’m going to check the perimeter, then I’ll let you rest.”
*
About 10 hours later and I was awoken by some of my men talking in there fox holes. They were talking about somepony.
“No way I don’t believe that.”
“It’s all true.”
“C’mon, he couldn't have taken out five guys by himself.”
“It’s all true. Surrounded on all sides, no weapon and no way out.”
“So what did he do?”
“He disarmed one of them and used his sword to take out the rest.”
“Wow.”
“Badass.”
“I did have help, Captain Caramel was there too. I think he took out three or four.” I had walked over to the foxhole whilst they were talking. They looked confused accept for Steel Heart, he was the one telling the story. He was chuckling.
“Sorry sir I wasn’t telling them about your heroic actions in the High Court of Canterlot.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah. Steel Heart was telling us about Commander Hurricane and his escape from the Massacre at St. Galore.” Said Keen Eye, the newest and youngest recruit to Eclipse squadron.
“I don’t believe him sir but I did forgot about your fight in the High Court. I guess Steel Heart was not talking a load of crap.” Said Autumn Leaf.
“It’s like we have our very own Commander Hurricane.” Said Keen Eye.
“Well you know what they say. History is doomed to repeat itself. You should listen to Steel Heart more Autumn Leaf, you might learn something.”
“Yes sir.”
I looked down at my watch, it was time to get ready for the assault.
“All right listen up. We’ve got half an hour left until zero hour so now’s the time to get yourself’s together then report to your DSP’s (Designated Starting Points)got it?”
“Yes sir.” They answered in unison.
*
Myself and the assault team were lying down on our chests just behind the tree line as we waited for the last few minutes before zero to click away. It felt like hours, looking at my watch every few seconds didn’t help. I wasn’t nervous I just wanted to get it over and done with as soon as possible. It had been four days since we left the airfield and I was worried about Tune Up. She knew about our choppers being shot down so I thought she might be feeling a bit guilty. I just wanted to show her I was okay and in one piece.
Night Light crawled up next to me.
“Sir, team one are all set. Team two and three are standing by.”
“Got it.” I didn’t take my eye of my watch.
Ten seconds to zero hour I raised my hoof above my head. Right on the hour I pointed directly at the mansion.
“Go.”
Team one took off and headed for the mansion. They were carrying the scaling equipment for the unicorn and earth ponies.
01:07 lines secure, I order team two to move out. They spirited across the open field and to the base of the cliff.
“This is where it gets real.” I said to Night Light.
“It’s a risk, but there willing to take it.” He answered.
I flip down the night vision goggles that were attached to my helmet. I could see my men climbing up the cliff face. There IR strobes were only visible through the night vision goggles.
“How are they doing?” Night Light asked me.
“Okay.” Just then I saw one of the climbers slip, I took a sharp breath and didn’t breath until they recovered. I let out a sigh of relief.
“Sir?” Night Light poked me.
“What?” I flipped up the NVG’s and faced Night Light. He gestured at my left hoof. It was shaking. The awkwardness was broke by the sound of two beeps on my radio, that signaled that the first member of team two had reached the cliffs peak. I tapped Night Light on the shoulder .
“Go!”
“Team three move out.” Night Light Stood but and galloped towards the cliff, team three were right behind him as I took off into the air.
I touched down on the outer walls walkway that surrounded the mansion, propped up against the wall was a stunned Imperial.
“A wee member of the welcoming committee.” Joked Final Stand.
“Lt. Windmill, take your squad and follow me. Sgt Carriage. Secure this area and wait for team three.”
“Yes sir.”
“The rest of you, with me! Stack up on door 1-1, prepare to breech.”
Water Fall gave the door an almighty kick and it flew open, I was first to enter. No enemies in sight, I flipped down my helmets NVG’s and turned on my blasters IR laser pointer as did the rest of my men. It was pitch black and the corridor seemed to have no end to it. We slowly made our way down the corridor and deeper into the mansion. The walls were decorated with paintings and murals, expensive pottery and art work also lined to corridor.
About five minutes in and we made it to the security room’s door. It looked so out of place. Instead of being a lovely vanished mahogany wooden door like the others it was steel and had a red light above it. I peeked my head around the corner, there was a camera looking at the door and a half asleep guard in a caged off office.
“Team three come in over.” I said into my radio.
“Team three here.”
“Stand by to cut the mansions power.”
“Roger sir. Cutting in 3…2…1…”
As soon as the power went out I broke cover and shot the guard. He must have been about 50ft away. I guess all that time at the range paid off. Even Final Stand said it was a nice shot. We had thirty seconds to make it to the door, get into the office, open the door viva key card then get inside before the emergency power comes online. I flew down the corridor and into the guard room, the card was around the guards neck on a lanyard.
The guard wasn't an Imperial he was just like me, a normal pony. But I didn't take time to contemplate my actions I had to act. Without hesitation I ripped the lanyard from the stunned guard’s neck and swiped it along the scanner. The compressed air to open the doors hissed as it open. The men didn't slow down as they ran into the security wing, I was right behind them.
