Shining Armor's quarters was grand and spacious, residing just north of the Celestial Ward. His office, however, was cramped and cluttered with documents and research literature as far as the eye could see. A sure sign of a busy mind. Much like his sister, though a polar opposite on the matter of personal organization.

He sat quietly at his desk, with a stern look at the floor ahead in an obvious display of pondering something of great concern. Behind schedule. No report, and no sign of the defense forces. Colonel Blackburn... where in Equestria are you?

A shadow cast over his desk as he found himself staring at the golden shoes of a breathtaking cerapter mare. He left his thoughts to look up at her. His heart became heavy and and his anxiety dissolved into bliss, for it was his beautiful wife Princess Cadence.

"Honey?" she called ever so sweetly, "Is everything alright? I came as soon as I heard about this threat made on Ponyville."

What would've become a smile on Shining's face became a frown with a sigh. "I don't know what's going on. Just yesterday I sent a platoon of two-hundred men, but they were supposed to report back several hours ago. I've received nothing at all. Princess Celestia seems to also share my concern, for the enemy who made the threat are not who we thought they were."

"What do you mean?"

"She waited several hours to inform me that they are not, in fact, a Changeling army, but an army of another species. An advanced species. She spoke of technology that I didn't understand..."

"But the Changelings are still at large?"

"Yes, that is but another concern I've added to the list. We just may see the worst invasion in Equestrian history, and I fear we may not be prepared for it."

She took his hoof. "The Crystal Empire. I can organize a legion of Imperial Guards to assist you."

"Unfortunately, I don't think we have much time."

A bell echoed through the Ward outside, snapping Shining to attention. It was rung fast and repetitive, signifying immediate danger to the palace.

"Cadence, you must get back to the empire."

"But..."

He rose from his seat and headed for the door. "Please, go now! You'll be safe there!"

...

...

...

Horrifying rumbles of machines and screams of terror echoed through the streets of Canterlot as Tolwin's aircraft stormed over the land, with his army rolling through just below.

The blades threw papers and light objects around in hurricanes, putting out several windows. Tanks crushed carts and carriages, and demolished corners of buildings with their shriekish tracks. Buggies and other softskins trailed behind, with a few mischievous drivers plowing through large display windows of the local stores with faux Indian battlecries and maniacal laughs.

Others threw Molotov cocktails in the nearby buildings, chanting random Latin phrases. Some even carried flamethrowers, taking the opportunity to set ablaze whatever they pleased.

"No munitions." Tolwin called over the radio. "Flamers and miscellaneous incendiaries only. Save the big stuff for the palace ahead. Just a half-a-mile out, guys."

Gunners in the Abrams tanks let loose on the .30 cal. machine guns in the turrets, giving the streets ahead a thorough sweep.

"And quit pissing away the quarters! We're low on heavy machine gun ammo. Save it for later."

They ceased fire and continued on.

The M5 "Stuart" choked and stopped abruptly in the middle of the street, with a plume of black smoke rising from the engine. The driver poked his head out of the hatch and looked behind them, just as a panel on the rear housing exploded from the vehicle, killing the engine.

The Shilka pulled up next to him, with Marchetti emerging from the turret hatch. "Get that ancient relic going! You're holding up the column!"

An engineer emerged from the Stuart, jumping onto the rear housing to inspect the damage, while coughing and waving away the thick smoke. "It's dead! Transmission's shot!"

Marchetti growled, grabbing a communicator from inside the Shilka. "Abrams Leader, this is Shilka, come in Ronnie."

A voice crackled on the comm. "I read you, Shilka. What's the hold-up ahead?"

"Lyle's old wreck just checked out. Make some room, Ronnie."

"Roger. Come on down, guys. Out."

Marchetti threw the communicator below. "You heard him, go! Move it!"

The Stuart crew abandoned the tank and headed for the lead Abrams. Marchetti went back inside the Shilka as it rolled on.

...

...

...

Ray slapped a crude map of the palace layout on the ground next to the Otokar Akrep, with his "platoon" gathered around. He knelt and placed his index finger on a particular location at the entrance to the castle.

"This is most likely where he'll park the invasion forces before proceeding through. We're going to sneak behind him at this key point here..." This time pointing directly behind the supposed location of Tolwin's forces, just ahead of the main road through Canterlot. "... and outflank them here and here." Now the hillside and the straight drop of the cliffs.

Faust scuffed his feet. "But how the hell are we supposed to climb the cliff-line?"

"We don't. We'll have airborne rifle platoons rise and descend from those two points. We're taking the road over here that forks from the main road behind the Raiders. Got it?"

A nod.

"Now, Tolwin's going to fly NOE with his aircraft to surprise the guardsmen. He'll have a very good field of view of the ground. Not to mention the Triple-A guns, which will have an equally good view of the air, so airborne units will have to stick to the treelines in low-profile before attacking. Space gets pretty open along the Ward and trenchlines, so when I give the signal, don't hesitate. We'll run out of cover dramatically fast."

He turned to the Changeling squad-leaders. "On the matter of these improvised carbines, remember they are single-shot and must be discarded. The goal of the riflemen is going to be painfully crude, but imperative. They must be accurate with their shots, and absolutely must take enemy weapons after they gain a kill, or we'll run out of firepower before the actual counter-attack even starts, understand?"

They nodded.

Ray looked around for Chrysalis and found her behind Junkers. "Did your soldiers refuel the Otokar Akrep with what was left in the stockpile?"

Agusta raised his hand. "Uh, I took the liberty."

"Great. Everyone ready? Got everything you need?"

Gripen stepped forward, slinging an AKM on his back. "Locked and loaded, Ray."

"The let's go."

Chrysalis nodded to Gripen and awaited his command to the legion. "Move out!" he shouted.

The six ponies entered the rear of the vehicle, followed by four of the Changeling military leaders, as well as Junkers and Agusta. Chrysalis demanded to sit upfront in the passenger seat, despite the risks.

Ray crumbled up the map and threw it in the vehicle, but was quickly halted by Faust as he was about to enter the driver side.

"Where do you think you're going?"

Ray shrugged. "I'm driving."

Faust snickered and put his hand on his shoulder "No, it's my car. I'm driving."

Chrysalis stepped in. "Ray's driving. Hurry up and get in!"

Faust grimaced at her, then back to Ray.

He shrugged with a playful smile. "Queen's orders."

"Fine. At least let me in the middle there."

He hesitated, then stepped aside for him.

"Thank you." He rolled his eyes upon entering the Otokar Akrep, with Ray following.

Ray looked back at his passengers, then started the vehicle. "Here we go!" Pedal to the metal, and they were off, with the army of Changelings airborne behind.

While the majority of the drones carried the improvised carbines, explosive arrow kits, and Molotov cocktails as their major armament, the "VIPs" of the fighting force wielded the more powerful weaponry. Ray, as usual, carried his modified WA-2000, Colt 1911, M62 fragmentation grenades, and M1 combat knife. Faust had an AKM with an odd-looking custom barrel piston under the foregrip - most likely some sort of crude anti-recoil device - and a Beretta M92F for a sidearm. Junkers and Agusta both had AK-101s, but Junkers' lacked a stock. They did not carry sidearms, but did have combat knives and red signal grenades that could be used for a smoke-screen.

The higher-ranking Changelings had their share in "special" weapons as well. Cattani carried a classic AK-47; Gripen an AKM with custom iron sites like that on a Heckler & Koch product; Gloster an M16A1 with an M1 bayonet; finally Lancer a Bizon PP-19.

Chrysalis demanded a weapon as well, and per request she carried an RPK-74 with a rare steel drum clip. Being as bulky as it was, she had to have the window down for the long barrel and bipod to stick out in order to make room.

Reserve weapons included an extra AKM, M16A2, even the M202 FLASH and M67 recoilless rifle. These last two items were strictly anti-armor weapons, and were ordered to be used only with permission from the highest-ranking individuals, or used by those individuals themselves. The queen and Ray we're those individuals unless they were incapacitated from command.

The six ponies needed no other weapon but their minds and their elements. Not the unfortunately lost representations, but the elements within their hearts. With that, as long as they remained true to themselves they felt unstoppable. Even if Twilight detested the inconvenient truth that they required assistance from a bitter-hated enemy. The queen's presence in the same vehicle was no aid against those feelings and only fueled insecurity.

Ten whole minutes had passed, and yet not a word was spoken above the bumps and rattles as they traveled over harsh terrain. Not a whisper.