“Great work everypony.” I said whilst putting the card into my pocket.
The power came back on and I was blinded by the powerful lights on the ceiling as were the rest of the men. I flipped up my NVG’s and readied my blaster, I felt like we were in a trap but as my eyes adjusted to the light I saw what was below us. A rusty old railing separated us from the dark abyss. The security wing was actually a prison and when deep down into the mountain. I looked over the railing, I couldn't see the ground all I saw was darkness.
Connected to our platform was a small walkway, it only lead to a cage that was hanging over the abyss. It had a security station in it with camera feeds all-over the mansion. Centigrade our Computers Tech was at the terminal. I walked over to him.
“Any idea where 24601 is?” I asked him.
“Negative sir. You could shout and wait for a response.”
“What if there gagged or we alert the guards in the mansion.”
“Ah…well that’s why you’re the commander and I’m the Tech. The only option then is to check the cells individually.”
“How many are there?”
Centigrade tapped on the keyboard.
“300 sir.”
“Fine then. You stay here and contact me if you find 24601.”
“Will do.”
“Everypony else, on me!”
We took the only route into the prison, a small walkway. The cells were on our right, old stone rooms but with metal electric doors. On our left was a metal wall about waist height and shatter proof glass above that, well that was left of it any way. We check each cell individually on the top floor and the next four floors and still no sign of 24601.
“Sir, which cell are you at now?” Said Centigrade over the radio.
The number of the cells was above each door.
“150.” I answered him.
“You’re now half way sir.”
“Thanks for the update.”
“Sir sir!” Keen Eye was calling me over; he was looking down into the pit.
I turned on my NVG’s. I could now see the bottom of the pit. There was only a huge steel door in the wall.
“That’s where the defector is!”
“How can you be so sure?” Keen Eye asked me.
“Because it’s wired.” To the right of the door was a security terminal and a wire leading up wall to the control room above us.
“Centigrade, can you open the steel door at the bottom of the pit?”
“Negative sir, you’ll have to open it from down there.”
“Understood. Let’s just hope the card key works.” I tuned to Keen Eye.
“Nice work.” I said to him.
“Thank you si-” Keen Eye went down, he was stunned.
“Enemy 9 o’clock high!” shouted Night Light.
Blaster bolts came flying at us from the top floor. I dove behind the metal wall as did the rest of the men.
“There’s loads of ‘em!” said Night Light.
“Shut up and return fire!” I barked at him.
“Right. You lot heard what the commander said, return fire!”
A few minutes of exchanging fire with the enemy passed.
“We are getting nowhere fast!” said Night Light.
I looked over the wall and at the door, it must have been about 100ft away. I couldn’t fly down there nor jump. So I came up with another idea.
“Give me your belt!” I said to Night Light.
“Now is hardly the time for a striptease sir!”
I grabbed his belt and undid his buckle.
“What the hell?”
“Cover me.” I ran into an open cell. I replaced Night Light belt with my own and prepared the line for 75ft and the carabiner. There was a hoof rail on our side of the wall. I would run at the wall, clip the carabiner on to the hoof rail, jump over and the line would slow me down by the time I reached the bottom. I took a sharp breath and charged at the wall. The carabiner clipped into place and I started to fall, about half way down I felt the line become tighter then tighter and tighter again.
Just before I touched the floor I disconnected the line and ran towards the door.
“Crazy bastard.” Said Night Light over the radio.
At the door I hardly had any physical cover so I had to rely on my squad and the darkness. But the occasional bolt came within a few inches of hitting me. I swiped the card over the terminal. “Access denied.”
“Buck! Night Light you there?” I called him over the radio.
“Well I haven’t gone sightseeing have I! What’s up?”
“The card will not work at the terminal.”
“Well you’ll have to find another way in.”
“How!?”
“Make one.”
“What are you talking about…never mind.”
On Night Lights belt was a small pack of explosives, I applied the playdoh like substance to the four hinges on the steel door. The door was old and a bit rusty so I hoped the five pounds of explosives I had would be enough. I pressed the detonators into the explosives and prepped them to explode in one minute. I took cover behind a crate and covered my ears. I felt the thud of the explosives and a whoosh above my head. I looked up, the door was missing. Behind me and imbedded into the wall was the steel door. Either the explosives were incredibly powerful or the door was week.
Above me I heard another explosion. I looked up to see something hit the cage where Centigrade was. The Imperials fired an RPG into it from there platform. The cage creek, steel poles and concrete started to fall.
“Sir you best get the buck out of there.” Said Night Light.
“Gottcha!”
I ran towards the door, debris was falling all-around me. I had to dodge a lot of it and it slowed me down. I glanced up the see Centigrade leap to safety and the whole cage come crashing down. I ran as fast as I could. Some debris hit my wing and I fell, I was so close to the door. I had no time to get up so I scampered towards the door. The cage landed behind me and I was thrown forward.